JDM Swap was successful. :D
-Everything is good...
-Oil Topped
-Coolant Refreshed
-New Tranny Oil Filled
-Timing Set at 15
-Drives Well
-Idles Fine
-Changed Spark Plugs

Good Good Good

I just have a little bit of ticking... I know I am just paranoid, but It's starting to bother me a little. It seems to be coming from the head or under the VC. It seems to go away after slight rev. I have an ear for abnormal sounds... it might just be from a header leak. From what I have researched on here it could be that, or possibly I'm Not really sure... If worst comes to worst, the motor is under warranty.

Here are a couple of video's, its very tough to hear, Possibly best to listen to w/ headphones! But please if you have any insight I am willing to listen. If not then I will continue searching for a solution. BTW, the reason it is so loud is because there is no muffler... I have to get it replaced.

Reference & Questions for Diagnosis
-No CEL's
-There is a ground for the CAT that is not connected it was severed
-Could ticking be caused from a leak somewhere, Possibly Exaust Leak
-Lifters (or HVLA's) could have Air in them from engine sitting
-Timing Chain Possibly
-Oil is at and a little above "H"
-Cannot hear it from inside the vehicle
-As revs increase, tends to disappeara little
-


From Head to Under Car
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f254/xxtokesxx/1998%20Nissan%20200SX%20SE-R/JDM%20Lowport%20RR%20SR20DE/Swap%2009%20-%20Project%20Wrap-Up/th_WrapUp004.jpg (http://s49.photobucket.com/albums/f254/xxtokesxx/1998%20Nissan%20200SX%20SE-R/JDM%20Lowport%20RR%20SR20DE/Swap%2009%20-%20Project%20Wrap-Up/?action=view&current=WrapUp004.flv)

From Head & Revving a Bit
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f254/xxtokesxx/1998%20Nissan%20200SX%20SE-R/JDM%20Lowport%20RR%20SR20DE/Swap%2009%20-%20Project%20Wrap-Up/th_WrapUp005.jpg (http://s49.photobucket.com/albums/f254/xxtokesxx/1998%20Nissan%20200SX%20SE-R/JDM%20Lowport%20RR%20SR20DE/Swap%2009%20-%20Project%20Wrap-Up/?action=view&current=WrapUp005.flv)

Please try above w/ headphones... its hard to hear

Ameen... :confused:

sounds like an exh leek...

I will have to check that first... I will replace the gasket.

spray some soapy water on her while shes running....bubbles means its leaking

I'll have to check for that... I retorqued them today, but I dont know... I'll try that tomorrow some time... I hope I can solve this...

Bleeding Lifters Could be an Option... hmmmm

http://www.g20.net/forum/showthread.php?t=46758&highlight=bleed+liftersas quoted from jgy's website "Does your SR20 have a "TAP-A-TAP-A-TAP-A-TAP" noise? The most likely suspect is air in the lifters. If you look at my finger location in the picture, I'm pushing down on the back of the rocker arm on the section that rides above the lifter. While pressing, if you feel any movement, you have air in that specific lifter. SR20 lifters are hydraulic but can not bleed themselves like most hydraulic lifters. To bleed your lifters you must remove your valve cover, the cams, and rocker arms. Pull the lifter out of its sleeve making note not to tilt it sideways, submerse it in oil, and insert a thin piece of rigid metal inside the hole on top of the lifter. Keep in mind, entire lifter must be completely submersed in oil. You will feel a groove with your metal probe, if you press down it will compress the internal mechanism. Do this repeatedly, many times, or until it doesn't depress anymore. Carefully insert it back into the sleeve without tipping it so that air does not enter it. Reinstall the rocker arms, cams, and valve cover and listen to see if the noise persists. "
http://www.g20.net/forum/showthread.php?t=37103&highlight=tickingthe valves are adjusted automatically when the lifters pump up with oil. luckily the hydraulic lifters can be bled by holding them upright under some oil and taking a paper clip and pumping the internal mechanism inside the lifter until it is rigid again. be sure to keep them upright untill you install them. it's not a difficult job but you have to remove your cam(s) and keep tension on the chain at all times. you can locate the collapsed lifters easily by pressing down on the rocker arms and the ones that you can depress will need to be bled. hope that helps.

If it happens at idle not not under load then I would say you have some slack in your timing chain. This can be caused by a lack of oil pressure, worn timing chain tensioner or a stretched timing chain(least likely). It happened to me on my GA16 because I lost oil pressure due to a oil leak through my exhaust, crazy PCV, EGR stuff :) Anyway its natural for nissan engines to have minor valve train noise @ idle, but if its excessive and the chain has quite a bit of slack you can cause some damage. I stripped a tooth off a cam gear b/c I forgot to check my oil level before a long trip and the oil pressure to the tensioner dropped. How many miles are on the engine BTW?

Its a fresh engine from Soko... JDM RR Swapped just finished yesterday....

Oh, I forgot to mention, when I checked the timing before I retimed it to 15, it showed that it was a little over advanced. Seemed as though it was at maybe 20-22. I drove it about 1 mile around the block before I found this out. I have only driven it about half a mile after I brought the timing back to stock.

My current car has the same issue. It;s been present since i got it which was 2.5 yrs ago and the engine has 146k on it 50k of which i put on without any problems. I beleive that it's air in the lifters. I just dont have time to do that to my car nor does it bother me. I noticed that i got louder when i put a header on it and it's bc the walls of the tubing on the header are thinner than the stock exhaust manifold.

Interesting... Thanks that eases my mind a bit... Header was put on here too... that might be it. I really think its the lifters. My idle is good... got it down to about 800rpm... (super vibration due to mounts though! :D)... But I'll try and baby it around for the first 400 miles... then oil change and see whats up. This will be figured out!

(super vibration due to mounts though! :D)

Yeah, they are insane when you first put them in. Don't worry, they chill out after a few hundred miles.

They do? I hope so... It's not super bad but ever since I got the idle down to 800 I've been chattering my teeth!:eek2:

I'm J/K, its bearable. :biggthump

Hard to tell from the videos without hearing it in person, but it sounds like a lifter tap

I will drive slowly for the next week or so and see if it settles... I will do an oil change after the next fillup... ::crosses fingers::

Sure sounds like timing chain tensioner or the damn top chain guide that everyone removes.

If it happens at idle not not under load then I would say you have some slack in your timing chain.

Beat me to it

RR have no upper chain guide, so that limits it to the chain tensioner (if the chain is the problem) I will have to check it... I can use the one from my other motor, but I will need a new gasket.

So - so far, it could be:
-Timing Chain (tensioner loose causing slack)
-Header Leak (causing ticking)
-HVLA's

I need to have someone that knows SR20's to listen to it.

Ha. I would swap a motor befor I would do a timing chain! It is air in the lifters or an exhaust leak! Man just get some exhaust on that thing and drive it!!! Keep an eye on your oil and coolant!

Well see...

I'm an idiot... I set my timing at 15* and changed my idle to be a little higher but after I was done I turned the car off instead of reconnecting the TPS... Doe!