Clicking in Engine

[Bernard Littau]

> Well, last night I took out the rod from the vacuum pump, but the
> clicking was still present.  Today I'll see if it is the noisy lifters or
> cracks in the EM.  It's only been 2500 miles since my last oil change,
> but the oil used in that change wasn't as thick as Dave suggested.
>

This is unlikely in your case, but you never know...

My '88 5ktq clicks, and it is the gear for the distributor on the back of
the cam.  Someone must have jammed the distributor in incorrectly at one
point, and several of the teeth on the cam are gouged.  The bad teeth cause
a very noticeable clicking, which I initially thought was a lifter.

I use a 3 foot long wooden dowel to try and find noises.  You can hold one
end up to your ear, and place the other end of the dowel on various parts of
the engine.  Don't laugh, it works surprisingly well :-)

I always place the dowel on the engine first, then move my ear near it, but
always such that the dowel goes past my ear.  Be very careful near the fans
and belts.  Some of the bearing noises on the pumps and such are
interesting.  Noises are surprisingly local.

Best,

Bernard Littau
Woodinville, WA
'88 5ktq