new "ticking sound" from engine?
 

Hi guys, i just got my rats nest removed, power pulse intake + K & N filter, engine running (it wasnt idling due to massive vacuum leak), headers and mid section installed. (no RB muffler... YET :D )

And i noticed when i installed the intake stuff plus emissions removed that i started to hear a "ticking" coming from the engine on the intake/exhuast side. it amost sounds like a dizzy going around but it NOT from that at all. or kind of like a loud lifter rapidly clicking, it changes with engine RPM until i cant hear it anymore due to how rapid it is/engine noise. it is VERY loud when idling near the f ront right wheel well and when i open the hood up its much louder on the passanger side than the drivers side.

Now, on this note. i think my OMP failed or is not running at some point, ive been getting lots of lung mustard in my oil fill cap and when i pulled the rats nest the tubes where filled with it on the PCV side. and when i take the oil cap off i can always find about 2 drops of water on the top of it, this seems like WAY to much water in my engine oil? i just got done with the rats nest delete and ill see if that starts to go away. It seems like my engine oil level is going down and during the rats nest delete and looking at endless picutures trying to figure out what is what i found these 2 tubes when i think are what run oil from the OMP to the intake. They are clear as you can see, as soon as i suspected an OMP failure i started to run 2 stroke until i can put more miles on it and see if my oil level goes down like it was just before my last oil change as a precaution.

I have lots of variable on this "ticking noise", intake, 2 stroke oil now, rats nest delete, and to a lesser extent. 2/3s of my exhuast has been changed now.

Any ideas what the hell this ticking is? only think i can think of is maybe the apex seals slapping on the exhuast ports? is that normal?

Here is a pic of what i think are the omp tubes.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...0747598ac0.jpg

*No idea what the ticking sound is. Exhaust leak on one of the header gaskets?
*The lung butter is a result of not sucking the fumes from the crankcase. There are two nipples on the oil fill tube. One goes to the charcoal canister and the other goes to your intake, up on the filter. This used to go through the rats nest with a purge valve, but that's gone now.
*Yes those two clear lines go from the OMP up to the carb/intake. You need those.

What's about the oilpreesure at idle warm engine? Maybe one rotor bearing is shoot!

The oil pressure is about 25-30 PSI at 800rpm once its warmed up. while it was warming up the pressure was fluctuating by about 8 PSI back and forth.

I took a broom handle to the engine yesterday and used it as a stethoscope to hear around and there was nothing out of the norm or sounded like the "ticking" sound. it almost sounded like it was coming from the outside of the engine, interestingly when i put my ear up the exhuast all the way to the back i could hear it more faintly at the tail pipe.

Should those tubes be filled with oil while the engine is running?

Yes, when the engine is running they provide a steady drip of oil into the engine, through the carb/intake. The oil is hard to see in the tubes. There's a procedure for measuring it.

In my experience that "tick tick tick" from the exhaust side means an exhaust leak close to the engine. Header gasket, header to midpipe gasket, etc. Also keep in mind the whole engine bay is going to be louder as you remove factory exhaust and intake parts. The stock parts are nice and quiet. The average buyer values smooth and quiet over max performance. The factory builds for the average buyer, not the gear heads.

the procedure for checking the OMP flow rate can be found in the FSM and scroll down to page 8.
http://foxed.ca/rx7manual/manuals/19...ubrication.pdf

OMP is working. it seems to be about as loud as the RB exhuast system at idle... that seems excessive.

Same as my 12 A time ago. One rotor bearing junk, so the rotor apex seal made the click on the carburator side. Sound will be louder when the oil is hot and more thin @ about 3000 u/min.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...f0278d8893.jpg
rotorbearing corroded

short of ripping the engine apart is there anyway to tell if that is my problem?

The story about the engine can help. How many miles, long standing outside in winter, oil changes, water in the oil .?.....? ......

about 110k miles on it. since ive had it it hasnt sat more than a week, its my daily. ive been usualy valveline 10w30 conventional, and i DID have water in the oil for awhile during the winter until ive recently gotten that cleared up during the rats nest delete, i ran the oil vent tubing on the side of the oil tower straight the to the card and that finally pulled all that crap out, my oil NEVER got forthy though, so i was figuring it was just condensation like other posts have said on here.

For awhile i was losing some coolant, but i think that has been recently fix with me removing the intake manifold and replacing the orings. they crapped themself and were split, before hand i had found coolant on the top of the intake manifold between it and the engine pooling in that small divet.

Ive also recently reattached the PCV system now that ive pulled all that water out, im waiting to see if it comes back but so far it hasnt.

i would rebuilt the engine befor the housings get junk.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx7...17a7553e0c.jpg

Broom handle wont pick up an exhaust leak. Try using a rubber hose as a stethoscope around your exhaust manifold gasket.

Heres a video on what im talking about, i did a quick walk around to show, you can hear it a bit out the exhuast and its super loud on the lower part of the exhuast manifold, almost like its come from the front of the oil pan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_oJ...ature=youtu.be

I wish mine was that quiet.

I have a similar ticking sound in my engine bay, although I'm pretty sure it's my grenaded resonator. I wonder if your's could be a loose exhaust insert? I've had those fall out before - when the mani was off course - and I wonder if they could have enough room to bounce around a little bit.

I might suggest pulling off the header, replacing the gaskets and seeing if those inserts are loose. I'd think the header/manifold would hold them in place but maybe not. At the same time you could also check out your apex seals by looking at them/pushing on them through the exhaust ports.

Sounds more like an exhaust leak.