[alfa] Engine Noises 1986 Spider

[Jon Pike <jhpike@xxxxxxx>]

> Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2003 10:13:03 EDT
> From: Petown@domain.elided
> Subject: [alfa] Engine Noises 1986 Spider
>
> Experiencing ticking/rapping noises from engine compartment.  At idle with 
> engine cold, nothing.  As engine warms up, noise comes and goes - if noise is 
> present at idle, blipping the throttle sometimes clears it, sometimes not.  Its 
> loud enough I can hear it sometimes stopped in traffic.  Valve clearances are 
> good and the cam chain seems properly tensioned (found the tensioner bolt was 
> missing when I bought the car, and replaced it).  Checked the manifold studs 
> for tightness.  Engine has less than 30,000 miles on it.  I tried the 
> screwdriver to the ear exercise but didn't pick anything up (although as much due to 
> inexperience probably as anything).  Engine has about 2,000 miles on it since 
> the head gasket and water pump were replaced.  Any advice on what to check?  I'm 
> a long, long way from anyone who does Alfa service.  Thanks a lot.
Eeeek!!!  No tensioner bolt!!!  I guess the Alfa Gods were smiling on 
you, that you didn't have some disastruous timing chain reajustment 
before you discovered that...

I did have a thought in relation to that..  do you know about the little 
locking plate that the end of the tensioner bolt goes into,  and is it 
properly in place? (right side out, nipple on end of bolt stuck in the 
hole of the plate?)  It could be that you put the bolt in, and it held 
at the time, but without the plate eventually loosened up and slid back 
a bit..

It's said that you can see "1 1/2 threads" (sounds right on ours) when 
the nut and tensioner are properly together.
You could also unscrew it completely (with the engine stopped) and look 
in the hole to see if it's there.

On the other hand,  the problem sounds a bit more lke valve clearance 
clatter...  though if the clearances are good,  it shouldn't be that.

Jon
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