About to buy, but is this normal? - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

10-07-2001, 08:02 PM

Hey guys.. I'm looking at a '91 240SX SE with only 84000 on it. Well when idling there is a tapping sound comming from hte top of hte engine , seems hte front. It is constant with every revolution of the engine, to my knowledge the timing belt is original. Any ideas what this could be? is it normal or should i be worried? The engine is hot btw, and hte sound goes away at any higher revs.

S13Grl · 10-07-2001, 09:55 PM

I have that tap too on my '91. It's just the timing chain. Needs to get serviced.

BlueSix · 10-07-2001, 10:44 PM

I have that on my '92 too, anyone know how much it costs?

OMG I just realized that I don't remember if my car is a 92 or 91.... LOL what a space cadet I am!

*LanceS13* · 10-07-2001, 11:59 PM

The fuel injectors are really loud...it could be that.  It also may be the valves tapping if they haven't been adjusted in a long time....just some ideas.

*ca18guy* · 10-08-2001, 06:06 AM

Valves ussually tap because they aren't getting oil on them, might want to put alittle extra in there.

S13Grl · 10-08-2001, 09:51 AM

Nah, I check all my fluid levels and other stuff once a week. (Don't get too creative with this, I'm talking about my car.) Anyway, I just called a few places, Nissan dealerships charge a grand to service timing chains. I'm gonna make a few more calls, see if I can get a good rate anywhere else, I'm concerned about this.

*ca18guy* · 10-08-2001, 10:01 AM

By the way he describes the sound, I will almost bet that the sound is the valves clicking from oil starvation. When ever he rev's the engine the sound go's away because the oil is being pumped more effecientyl on to the valves, but when it idle's the oil can't get to the valves so the make that annoying clicking sound. Anyway I'd does'nt hurt to put a extra 1/2 pint in to see if that stops it.

10-08-2001, 10:06 AM

Extra lubrication is always good.

*ca18guy* · 10-08-2001, 10:09 AM

AHHH it's the evil uppercase S13Grl (running and hiding)

10-08-2001, 10:16 AM

Hey, it's like having four girls on the forum! <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'>

10-08-2001, 10:19 AM

Hey look 2 ca18guy's, this is just odd!!

<img src="http://forums.off-topic.net/attachment.php?s=&postid=1166083">

S13Grl · 10-08-2001, 11:16 AM

Crazy-ass!

P.S. Re: timing chain: I'm not gonna do mine. Why? How about just doing the SR swap and not have to worry about spending the extra grand on the timing chain I won't use. Yeah, I know I wanted to turbo my KA, but... maybe I'll buy another 240 later lol <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'>

*transient* · 10-08-2001, 01:52 PM

putting extra oil in an engine has always scared me, cuz when a friend of mine first got his car, it was drivin like shit, so he checked the oil, and there wasn't any on the dipstick. He put more oil in and for a while it ran a lot better. Thing is... when he checked it, he hadn't shut the car off and let it sit, so the oil was actually there, just not any in the pan. He ended up with about 8 quarts of oil in his engine and white smoke POURING out the back of the car. It was hilarious looking back on it. lol

*ca18guy* · 10-08-2001, 01:56 PM

When I got my first car, the guy i bought it from said he just changed the oil!! well me and my dad decided to change the oil since the car had white smoke coming from it, we drained 2 gallons of oil from my 300zx, the guy did'nt change the oil he just added the oil...geez.... what some people do, any way a half quart won't hurt to see if it helps the problem.

S13Grl · 10-09-2001, 08:54 AM

<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'> I used to work in a Nissan dealership as a receptionist. One day, this lady came to pay her bill, and I told her the price, yadda yadda. She asked me what it was for. Under the description line it said: "Oil Change/Remarks: There was one pint of oil left, the color and texture of which was that of tar"(or something along those lines.) The moment I read that, every ounce of respect I had for this lady just vanished. Attached to the bill was a windshield sticker, signifying the date she had last changed her oil: NOVEMBER 1999!!! Well, that's just one horror story. There was another lady (I was told) who had a Nissan Axxes. (spelling?) She bought her car new in 1991 or so, came back in 1996 with 60Kmi on the odometer and a blown engine. Why? She never changed her oil. Why? Cause the salesman didn't say anything about it. Yeah...

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

10-07-2001, 08:02 PM	#1
Guest Posts: n/a	Hey guys.. I'm looking at a '91 240SX SE with only 84000 on it. Well when idling there is a tapping sound comming from hte top of hte engine , seems hte front. It is constant with every revolution of the engine, to my knowledge the timing belt is original. Any ideas what this could be? is it normal or should i be worried? The engine is hot btw, and hte sound goes away at any higher revs.

10-07-2001, 09:55 PM	#2
S13Grl Married to the Mob Join Date: Dec 2000 Age: 40 Posts: 3,670 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I have that tap too on my '91. It's just the timing chain. Needs to get serviced.

