Ticking noise every revolution, Rough idle.

MikeP · 07-22-2006, 04:34 PM

I just got this car to fix her up as a project, and I noticed 2 things
right away.

1. There is a ticking noise every revolution of the engine it seems, it speeds up when I give it gas, etc. I'd like any ideas on what this is, some guy I talked to said it's normal with a 5 cyl, but I'm not so sure.

I replaced all the plugs in case one wasnt firing properly, same problem.

I bought a new rotor for the distributor cap, but I can't seem to get the old one loose, anyone know how to release the rotor?

2. Very rough idle, it stalls if I start it and then just do nothing. if I give it gas and put it in gear, it doesnt stall after that, so far.

Any ideas what I can do about this would help

Thanks all!

MikeP

MikeP · 07-22-2006, 05:57 PM

It's a 1989 A90 if that matters.

I think I'll remove and clean the idle control valve tomorrow as a next step.

grewell912 · 07-23-2006, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeP

It's a 1989 A90 if that matters.

I think I'll remove and clean the idle control valve tomorrow as a next step.

My 88 a90 was doing the same thing as yours, so i took it to a mechanic, they put the camshaft in time, distributor in time, and changed the air/fuel mixture, and it seemed fine, yet it sometimes idles harsher than normal, but he said thats the Idle Control Valve, if you are removing this, could you please please please tell me how to remove and clean it!...

Thanks
Ryan Grewell

Keith853 · 07-23-2006, 03:38 PM

I think that on some of the engines the rotor arm is glued onto the distributor shaft. I suspect that the old one will have to be destroyed to remove it. The ticking noise is probably the valve lifters (by another name). These are oil filled "buckets" that are pressurised by the oil pressure when the engine is running and take up the clearance to the correct tolerance.
Occasionally these can get stuck so that the clearance is not taken up, hence the ticking.

As for rough idle, does it do it all the time or with specific engine conditions, e.g. engine hot or cold. If the cold start injector is weeping then this may add a bit of unmetered fuel every now and then. Another possibility is an air leak somewhere on the intake system.

Good luck, if you fix it, be sure to write on the forum again.

Keith853

MikeP · 07-23-2006, 04:14 PM

Yeah, I took apart the whole intake system today, and low and behold, there was a huge rip in the rubber on the output on the bottom right where it joins the top. I have patched it well with some sealant and I'm waiting for it to cure. I'll keep you posted if this helps. Do you think a leak in this would cause a lot of problems?

How do I go about fixing the valve lifters? I need to take apart the whole top of the engine?

MikeP · 07-24-2006, 04:33 PM

Well I put the whole intake back together today, got it all tightened up, and it seemed to make a difference in the sound when it was running.

However,

When I said rough idle I wasn't exactly correct, if you don't give it gas in neutral, it just stalls, the rpms drop after the initial surge and it just conks out. This is the same before and after, when I put it in gear this does not happen.

Is this the idle control valve?

Also, there's a little sensor clipped with two tubes attached to it on top of the intake, I don't have the manual yet, what is this? and could this be part of the problem?

Thanks all,

Mike

MikeP · 07-25-2006, 08:11 PM

Here's an update:

Since cleaning the intake system and replacing the filter, and putting it all back together, It just plain stalls after starting, unless I peg ghr gas pretty far, then it kicks up all of a sudden and stays at around 30-40 thousand rpms if I hold the pedal, ticking sound seems to be gone, or not noticeable anymore.

However if I take foot off gas the RPMs just plunge and it stalls. I'm thinking the idle control valve is siezed or something, but I'm not sure, any help would be greatly appreciated. The only other thing I have touched is took off the distributor cap and put it back on (could not remove the rotor to replace it). And I replaced all the plugs. All things that should improve the performance you would think.

I took off the idle control valve, and am taking it to a wreckers nearby who said he has a 90 in the yard. I'll see if I can grab it, since they are about $285 or something (wayy too much).

