Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

freelunch · Mar 25, 2007

I am new to the site and am hoping I can get some good advice for a problem I am having. My boat is a 1972 Sea Ray 18' bowrider with a 165 hp inline mercruiser 6 cylinder and a mercruiser stern drive. I took my boat out for the first time yesterday and after a good run across the lake the engine started making a ticking sound. It's tempo was consistent with any change in engine rpm and it sounds like a lifter or valve possibly. I'm curious to konw if anyone has a good method for identifying the exact source of the trouble before I pull the head off to check things there, thanks very much for any help !!

Haut Medoc · Mar 25, 2007

Re: Engine making

Re: Engine making

Welcome to iboats.......

You could use a piece of hose or a mechanic's stethescope to localize it......
It is probably a sticky lifter.....
Is the oil new?
Sometimes a lifter will get a little sticky from a little junk....
Is the tic still there after a cold start?
It may work itself out.....
If it persists you will need to have a look at the lifters....
You could pull the valve cover & check for any obvious signs of play in the push rods......

Bondo · Mar 25, 2007

Re: Engine making

Re: Engine making

Ayuh,........ Welcome Aboard,.........

It sounds like you may have Collapsed a Lifter,.....

Seems like a Compression Test would give you a pretty fair Idea of Where to Look.......

freelunch · Mar 25, 2007

Re: Engine making

Re: Engine making

Ah well thanks very much for the advice. My boat is old enough to require leaded fuel for the valve seats so I have already pulled off the head and sent it to the machine shop to get cleaned up, have a valve job done, install new seats and check spring tension. How would I go about checking the lifters with the cylinder head off. Again thanks very much for the advice.

freelunch · Mar 25, 2007

Re: Engine making

Re: Engine making

Oh I should also add the sound was not there when I first started the engine. It wasnt until after I ran it across the lake it started making the noise.

Don S · Mar 25, 2007

Re: Engine making

Re: Engine making

Check your oil level. If over the full mark, the crankshaft will hit the oil and aireate it causing the lifters to get soft and rattle.

freelunch · Mar 26, 2007

Re: Engine making

Re: Engine making

Well I checked the oil level, and it was over the full mark. I went ahead and brought the oil level down to where it should be. This being the case, can repair my lifters by pumping them up with oil manually and replacing any defective ones or should I consider the whole lot bad and replace them entirely?

Don S · Mar 26, 2007

Re: Engine making

Re: Engine making

Just run it, the aireated oil will work itself out of them and they should be fine.

freelunch · Mar 26, 2007

Re: Engine making

Re: Engine making

Outstanding, thanks so much for the fast reply !!

goldylocks92 · Apr 8, 2007

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

I am having the exact issue with a 5.7 litre V8. Have you ran your boat again and did it fix the issue. I can tell that mine is coming from the starboard side but with the flip up engine cover I am reluctant to pull it up at higher RPM for fear of tearing it off. Like you, it doesn't happen till higher RPM and after running a while under way. I can't recreate the sound without being underway because it doesn't create the sound the same way or the same time frame every time. Still confused. Quick question; Wouldn't a stuck lifter change with the RPM? Mine does'nt. In fact it disappears as soon as I drop the RPM just 500.

THE BEEF · Apr 8, 2007

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

I had a 2.8 GMC Jimmy make the same ticking sound .Ended up being a rod bearing. Oh ya I used Lucas oil treatment to. Never again with the additives.

Bondo · Apr 8, 2007

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

but with the flip up engine cover I am reluctant to pull it up at higher RPM for fear of tearing it off.

Leave it At the Dock.......................

goldylocks92 · Apr 10, 2007

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

At 4'x8' and a piano hinge with at least 100 screws and gas assisted struts still makes that a reluctant thought.

Bondo · Apr 10, 2007

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

That Maybe,......
But,...
You'll soon find that Fixing boat engines,+ drives,.....
Includes Alot of Boat Disassembley to get Too what you want to Work On.....

SuperNova · Apr 10, 2007

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

We used to just leave the boat well secured to the dock and run it in gear. Rod bearing noise will subside somewhat on decel. Lifter noise usually stays pretty steady. Lifter noise will also be a single tap whereas a rod is usually a double rap. Also the rod noise will go away if you pull the plug wire on the cylinder that is banging and a lifter noise won't go away. Just my $.02. and that's about what it's worth.

jmoorepghpa · Apr 10, 2007

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

Supernova is right. When a rod bearing just starts to go bad it is most pronounced at a steady rpm. If it is a rod bearing starting to go the noise will fade a little on acceleration or deceleration since there is a greater load on the rod. At a steady rpm there is less force on the rod so it "slaps" a little more. Since you have the heads off this will be a little hard to check right now. The rod noise will fade almost away at idle too but it will be there--just faint. The noise from a rod really isnt a " ticking " though. If it is just starting to go bad I would almost say more like a deep soft rattle or growl. Since you are as far as having the heads off check the water pump for a loose impeller and give the timing chain a look-see just because you can. The last thing not to forget is your alternator. I have seen one of the fins on the "fan" get bent a little by accident and if there is play in the bearing it can cause your ticking noise as it barely hits the housing on its way around. Good luck.

freelunch · Apr 14, 2007

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

Hey everyone thanks alot for the advice, sorry it took a while for me to respond but the head is back on and shes running like great with no noise. Turned out collapsed lifters were to blame.

RandyJ · Apr 14, 2007

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

Re: Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

Excellent! I know of a guy who had a ticking noise and went to the problem & expense of a total rebuild only to find out the ticking he heard was fire jumping from a bad spark plug wire....then he learned the difference between a ticking & a clicking noise....So I guess, ticking is spark plug wires, clicking is valves/rocker arms need adjusting, slapping/rapping is rod bearings, and tapping is lifters...then check out the part to confirm your suspicions before jumping to conclusions.

Engine making "ticking" sound. . .

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Supreme Mariner

Moderator

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Honorary Moderator Emeritus

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Honorary Moderator Emeritus

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Recruit

Chief Petty Officer

Moderator

Recruit

Moderator

Lieutenant

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Master Chief Petty Officer