annoying rapping/tapping noise when accelerating

[burntrice087]

ive been noticing lately that when i accelerate in my 97' Mustang a somewhat loud rapping/tapping noise is heard and when i get above 2k RPM it goes away..is this noise normal...I believe it could be a fuel detonation problem because my Mustang usually takes regular unleaded fuel and for the past 2-3 fill-ups ive been using mid-grade fuel.....ive been advised that using mid-level fuel for a regular-gas car will not damage the engine but iam not to sure now...

[StangNut86]

been a bunch of threads on the topic of octane already, do a search.

describe this sound in detail: where is it coming from? does it sound like metal on metal? does it happen in one gear or all gears? is your car auto or stick?

i wanna say, it's probably not detonation.

[burntrice087]

ok first of all its an automatic..it's coming from the engine bay and it sounds like repeated heavy tapping and goes away as my revs get higher and louder.....to best describe it it sounds like a pen being tapped against a desk just a lil softer...it happens it first gear

i fear this might be leading to a blown piston or gasket,..because my friends Dodge Neon makes this noise when accelerating(only 10x louder and u can hear out out of the car) and he says his pistons gonna blow up soon

[StangNut86]

sounds like a lifter. i'd take the valve covers off and make sure all the lifters are seated properly and not able to move around when the valves are seated. before you do that, figure out which side of the motor the sounds are coming from. do that by taking a long screwdriver, putting it above where one of the lifters are, and putting your ear to it. do this 6 times (one for each lifter). then you should have an idea of which lifter it is. it's possible that the pushrod feeding it is clogged and the lifter is not getting any oil.

[HighRev87]

Actually I head that if the tapping continues, you laptop will start saying "Danger To Manifold", and im pretty sure your car's floor will wall off. God I hope Movies dont lie...

[wildstringer]

First off LMFAO . Highrev . Do the pushrods send oil up to the heads from the lifters or down to the lifters?I ve always seen oil shoot out the top thats why they makle the clips the block the oil while adjusting the rockers

[dampachi]

I have an 02 GT mustang...and I have the same problem kind of...sometimes when I'm in a high gear and I'm going slower...and then I accelerate...I hear a tapping sound coming from the middle vents. but then when I accelerate enough...it stops. Yeah.

[HighRev87]

Originally Posted by dampachi

I have an 02 GT mustang...and I have the same problem kind of...sometimes when I'm in a high gear and I'm going slower...and then I accelerate...I hear a tapping sound coming from the middle vents. but then when I accelerate enough...it stops. Yeah.

Yea I have that same thing, depending on gear/acceleration. If it bothers me I just turn up the music, cause I dont have the $$$ to get it checked out.

[dampachi]

Well it doesn't really bother me...but mine is still under warranty so I might have it looked at eventually. and it really only does it when I'm in fourth gear going say...45+mph...then when I make it over 50mph it stops.

[dampachi]

Oh yeah...and that's only when I'm cruising. when I'm gettin' on it I never hear that sound.

[gmartinez]

Originally Posted by dampachi

Well it doesn't really bother me...but mine is still under warranty so I might have it looked at eventually. and it really only does it when I'm in fourth gear going say...45+mph...then when I make it over 50mph it stops.

use your warranty!!