GVOLCRunner

So, 90 runner. Up until this morning, ran great.

Started it up, pullout of driveway. Up to the street to the road, turn on give it some gas and its sounding normal, then all of a sudden got really loud.

I can hear, what im hoping are my lifters..

So, anyone with experience... what does it sound like.. cracked exhaust?

What should I listen for? Look for? Good vs. bad noises? Ive worked a bit on my truck, but I dont have a lot of experience with bad sounding engines vs. normal sounding engine, with just a cracked exhaust.

Any tips or hints on what I should be doing to find out if its just a simple exhaust issue or something else.



There was no loud bang, or hitting anything. It doesnt shoot out wierd smoke, except when I had it on my driveway and I was gunning it..and a little black smoke was coming out.

I think my cat is probably clogged or close to it..been meaning to replace it. Could the resulting backpressure from a bad cat have doing something? pop the exhaust?

abecedarian

Lifter/valve adjustment noise is usually very well defined 'clicks' or 'taps'. Exhaust leaks tend to sound more like a piece of plastic or cloth flapping in the wind at high speed, more 'rip' than 'tap'. Make sense?

GVOLCRunner

Well I know there is a exhaust issue. Its really loud, so its open somewhere. But in that I hear the tale tale tick tick tick tick louder than usual. Now, what should I listen for that is bad?

abecedarian

if you have some rubber hose, put one end in your ear (no need for silicone) and move the other end around / along the pipes and engine bay. when the noise gets loudest, you're near the source of the sound.

securekey

A vacuum leak or exhaust leak will cause that 'ticking' sound. trust me just went through this for a few months... ended up welding it up and all is good now.

abecedarian

what I was getting at is that a valve will 'tick'... just tick faster at higher rpm's. An exhaust leak my be a 'tick' at lower rpms, but turn into a rustling garbling cacaphony at higher rpms... unless it's right at the exhaust port on the manifold.
But then the 'hose' stethoscope will narrow it down as well.

GVOLCRunner

thanks. I cant deal with it tonight. I just spent all weekend being bob vila for a friend who just bought a house. I installed track lighting, rewired a ton of stuff up to code.. helped wire up a 220 for his dryer..taught him how to frame... on and on.

Im exhausted. There is a decent shop just down the road. Im just going to drive it by and let them look, only becuase I work a full time job and I dont really have time at all to diy..which I usually do.

To kick it all.. I just sold me motorcycle 2 DAYS ago. ARG! Im getting a bigger one, but still....this irritates me. Of course this would occur when im down to one mode of transportation.