Repair manual is on its way, in the mail. I'll update as it goes along.

Keith853 · 07-28-2006, 05:02 PM

Hello Mike,
does the stalling symptom happen when the engine is warm or just when it is cold? The idle stabiliser may be the cause, if you unplug the electrical connection to it does it behave any differently? Another possibility is the cold start injector, if this is leaking then the engine will be getting too much fuel that may well stall it at idle but will become more insignificant as the throttle is opened.
The last thing that I can think of is the base setting of the air flow meter. Do you know what the injection system is?

Good luck and keep plugging away at it, these things are usually something simple and cheap, it's just a case of finding that simple, cheap thing.

Keith853.

PS are you sure that your repair to the intake rubber is still good? If the rip is past the throttle valve then it will be unmetred air (air that the computer does not know about and therefore cannot account for. Having said that, is it fitted with a catalyser? If it is then it will be a closed loop system and with the hole patched it may now be running very rich. Most catalyst systems will "adapt" over time to new conditions so going for a reasonably long drive may allow the system to adjust itself to the new air situation.

ra5ax · 08-22-2006, 06:23 PM

i had the same problem on my old car it was a vauxhall but should be same principle

basically it kept stalling on initial surge and occasionally at traffic lights etc you had to keep revs up abit

i spent £600 trying to fix it ICV, injectors airbox diagnostics etc turned out to be knackered distributor just got my local garage to fit one for a couple of weeks problem solved hope it helps as i say it was on a vauxhall but would of thought itd be worth a try.

ItsHim2007 · 09-20-2007, 07:44 PM

I had my car serviced about three weeks ago and a couple of days later it started ticking when idling and louder when driving, have replaced rotor arm dissi cap, but they overfilled it with oil by a litre and left my new plugs loose, i drained oil and tightened plugs properly, i shall change the oil next, to a thicker one, but anyone have any more info on this problem its a 2.3 on an l plate and has done 90 000 miles.

07-22-2006, 04:34 PM	#1 (permalink)
MikeP Newbie Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 9 Gallery: (0)	Ticking noise every revolution, Rough idle. I just got this car to fix her up as a project, and I noticed 2 things right away. 1. There is a ticking noise every revolution of the engine it seems, it speeds up when I give it gas, etc. I'd like any ideas on what this is, some guy I talked to said it's normal with a 5 cyl, but I'm not so sure. I replaced all the plugs in case one wasnt firing properly, same problem. I bought a new rotor for the distributor cap, but I can't seem to get the old one loose, anyone know how to release the rotor? 2. Very rough idle, it stalls if I start it and then just do nothing. if I give it gas and put it in gear, it doesnt stall after that, so far. Any ideas what I can do about this would help Thanks all! MikeP

07-22-2006, 05:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
MikeP Newbie Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 9 Gallery: (0)	Oh BTW It's a 1989 A90 if that matters. I think I'll remove and clean the idle control valve tomorrow as a next step.

08-22-2006, 06:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
ra5ax Newbie Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 3 Gallery: (0)	may help!!!! i had the same problem on my old car it was a vauxhall but should be same principle basically it kept stalling on initial surge and occasionally at traffic lights etc you had to keep revs up abit i spent £600 trying to fix it ICV, injectors airbox diagnostics etc turned out to be knackered distributor just got my local garage to fit one for a couple of weeks problem solved hope it helps as i say it was on a vauxhall but would of thought itd be worth a try.

09-20-2007, 07:44 PM	#10 (permalink)
ItsHim2007 Newbie Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 3 Gallery: (0)	Worst for service I had my car serviced about three weeks ago and a couple of days later it started ticking when idling and louder when driving, have replaced rotor arm dissi cap, but they overfilled it with oil by a litre and left my new plugs loose, i drained oil and tightened plugs properly, i shall change the oil next, to a thicker one, but anyone have any more info on this problem its a 2.3 on an l plate and has done 90 000 miles.

