Knocking engine...

[storm99]

Hi All,
I have got an odd tapping/knocking noise coming from the left hand side of the engine bay...
At first I thought it must be the lifters, so I changed the oil (put in some 5w/30 Semi Synth) but the noise still remains.
If you stick your head inside the engine bay, it sounds like the noise is coming from the belts or timing gear...
Anyone got any ideas as to what it could be?
It's a standard 1.8 V6 by the way.
Thanks in advance,
Storm

[synap]

Hey, I have the same issue right now. Took it in and they say it the cam springs(the ones that hold the tension on the second set cams to keep them in place) and / or the timing belt tensioner arm. They told me its ok to still drive but to get rid of the ticking I should fix it.

Anyone in Ottawa know were I can get this parts cheap?

[storm99]

Thanks man. I suspected the tensioner arm (someone mentioned something similar in another post from a while back).
Do you know if any long-term damage is caused by not fixing this, or how much it would cost to get done?

[lakersfan1]

The worst that can happen from a bad timing tensioner arm is your timing belt slips a couple teeth, and your car starts running like crap. Some have even had the belt slip in such a way the the cam teeth tore up the belt. Worse case scenario is your engine siezes up. But at least our engines are non-interference, so even in that event, it's not too much more work to get it back on its feet. No head or bottom end work would be required.

[synap]

They said it will drive fine, it's just more annoying with the ticking sound . The tension arm if it goes as lakersfan1 said, your timing belt can get chewed up slowly or stop working...

Mazda quoted my about $300 CAN or so to fix just the tensioner arm dang..! the cam springs with the arm they quoted me also $860 CAN (w/tax & labour) damn these expensive toys...

so i'm probally just going to live with the ticking

just need to find a place in ottawa that can do this.

<small>[ August 10, 2004, 07:04 PM: Message edited by: synap ]</small>

[hgallegos915]

Mine does that too, the read head does it..not the front one. When they rebuilt the engine..they didnt mess wuith the heads i guess.

[storm99]

Thanks everyone.
I guess I'll just live with it until the next cam belt change (only another 6 months). Hopefully it'll be OK until then.

[PWRD_BY_HKS]

DUDE I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM MY MECHANICH TOLD ME I SHOULD JUST ADJUSY MY CAMS AND THAT SHOULD DO IT BUT IF YOU GUYS SAY ITS THE TENSION ARM AND ITS MORE THAT ONE OF US HAVING THIS PROBLEM THAT MAYBE IT MIGHT JUST BE THAT...........WHAT HEADRES DO I PUT IN THE CAR WHAT HEADERS FIT??? HELP A LITTLE MEXICAN MAN OUT

[Tempus]

Might be friction gear noise...

Read these
V-6 Friction gear noises (by Vaughn Nishimura)

from probe FAQ site

from our V6 FAQ

[lakersfan1]

Honestly, I haven't heard a whole hell of alot of people ACTUALLY having the friction gear spring noise. Mechanics diagnose it alot, but when people make sound clips of it, it's almost always a tensioner arm. Mechanics are dumb.

[TsiMiata]

My alternator bearing went and made a really nice ticking noise that sounded like it was coming from the valve train.