Engine misfire, ticking noise and hole in the valve cover

[Mad_Coachman]

So you didn't even replace the front three spark plugs? 😳

 

[Mad_Coachman]

I pulled all the lifters and they look good (no visible damage) but one or two could be sticky or ? so I am going to replace them all. The rods and rocker arms all look to be in great condition. I'm waiting on a gasket that amazon or ups have misplaced, so I either spend more at my local o'reilys auto parts store or wait on Amazon/UPS.

It looks like the upper intake gasket (the gasket that goes between the plastic piece and the metal piece) was starting to fail as it had black across the entire mating face to cylinder 3. I don't know if that could cause my issues but a new gasket will be good.

Don't mix up those pushrods. 😉

 

[Mad_Coachman]

Me too.🙂 There are exceptions to everything. I like to check the simple things first.

The OP seems to be going the opposite of simple. 😳

 

[gpjlytham]

So you didn't even replace the front three spark plugs? 😳

I have had bad spark plugs in the past (different cars and bikes) and they caused a misfire but not a metallic ticking noise. I do intend to change the plugs but the noise is the most worrying part of my problem, so that's why the more in-depth tear down.

 

[Mad_Coachman]

I have had bad spark plugs in the past (different cars and bikes) and they caused a misfire but not a metallic ticking noise. I do intend to change the plugs but the noise is the most worrying part of my problem, so that's why the more in-depth tear down.

If you could post an audio clip of the noise it may help myself and/or others to help you. Good luck!

 

[gpjlytham]

If you could post an audio clip of the noise it may help myself and/or others to help you. Good luck!

That would have been a good idea.

 

[Mad_Coachman]

That would have been a good idea.

Yep 😀

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

That hole in the valve cover, if no one has mentioned, is easy to punch with the alternator bolts if they are too long, wrong spot, wrong bolts(length esp), the alternator wass replaced and the mouinting ears were shorter(so bolt went furhter) because thats about right where that bolt will punch straight through, almost did it to mine.

 

[gpjlytham]

That hole in the valve cover, if no one has mentioned, is easy to punch with the alternator bolts if they are too long, wrong spot, wrong bolts(length esp), the alternator wass replaced and the mouinting ears were shorter(so bolt went furhter) because thats about right where that bolt will punch straight through, almost did it to mine.

Thanks for the heads up; I got a "new to me" valve cover today from the scrap yard, I will be careful when i reinstall the alternator.

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

Thanks for the heads up; I got a "new to me" valve cover today from the scrap yard, I will be careful when i reinstall the alternator.

Can we see your alternator, your bolts, and the mounting boss/bracket/support piece(depending on how its secured)

For example, the first one I believe has that tall stud, which has a brace on it, which goes horizontally over to the intake area. However, I believe there is a shorter one to the right of it that would be positioned over the valve cover. if the car originally had 2 tall ears(some did), the bolts would be both long, one with a stud tho. If the ears were different which is also common, then misplacing the bolt and replacing with a longer one will work fine into the threaded boss, but it goes straight through from factory and comes out ready to punch into a valve cover with the force of the threads on its side lol.

On my engine, you see the brace again. There is two equal ears and the bolt over actually got stripped and I had to get a new bolt and I actually got a too long one and hand threaded it in and was able to catch myself when i realized it was touching it, thankfully, so I used some nuts to cut the bolt. hard to see my work but my OE bolt wouldnt work anymore and because its drilled through that boss, you can so easily keep on tightinging and clunk. lol. But not all 3800s have a boss there, not all 3800s had the same alternator, an AD230 doesnt need 2 ears as much as a ad237m but supercharged vs na, heater hose and bracket piping, design changes... it all plays into it.

 

[HotZ28]

It's hard to compare a '99 PA Ultra alternator mounting & bolts to an '01 Regal NA. Different cars & engines.

 

[Mad_Coachman]

That hole in the valve cover, if no one has mentioned, is easy to punch with the alternator bolts if they are too long, wrong spot, wrong bolts(length esp), the alternator wass replaced and the mouinting ears were shorter(so bolt went furhter) because thats about right where that bolt will punch straight through, almost did it to mine.