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07-23-2006, 03:38 PM	#4 (permalink)
Keith853 Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 72 Gallery: (0)	I think that on some of the engines the rotor arm is glued onto the distributor shaft. I suspect that the old one will have to be destroyed to remove it. The ticking noise is probably the valve lifters (by another name). These are oil filled "buckets" that are pressurised by the oil pressure when the engine is running and take up the clearance to the correct tolerance. Occasionally these can get stuck so that the clearance is not taken up, hence the ticking. As for rough idle, does it do it all the time or with specific engine conditions, e.g. engine hot or cold. If the cold start injector is weeping then this may add a bit of unmetered fuel every now and then. Another possibility is an air leak somewhere on the intake system. Good luck, if you fix it, be sure to write on the forum again. Keith853

07-23-2006, 04:14 PM	#5 (permalink)
MikeP Newbie Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 9 Gallery: (0)	Yeah, I took apart the whole intake system today, and low and behold, there was a huge rip in the rubber on the output on the bottom right where it joins the top. I have patched it well with some sealant and I'm waiting for it to cure. I'll keep you posted if this helps. Do you think a leak in this would cause a lot of problems? How do I go about fixing the valve lifters? I need to take apart the whole top of the engine?

07-24-2006, 04:33 PM	#6 (permalink)
MikeP Newbie Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 9 Gallery: (0)	Well I put the whole intake back together today, got it all tightened up, and it seemed to make a difference in the sound when it was running. However, When I said rough idle I wasn't exactly correct, if you don't give it gas in neutral, it just stalls, the rpms drop after the initial surge and it just conks out. This is the same before and after, when I put it in gear this does not happen. Is this the idle control valve? Also, there's a little sensor clipped with two tubes attached to it on top of the intake, I don't have the manual yet, what is this? and could this be part of the problem? Thanks all, Mike

07-25-2006, 08:11 PM	#7 (permalink)
MikeP Newbie Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 9 Gallery: (0)	Here's an update: Since cleaning the intake system and replacing the filter, and putting it all back together, It just plain stalls after starting, unless I peg ghr gas pretty far, then it kicks up all of a sudden and stays at around 30-40 thousand rpms if I hold the pedal, ticking sound seems to be gone, or not noticeable anymore. However if I take foot off gas the RPMs just plunge and it stalls. I'm thinking the idle control valve is siezed or something, but I'm not sure, any help would be greatly appreciated. The only other thing I have touched is took off the distributor cap and put it back on (could not remove the rotor to replace it). And I replaced all the plugs. All things that should improve the performance you would think. I took off the idle control valve, and am taking it to a wreckers nearby who said he has a 90 in the yard. I'll see if I can grab it, since they are about $285 or something (wayy too much). Repair manual is on its way, in the mail. I'll update as it goes along.

07-28-2006, 05:02 PM	#8 (permalink)
Keith853 Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 72 Gallery: (0)	Hello Mike, does the stalling symptom happen when the engine is warm or just when it is cold? The idle stabiliser may be the cause, if you unplug the electrical connection to it does it behave any differently? Another possibility is the cold start injector, if this is leaking then the engine will be getting too much fuel that may well stall it at idle but will become more insignificant as the throttle is opened. The last thing that I can think of is the base setting of the air flow meter. Do you know what the injection system is? Good luck and keep plugging away at it, these things are usually something simple and cheap, it's just a case of finding that simple, cheap thing. Keith853. PS are you sure that your repair to the intake rubber is still good? If the rip is past the throttle valve then it will be unmetred air (air that the computer does not know about and therefore cannot account for. Having said that, is it fitted with a catalyser? If it is then it will be a closed loop system and with the hole patched it may now be running very rich. Most catalyst systems will "adapt" over time to new conditions so going for a reasonably long drive may allow the system to adjust itself to the new air situation.

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