what the heck is that sound!

[shahram177]

96 GS with an odd sound.
The car has about 137K Miles, Its timing belt was changed at 90K miles.
It could be crank walk it could not?
I'm leaning more towards the tyranny problems.

here is the deal, it sounds like valve noise (think of a rock crusher / playing cards in the spokes). but it comes and it goes.
when I start the car I hear it but when the car warms up it goes away. and every now and then when I pull up to a stop light I hear it.
it even changes sides, every now and then its on the top right (tyranny side) and other times its low towards the timing belt side.

Its the original clutch, but its grabs very well. It engages half way off the floor and is fully engaged well before it is all the way up. so it can't be the clutch. and the car has ok pull for an old girl.

I can't thing of what the hell it could be? its driving me nuts!
maybe the water pump and maybe the throw bearing?
maybe both?
I don't want to take the car to the stealer and I'm new to NJ so I don't have a trusted mechanic. any suggestions?
I was thinking of hiring an exorcist?
Any help would be much appreciated thank you
Shah

[97GSTspyder]

i'm not sure about the 96 GS's but i remember when i had crankwalk i heared a ticking noise coming from the timing belt area...i later found out that it was the crankshaft trigger plate hitting against the sensor...that could POSSIBLY be your problem.

[shahram177]

so it wasn't crank walk? i'm thinking water pump
the reason bing that the fans on the car turn on way to quick, only 10 min of driving!
or maybe som thing in the tranny?
I just don't want to be raped buy some punk ass steraler or some garage who just want to take my cas for a quick fix
no offence to stealers or to crooked garage owners.
we all have to make a living!

[97GSTspyder]

well my car ended up having crankwalk...clutch and trannie blew, then my mechanic found out it had crankwalk so he had to stick a new short block in it. i don't think you really need to worry about crankwalk though because from what i've read, crankwalk isn't too common on non GST/GSX models. but it still could possibly be the trigger plate rubbing against the sensor. i'm not sure though. not too familiar with non turbo models.

[aves911]

Sounds like lifter tick to me, but again, I'm not real familiar with any of the oddities of the 420a. I am however skeptical that its crankwalk.

[EclipseRST]

i second that, its most likly the lifter tick... from what i have read and learned about CW is that you cant hear it, until your motor is pretty much already fucked and not driveable. you can check the lifter gap yourself, i forget what the gap is suppose to be, its been awhile since i did mine, but just take a gaping tool and go though and adjust all of them to the right gap and see if that works... good luck

[shahram177]

the car sitll runs,
the engine is still together, i don't want to start taking things appart.
so no one has ever had this problem?
you know what i'm just going to go and get the timing belt and the water pump
while at the stealer i'll have then look over the car
quick question how much for timing belt and water pump?
500 ish?
thanks
Shah

[EclipseRST]

yes i have had a loud lifter tick before but that was just when i was breaking in my car... i had to gap the lifters wider than normal to break them in... then after 1000 miles i adjusted them back to normal, and i dont have the tick anymore, so before you go and spend 5-800 dollars for them to tell you that, i would take the valve cover off and check the gap, wont take more than 30 minutes to check all of them and it will save you some money if it is that. if that doesnt work, then take it to the dealer. i believe it costs 400 for the timing belt and i am not sure about the water pump, good luck!