I mentioned it on Friday. 😳 🙄

Engine misfire, ticking noise and hole in the valve cover

Hi All 2001 Buick Regal LS 108,000 miles. Hole in the valve cover, misfire and ticking noise. The car was running great, then it started to misfire and the check engine light came on, then the engine started to make a ticking noise. My scanner shows a misfire in cylinder 3. I thought it might...

buickforums.com

 

[HotZ28]

If you have a hole in the valve cover, the PCV will be sucking fresh air from that hole. That valve cover has to be replaced and the PCV & bolt correct length.

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

It's hard to compare a '99 PA Ultra alternator mounting & bolts to an '01 Regal NA. Different cars & engines.

i provided an L36 picture above it, i explained that too. I dont know what an o1 regal has but the late 90s gm got into the habit of having the alternator bracket be more substantial for the mounting than having the horizontal bolts on two spots and a brace to the intake but its not a guarantee. i mentioned the semantics 🙂

also @Mad_Coachman ah excellent then i think that helps lend confidence to the OP who maybe could benefit from someone corroborating the advice since he seems to be all over lol

 

[Mad_Coachman]

also @Mad_Coachman ah excellent then i think that helps lend confidence to the OP who maybe could benefit from someone corroborating the advice since he seems to be all over lol

RIF😀

 

[gpjlytham]

Update. I replaced the lifters, spark plugs, wires, valve cover (it was the alternator bolt that caused the valve cover hole).

All the old parts looked good and the new parts matched the old parts. After installing the new lifters and the old push rods, and with the intake manifold and valve covers still off the car, i turned the engine by hand and everything appeared to be moving as it should.

The car has a lot more power but i still have a ticking sound. The lifters have an oil hole on one side, could i have installed the lifters 180 degrees out and some are not getting oil or ?

Listen to the noise at: -

Suggestions?

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

Update. I replaced the lifters, spark plugs, wires, valve cover (it was the alternator bolt that caused the valve cover hole).

All the old parts looked good and the new parts matched the old parts. After installing the new lifters and the old push rods, and with the intake manifold and valve covers still off the car, i turned the engine by hand and everything appeared to be moving as it should.

The car has a lot more power but i still have a ticking sound. The lifters have an oil hole on one side, could i have installed the lifters 180 degrees out and some are not getting oil or ?

Listen to the noise at: -

Suggestions?

Called it! 20 points! sorry about your valve cover tho

That doesnt.. even sound like an engine mechanical noise to me. its something else. the clicking is increasing exponentially faster than your rpm is, but i would double check your valve work. are your motor mounts all good, not grounded out

A quick google for me found the lifters have a plastic thing they are held in (?) and torque should be checked on your work again, make sure nothing is incorreclty in

did you use any torque to yield fasteners over if there were any

 

[2007LucerneCXL]

Can you confirm if it's the same noise prior to parts and repairs. As not hearing it originally it means everything done didn't properly troubleshoot the noise or if new something wasn't installed correctly or it's a possibility of a defective part.

A static video of a noise while helpful in hearing it may not identify the source so you may want to get more in to actually locating the source, top, bottom, front, rear etc with various listing methods.

As a note a video shot of the engine bay as if on a drunken roller coaster ride is also useless. Also if after watching the video if you can't tell where the problem is neither can anyone else.

 

[gpjlytham]

Another update: -

I tried the miracle cures; an oil additive, but it didn’t do anything, I tried a high concentration of gas additive and that didn’t do anything, I drove approx. 300 miles and no difference. I pulled the valve cover off and using a mechanics stethoscope I found that the noise is coming from the right valve of the middle cylinder (number 3).

I tried swapping the rocker and the push rod with another rocker and push rod from another valve to see if the noise moved and it didn’t move, the noise was still coming from the right valve on cylinder 3.

I pulled the upper and lower intake and removed and inspected the lifter for damage, no damage it looks great. I tried to see the camshaft through the lifter hole but I couldn’t see anything. Lifters are cheap so I installed another new lifter and put everything back together..... The engine is still making the noise.

I can only think that the camshaft lobe is damaged or ? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

From our good friend and video critic 2007LucerneCXL “As a note a video shot of the engine bay as if on a drunken roller coaster ride is also useless. Also if after watching the video if you can't tell where the problem is neither can anyone else”. I do apologize that my video wasn’t up to your exacting standards. I did contact Steven Spielberg but he is very busy and couldn’t come to my home for at least a month. Next time I will do better, but I’m sure it will be substandard to some critics.

 

[LARRY70GS]

I would put a breaker bar on the crank bolt and rotate that valve from full closed to full open and back, in increments, and check for excessive lash.