m20 valve tick

[dnguyen1963]

Time for a new head. That noise is coming from the valves.

[mod_junkie]

When that video was taken was the engine at normal operating temperature? If so, the valves are way too loud.

yes it was.

[TurboJake]

Yeah, that's too loud.

Head job.

[mccor023]

Ive been in the same boat and thought my head was louder than it should be.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=274404

Its not as bad as yours, but still audible even while crusing at 65 with windows up. I am hoping to hear a healthy M20, before I decide to rebuild or swap.

[mod_junkie]

well I was thinking maybe a exhaust leak that is adding to the ticking? anyone got any insight?

[EatsHondas]

well I was thinking maybe a exhaust leak that is adding to the ticking? anyone got any insight?

Very possible, but don't count on fixing a leak and completely getting rid of the ticking. In my experience, exhaust leaks are easiest to hear when the engine is cold (more clearance between the exhaust sections and their gaskets), running at low rpm, and high load (foot to the floor). If the ticking sounds louder when you try the above conditions, you've got an exhaust leak.

If you'd like to SEE a possible exhaust leak, suck in some Seafoam through the vacuum line that runs from the intake to the fuel pressure regulator. White smoke will come out of any leaky spots.

[ButtJuice]

Damn that sounded like a sewing machine..

[It's Soda Not Pop]

Bumping an Old thread. M20's tick. that's what they do. Good Ol' sewing machines. I have a new head from BimmerHeads, with adjusted valves, and I run 20w50 oil. They tick. It's part of their charm.

[ADEN]

Hearing a lot of ppl call m20s the sewing machines but my m20b23 with 731 head idles like a Toyota Corolla, I believe the ticking issue is with the 885 head.

[digger]

way back when my 885 head was quiet as a mouse with new everything (many rebuilds are not new everything) so i cant see any of the different castings being different, many people confuse the valve lash take-up noise with the injectors which do make a ticking sound

[nando]

Hearing a lot of ppl call m20s the sewing machines but my m20b23 with 731 head idles like a Toyota Corolla, I believe the ticking issue is with the 885 head.

Aside from the casting and camshaft, the rest of it is basically identical. so that seems like a pretty far-fetched claim. And even the castings aren't really that unique, they are almost certainly based on the original design from the 1970's.

[e30vert]

I just spent the afternoon adjusting my intake and exhaust valves for each cylinder . Used a .025 feeler gauge. I assume that is the correct gap? The feeler gauge says .025 on it and not 0.25. Its a standard feeler gauge set that includes the .025. Ive still got a ticking , but my oil level is a little low. Im gonna top it up and see if that helps quiet it down.
Each of the valve lash that I measured was tight before I adjusted them. Thats probably to be expected as the valves wear into the valve seats over the many years of use.

[digger]

I just spent the afternoon adjusting my intake and exhaust valves for each cylinder . Used a .025 feeler gauge. I assume that is the correct gap? The feeler gauge says .025 on it and not 0.25. Its a standard feeler gauge set that includes the .025. Ive still got a ticking , but my oil level is a little low. Im gonna top it up and see if that helps quiet it down.
Each of the valve lash that I measured was tight before I adjusted them. Thats probably to be expected as the valves wear into the valve seats over the many years of use.

0.25mm or 0.010" is the correct value.

0.025mm and 0.025" (as you dont mention units) are both wrong regardless of unit and needs to be redone immediately

[e30vert]

0.25mm or 0.010" is the correct value.

0.025mm and 0.025" (as you dont mention units) are both wrong regardless of unit and needs to be redone immediately

Thanks Mucho for the reply. When I fired the engine up and the valve tick was way worse I figured that I had used the wrong feeler gauge. Thought about it and relaized that my feeler gauges were marked in inches and not millimeters so that I needed to use the 0.010 as that equates to .025 mm . Only ran briefly and have already readjusted the valves last evening. Just need to reassemble.

Good to have the input!

[jjjjj]

Thought about it and relaized that my feeler gauges were marked in inches and not millimeters so that I needed to use the 0.010 as that equates to .025 mm .

You did think about it again and just typo'd, right? Correct feeler gauge is 0.10"/0.25mm, not the 0.025mm as you stated.