[NavyRS-t]

So I go in to the dealership get my CEL light cleared (cat deficiency due to MRT exhaust) and to find out what my tapping engine noise REALLY is. I just called a few minutes ago and the service guy tells me that it's not the injectors as I had thought. It's worse!!! He says that it could possibly be bent valves from over revving??? But he can't tell fro sure unless he tears apart the engine to find out. AND he cant ell whether or not it's under warrenty until he tears it apart also. I can't afford a tear down just by itself. Does this make much sense? I have been to a few Auto-X's and only bumped the rev limiter a few (like 3) times. I remember reading that the EJ25 can handle up to somewhere in the range of 8k RPM before failure begins. Any help or comments would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Brett

 

[RS25.com]

Okay, isn't there some shops that have little flexible cameras they can put into the spark plug holes?

But bent valves? I think the engines are over-engineered for stuff like that. I personally would find that VERY hard to believe. Go get a second opinion somewhere else - find a Subaru specialty shop, or ask around everyone you know for the best shop in town.

Seriously.

 

[Warp3]

From what I've read in the past, many times the "tapping" on Subaru engines has turned out to be the idler pulley tensioner, but occasionally piston slap or valve lash out-of-spec are the cause. I would think bent valves would have a more noticeable effect than that.

 

[Boy]

If you bent a valve(s) you would not be running correctly. The valves must seat properly or your compression would be shot. Now, the cam belt tensioner is a possibility but that should've been caught by the tech. Valve lash, definately a possibility, also could be a bad lifter. As for the bent valve theory, sounds like BS to me.

 

[5252]

2.2's which are similar, are famous for having noisy lifters. if it has compression and runs fine, move on and don't sweat it. my 2.2 legacy L ticks gently for the first five minutes and goes away.
especially if you have never over revved it. a comperssion test will tell.

 

[NavyRS-t]

Wow, hey thanks for all the help. I took it back to the dealership to see what the MASTER tech had to say. He told me after maybe 2 minutes of listening to the car, at idle and while I was driving (he wanted a ride:devil: ), and told me that it was probably most definately NOT the bent valve notion that one of the techs had mentioned before, and most likely that the valve lash was out of adjustment. He ALSO said as a key point that he won't know for sure until he gets it tornd down and looks at it. I got an estimate and went to my other mechanic and he said since I still have the warrenty that I should just take it to Subaru incase it's worse. So that's what I'm doing. The reason the other tech had suggested bent valves was because there was another 2.5 that HAD bent the valves and sounded similar. But, I was VERY sceptical due to the fact that my car runs quite well except for that whole tapping deal. Anyways, I'm out to sea so my wife is taking it in on Mon. (just got paid) and we will see the results fairly soon hopefully.

Again thanks for the help and ideas.

Brett

 

[Guipo]

suggestion

ahhh, yes, hydrolic valves. I used to have this problem in a old Pickup of mine. This isnt a certain fix, but its worth a try. Start your engine, and at idle, rev the engine at 3000 RPM's for between 3-5 minutes. That should reset your valve lash. let me know if this works. Mitsubishi's are like this. I dont think it's bent valves, tapets happen on older engines. They ususally just need to be adjusted. If you do that fix, and they are self adjusting, you'll be set. give it a try!

Guipo

 

[rbehny]

i'm trying to get an idea of what this sounds like. My 01 rs has been making a thuwp thuwp .... sound for the last few days and has started to scare me. I need to take it in for the 10000 mile check up and all but i've been pretty nice to the engine so far. I have no idea what it is.

I think it comes from the bottom of the engine bay because with the hood open i can't hear it but when i lay under the car i hear it but cant locate it.

thanks

sorry.. don't mean to hijack your thread

 

[NavyRS-t]

rbehny-- I don't care whether or not you jack the thread thats what they are here for... sorry to hear about that sound though. I think that a "thwump"-ing sound from the underside of my car would scare me too. Unless I'm at an Auto-x then it's just a cone/cone shagger. :biglaugh: I've heard that various parts of plastic will come loose, but I'm guessing thats not what you got. Smartest thing that I did was talk to the HEAD MECHANIC at the dealership and my own personal mechanic. Its their job, they better know whats up. You know?

Guipo-- Unfortunately my car does nt have auto adj valves. And I think that I like it that way. Sounds like that might be a weak failure point in my simple, nuclear engineer, opinion. Unless that vehicle is driven as a daily grandma car. But I know more about turbines and mettilurgy than internal combustion. Maybe that will be my next degree.

Thanks,
Brett

 

[imprezadan]

So I go in to the dealership get my CEL light cleared (cat deficiency due to MRT exhaust) and to find out what my tapping engine noise REALLY is. I just called a few minutes ago and the service guy tells me that it's not the injectors as I had thought. It's worse!!! He says that it could possibly be bent valves from over revving??? But he can't tell fro sure unless he tears apart the engine to find out. AND he cant ell whether or not it's under warrenty until he tears it apart also. I can't afford a tear down just by itself. Does this make much sense? I have been to a few Auto-X's and only bumped the rev limiter a few (like 3) times. I remember reading that the EJ25 can handle up to somewhere in the range of 8k RPM before failure begins. Any help or comments would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Brett

Yeah, if you had bent valves a compression check would easily let you know.