Valve Ticking noises on 09 370z

cheshirecat · 09-10-2012, 10:05 AM

that sounds very similar to valvetrain noise due to low engine oil to me, but it's hard of hard to tell from the video

I hope you're right about it being an exhaust leak, but it doesn't sound that way to my ears.

ZziK · 09-10-2012, 10:06 AM

Any ideas on what it could be? Engine damaged? or exhaust leak? -

On the oil - the sound was there when i took it to the dealership the first time and they replaced the oil with Ester oil and its still there. I will check the oil levels again in a little bit and post.

red6spd · 09-10-2012, 10:10 AM

Does it seem to only come from the drivers side? I have a tick that seems to only come from that side and I hear it the loudest when I'm next to a building. Have had the noise since I can remember and the car seems fine. IDK?

ZziK · 09-10-2012, 10:24 AM

Hey red- its noticable from both sides but more from the drivers side. just like you said, when i pull up next to another car or a building, the ticking sound is definitely more noticeable. - power wise the car seems fine, but its a little embarressing driving around like that. I forgot to add that i did contact nissan consumers affairs since the dealership is giving me the run around - i have yet to hear from nissan.

red6spd · 09-10-2012, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZziK

Hey red- its noticable from both sides but more from the drivers side. just like you said, when i pull up next to another car or a building, the ticking sound is definitely more noticeable. - power wise the car seems fine, but its a little embarressing driving around like that. I forgot to add that i did contact nissan consumers affairs since the dealership is giving me the run around - i have yet to hear from nissan.

Well keep us posted. Maybe it would be a good idea to bring mine in to let them look at it.

One more question. Do you have to sound the second you start the car or does it have to warm up?

ZziK · 09-10-2012, 10:36 AM

Yes- the sound is there when i start the car.. the weird thing to me was when i floored it a couple of days ago n it went away, then did the same thing n it returned.

red6spd · 09-10-2012, 10:40 AM

Weird. I normally only here mine once it warms up.

phunk · 09-10-2012, 10:41 AM

Since my first oil change, I have used Mobil 1 5w30 extended perf.

My car just hit 45,000 miles, 17,000 of them with twin turbos at 550+ rwhp.

since as far back as I can remember, my VVEL system has been noisy as hell. Just sitting at idle, you can **always** hear it ticking away like an old sewing machine.

I am not much of a believer in the magic of one expensive oil versus another, so I never bothered with the Nissan ester oil. But if anyone can say for sure that the Nissan oil makes it quieter, I will swap over to it.

But I have no concerns of it being an issue that is going to cause a failure... because its done it since brand new, and I beat the piss out of this engine daily, and it hasnt changed or gotten any worse, etc. Its just always done it.

ZziK · 09-10-2012, 11:02 AM

Hey Phunk - is your engines sound similar to the clips that i posted? the Ester oil was done for free by Nissan n from what i've been reading, it seems like Redline is the way to go to reduce engine noise. are you still running stock internals on the TT setup?

phunk · 09-10-2012, 01:53 PM

Its really hard to compare the sound over the computer speakers. My car has a loud exhaust on it and I cannot really hear the valve noise from outside the car because the transmission (very light clutch and flywheel makes these transmissions very loud at idle) and exhaust are much too loud. I hear mine inside the cabin, sounds like its coming from the dashboard. The pitch is pretty low for a TICK, its ALMOST more like a knock... but its not a bottom end knock, I know what those sound like. Its definitely my valvetrain.

Yes I have a bone stock engine in my car. Just turbo kit, injectors, fuel pump, exhaust, clutch, reflash, and a tank full of E85.

I will say that, if my car was otherwise stock, and made this noise... it would bother the hell out of me. My car is very loud and pretty darn fast so it comes with having strange noises and things like that. Nobody questions it as a passenger in my car because its generally expected that fast cars make weird noises. But it used to bother me a bit before I made the car fast... and if I took off all this performance stuff and drove it mostly stock again, I would probably do whatever I could to get rid of the noise, if possible.

ZziK · 09-10-2012, 03:08 PM

Got it man, thx.. and yeah, its bothering the hell out of me. ive had two ppl ask me what that sound is.