10-07-2001, 10:44 PM	#3
BlueSix Zilvia Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 173 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I have that on my '92 too, anyone know how much it costs? OMG I just realized that I don't remember if my car is a 92 or 91.... LOL what a space cadet I am!

10-07-2001, 11:59 PM	#4
LanceS13 AutoX Junkie Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: MS Age: 39 Posts: 2,044 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	The fuel injectors are really loud...it could be that.  It also may be the valves tapping if they haven't been adjusted in a long time....just some ideas.

10-08-2001, 06:06 AM	#5
ca18guy Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Clearwater FL Age: 39 Posts: 3,226 Trader Rating: (0) Rides Gallery: ca18guy Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Valves ussually tap because they aren't getting oil on them, might want to put alittle extra in there.

10-08-2001, 09:51 AM	#6
S13Grl Married to the Mob Join Date: Dec 2000 Age: 40 Posts: 3,670 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Nah, I check all my fluid levels and other stuff once a week. (Don't get too creative with this, I'm talking about my car.) Anyway, I just called a few places, Nissan dealerships charge a grand to service timing chains. I'm gonna make a few more calls, see if I can get a good rate anywhere else, I'm concerned about this.

10-08-2001, 10:01 AM	#7
ca18guy Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Clearwater FL Age: 39 Posts: 3,226 Trader Rating: (0) Rides Gallery: ca18guy Feedback Score: 0 reviews	By the way he describes the sound, I will almost bet that the sound is the valves clicking from oil starvation. When ever he rev's the engine the sound go's away because the oil is being pumped more effecientyl on to the valves, but when it idle's the oil can't get to the valves so the make that annoying clicking sound. Anyway I'd does'nt hurt to put a extra 1/2 pint in to see if that stops it.

10-08-2001, 10:06 AM	#8
Guest Posts: n/a	Extra lubrication is always good.

10-08-2001, 10:09 AM	#9
ca18guy Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Clearwater FL Age: 39 Posts: 3,226 Trader Rating: (0) Rides Gallery: ca18guy Feedback Score: 0 reviews	AHHH it's the evil uppercase S13Grl (running and hiding)

10-08-2001, 10:16 AM	#10
Guest Posts: n/a	Hey, it's like having four girls on the forum! <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'>

10-08-2001, 10:19 AM	#11
Guest Posts: n/a	Hey look 2 ca18guy's, this is just odd!! <img src="http://forums.off-topic.net/attachment.php?s=&postid=1166083">

10-08-2001, 11:16 AM	#12
S13Grl Married to the Mob Join Date: Dec 2000 Age: 40 Posts: 3,670 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Crazy-ass! P.S. Re: timing chain: I'm not gonna do mine. Why? How about just doing the SR swap and not have to worry about spending the extra grand on the timing chain I won't use. Yeah, I know I wanted to turbo my KA, but... maybe I'll buy another 240 later lol <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'>

10-08-2001, 01:52 PM	#13
transient Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Los Angeles, California Age: 37 Posts: 2,947 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	putting extra oil in an engine has always scared me, cuz when a friend of mine first got his car, it was drivin like shit, so he checked the oil, and there wasn't any on the dipstick. He put more oil in and for a while it ran a lot better. Thing is... when he checked it, he hadn't shut the car off and let it sit, so the oil was actually there, just not any in the pan. He ended up with about 8 quarts of oil in his engine and white smoke POURING out the back of the car. It was hilarious looking back on it. lol

10-08-2001, 01:56 PM	#14
ca18guy Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Clearwater FL Age: 39 Posts: 3,226 Trader Rating: (0) Rides Gallery: ca18guy Feedback Score: 0 reviews	When I got my first car, the guy i bought it from said he just changed the oil!! well me and my dad decided to change the oil since the car had white smoke coming from it, we drained 2 gallons of oil from my 300zx, the guy did'nt change the oil he just added the oil...geez.... what some people do, any way a half quart won't hurt to see if it helps the problem.

10-09-2001, 08:54 AM	#15
S13Grl Married to the Mob Join Date: Dec 2000 Age: 40 Posts: 3,670 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'> I used to work in a Nissan dealership as a receptionist. One day, this lady came to pay her bill, and I told her the price, yadda yadda. She asked me what it was for. Under the description line it said: "Oil Change/Remarks: There was one pint of oil left, the color and texture of which was that of tar"(or something along those lines.) The moment I read that, every ounce of respect I had for this lady just vanished. Attached to the bill was a windshield sticker, signifying the date she had last changed her oil: NOVEMBER 1999!!! Well, that's just one horror story. There was another lady (I was told) who had a Nissan Axxes. (spelling?) She bought her car new in 1991 or so, came back in 1996 with 60Kmi on the odometer and a blown engine. Why? She never changed her oil. Why? Cause the salesman didn't say anything about it. Yeah...