09-10-2012, 10:10 AM	#18 (permalink)
red6spd A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 3,277 Drives: 2010 Z Coupe M6 SPT Rep Power: 21	Does it seem to only come from the drivers side? I have a tick that seems to only come from that side and I hear it the loudest when I'm next to a building. Have had the noise since I can remember and the car seems fine. IDK? __________________ 2010 Base+Sport 6spd: Stillen G3, FI Non-Resonated CBE, FI Non-Resonated Test Pipes, UpRev Tuned, Custom 24R Oil Cooler, JDM Rear Fog-OEM Harness. ???Whp ???WTQ (Will find out come spring time)

09-10-2012, 10:40 AM	#22 (permalink)
red6spd A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 3,277 Drives: 2010 Z Coupe M6 SPT Rep Power: 21	Weird. I normally only here mine once it warms up. __________________ 2010 Base+Sport 6spd: Stillen G3, FI Non-Resonated CBE, FI Non-Resonated Test Pipes, UpRev Tuned, Custom 24R Oil Cooler, JDM Rear Fog-OEM Harness. ???Whp ???WTQ (Will find out come spring time)

09-10-2012, 10:41 AM	#23 (permalink)
phunk A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chicago Posts: 3,655 Drives: 370 Rep Power: 944523	Since my first oil change, I have used Mobil 1 5w30 extended perf. My car just hit 45,000 miles, 17,000 of them with twin turbos at 550+ rwhp. since as far back as I can remember, my VVEL system has been noisy as hell. Just sitting at idle, you can always hear it ticking away like an old sewing machine. I am not much of a believer in the magic of one expensive oil versus another, so I never bothered with the Nissan ester oil. But if anyone can say for sure that the Nissan oil makes it quieter, I will swap over to it. But I have no concerns of it being an issue that is going to cause a failure... because its done it since brand new, and I beat the piss out of this engine daily, and it hasnt changed or gotten any worse, etc. Its just always done it. zefaulter likes this. __________________ Charles @ CJ Motorsports : Website \| Facebook \| Instagram \| YouTube Home of the 9 second, stock longblock, stock drivetrain 6MT 370z. 9.91 @ 142mph

09-10-2012, 01:53 PM	#25 (permalink)
phunk A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chicago Posts: 3,655 Drives: 370 Rep Power: 944523	Its really hard to compare the sound over the computer speakers. My car has a loud exhaust on it and I cannot really hear the valve noise from outside the car because the transmission (very light clutch and flywheel makes these transmissions very loud at idle) and exhaust are much too loud. I hear mine inside the cabin, sounds like its coming from the dashboard. The pitch is pretty low for a TICK, its ALMOST more like a knock... but its not a bottom end knock, I know what those sound like. Its definitely my valvetrain. Yes I have a bone stock engine in my car. Just turbo kit, injectors, fuel pump, exhaust, clutch, reflash, and a tank full of E85. I will say that, if my car was otherwise stock, and made this noise... it would bother the hell out of me. My car is very loud and pretty darn fast so it comes with having strange noises and things like that. Nobody questions it as a passenger in my car because its generally expected that fast cars make weird noises. But it used to bother me a bit before I made the car fast... and if I took off all this performance stuff and drove it mostly stock again, I would probably do whatever I could to get rid of the noise, if possible. SwedeZ likes this. __________________ Charles @ CJ Motorsports : Website \| Facebook \| Instagram \| YouTube Home of the 9 second, stock longblock, stock drivetrain 6MT 370z. 9.91 @ 142mph Last edited by phunk; 09-10-2012 at 01:55 PM.

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09-10-2012, 10:05 AM	#16 (permalink)
cheshirecat A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 1,428 Drives: N54 135i Rep Power: 292	that sounds very similar to valvetrain noise due to low engine oil to me, but it's hard of hard to tell from the video I hope you're right about it being an exhaust leak, but it doesn't sound that way to my ears.

09-10-2012, 10:06 AM	#17 (permalink)
ZziK Base Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 123 Drives: 09 Nissan 370z Rep Power: 12	Any ideas on what it could be? Engine damaged? or exhaust leak? - On the oil - the sound was there when i took it to the dealership the first time and they replaced the oil with Ester oil and its still there. I will check the oil levels again in a little bit and post.

09-10-2012, 10:24 AM	#19 (permalink)
ZziK Base Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 123 Drives: 09 Nissan 370z Rep Power: 12	Hey red- its noticable from both sides but more from the drivers side. just like you said, when i pull up next to another car or a building, the ticking sound is definitely more noticeable. - power wise the car seems fine, but its a little embarressing driving around like that. I forgot to add that i did contact nissan consumers affairs since the dealership is giving me the run around - i have yet to hear from nissan.

09-10-2012, 10:36 AM	#21 (permalink)
ZziK Base Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 123 Drives: 09 Nissan 370z Rep Power: 12	Yes- the sound is there when i start the car.. the weird thing to me was when i floored it a couple of days ago n it went away, then did the same thing n it returned.

09-10-2012, 11:02 AM	#24 (permalink)
ZziK Base Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 123 Drives: 09 Nissan 370z Rep Power: 12	Hey Phunk - is your engines sound similar to the clips that i posted? the Ester oil was done for free by Nissan n from what i've been reading, it seems like Redline is the way to go to reduce engine noise. are you still running stock internals on the TT setup?

09-10-2012, 03:08 PM	#26 (permalink)
ZziK Base Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 123 Drives: 09 Nissan 370z Rep Power: 12	Got it man, thx.. and yeah, its bothering the hell out of me. ive had two ppl ask me what that sound is.