Alright, before most of you bust out with "use the search button", I have tried the search already and no previous post has answered my question directly. When i first fire up the DET in the mornings, car idles real smooth...after driving it there is clattering coming from under the VC. My friend told me not to sweat it, that it's just the hydraulic valve adjuster. How would I know if it's the tensioner? And if it were the Hydraulic valve adjusters should there be reason to sweat it? I just drove to and from orlando (about 400 miles) this weekend, but i went to get everything smoothed out before going up there for sure. ANY INPUT is welcome, thanks. PEACE

I dont know what it is, but I am having a similar problem. It idles fine with no noise at all, but when I accel. in any gear there is a clatter. I put my ear up to all my wires on the VC as I played with the throttle and it sounds the loudest on Cyl. 1. It still boosts fine and drives ok, it is more of an annoyance than anything else (at least for the time being, knock on wood). Any ideas anyone? BTW I have the Avenir DET with stock T25

It might be your engine detonating. Do you know what that sounds like? If you're not sure, back down the timing and see if that fixes your problem.

Since I am running a JWT ECU my timing is right at the center, which should be 15 degrees. I just did it eyeing it out not with a timing light. I have a feeling i'm not detonating because my A/F gauge reads really rich, plus i don't have my BOV recirculating back into the intake.Spun bearing is out of the question, cause I spun a bearing before so i know what that shit sounds like. Also, when throwing the car in neutral sometimes and rolling to a stop, a puff of white smoke comes out. Could this have to do with the valve adjusters?

I have a similar problem too. I'm not boosting or anything.

I hear the clatter for a few seconds when I first start up, but I expect that.

BUT! I also hear it while I'm driving, usually right as I am about to shift into the next gear. I would probably hear it while I'm accelerating, but the CAI and exhaust drown it out till I take the load off of the motor for the shift as I clutch in and let off the gas.

I did notice though, that immediately after my last oil change (including a can of Restore), that the clatter dissappeared completely for about 500 miles. Maybe the oil started thinning out, or the Restore got all burned up or something. This just makes me suspect the hydraulic valve adjusters as well. . .

I checked for flakes and such in my oil, and I also pulled the plugs and listened for the noise and it was still there so I dont believe I spun a bearing. My DET has only been driven maybe 500 miles since I installed it (at which time I replaced my bearings).

My noise is a "faint" clatter that starts at about 2k rpms and lasts until 3 or 3.5k. The harder I accel, the louder it gets. I can't hear it in 4th or 5th, but I suspect it is still there but I just cant hear it over everything else.

I hope its one of those problems that fixes itself :). I am going to try some more things and see if it goes away.

I had the light clatter that could be heard while lifting for an upshift - this could also be heard faintly at highway speed under light throttle/cruising mode, only if the tops were in and radio off. Sometimes it would be better after an oil change. This has happened in two engines I've had in my car - in both cases it degenerated into worse noise and then into bearing failure, twice this year (the original engine was crap, the replacement engine was also...). The last engine went about 7.5k miles before it went in a big way, just shy of puking the rods out of the block. Currently in the shop awaiting the warranty replacement engine to be found...

While the engine was beginning to the make the noise, the mechanic said it was valvetrain, and it sure sounded like it to me as well. I now believe it is the beginning of some play developing in the rod bearings.

Well, after driving my DET for about 800 miles, it took a big shit! My car is dead, and I believe it was exactly what KC1 said. This SUCKS! anyone wanna buy a 91 SER w/ a screwed Avenir DET? :rolleyes: ...Im serious by the way :)

There is an issue with the sr20ve engine with that exact same problem, and it was a valve lifter or something. Nissan recalled it in all the countries it was available in and made some minor fix (like an hours work) that solved the problem. Usually only rattles when you crank it cold. Apparently the oil settles and it doesn't have a way to get to the valve till after the engine has been on for a few minutes and circulates. Apparently it's not a major issue but can cause premature wear in the long term. Not sure what the problem is on the DE but I don't have that prob on mine so I can't compare =\

I had a noise that sounded like it was coming from underneath the VC whenever I hit the gas or let off. Turns out it was the passenger side motor mount.

I have a similar problem too. I'm not boosting or anything.

I hear the clatter for a few seconds when I first start up, but I expect that.

BUT! I also hear it while I'm driving, usually right as I am about to shift into the next gear. I would probably hear it while I'm accelerating, but the CAI and exhaust drown it out till I take the load off of the motor for the shift as I clutch in and let off the gas.

I did notice though, that immediately after my last oil change (including a can of Restore), that the clatter dissappeared completely for about 500 miles. Maybe the oil started thinning out, or the Restore got all burned up or something. This just makes me suspect the hydraulic valve adjusters as well. . .


I have the exact same problem, and I just changed the tensiner

did you ever cure the problem?

I had a noise that sounded like it was coming from underneath the VC whenever I hit the gas or let off. Turns out it was the passenger side motor mount.

this could definately be something like your problem, i've had some insanely bad sounds come from my engine bay because or a poor home-made mount, so i wouldnt really assume its inside your engine, may be out!

this could definately be something like your problem, i've had some insanely bad sounds come from my engine bay because or a poor home-made mount, so i wouldnt really assume its inside your engine, may be out!


well my car still has the stock engine mounts and they are all but gone. You can really tell how bad they are when going over speed bumps. Guess that will be next on my list.

:(

My G20 has the same problem.
It stops for a few miles after an oil change but then starts back up.
It sounds really NASTY when you are driving in another car by the G20.
SOUNDS LIKE CRAP actually.

Im going to use thicker oil like 20w-50 on the next change and hopefully it help it out a little bit.
It might be going BYE BYE on me. :(

Wow, this thread is over a year old.

FocalBlur: I still have the same problem, only now I am dealing with some oil consumption as well. In the past two months it has degraded to eating 2 quarts in 2000 miles, followed by 1 quart in 2 weeks. I have since made a change to Mobil1 synthetic blend for high mileage engines. This was Friday night. Since then, I no longer have clatter on startup, my oil pressure light goes out much faster now (almost instantly), and the clatter seems to have quieted down a bit. I'm going to save my opinions on this until I get a few thousand miles under its belt though. (Figgy, you might wanna give this stuff a try, it was only $2 per quart at Walmart)

Oh, and for the record, I know its not my passenger side motor mount. I replaced that with a brand new OEM one about 2 years ago after experiencing nasty vibrations, and the mount cured it.

Wow, this thread is over a year old.

FocalBlur: I still have the same problem, only now I am dealing with some oil consumption as well. In the past two months it has degraded to eating 2 quarts in 2000 miles, followed by 1 quart in 2 weeks. I have since made a change to Mobil1 synthetic blend for high mileage engines. This was Friday night. Since then, I no longer have clatter on startup, my oil pressure light goes out much faster now (almost instantly), and the clatter seems to have quieted down a bit. I'm going to save my opinions on this until I get a few thousand miles under its belt though. (Figgy, you might wanna give this stuff a try, it was only $2 per quart at Walmart)

Oh, and for the record, I know its not my passenger side motor mount. I replaced that with a brand new OEM one about 2 years ago after experiencing nasty vibrations, and the mount cured it.



Well I found out what mine was, a spun rod bearing that is not full blown rod knock. The car now sits(as of last night)


This is what the symptoms were:
Light clang, like a marble under the VC at idle
and a light tapping at idle
free reving the motor the marbel sound goes away but you can hear a really bad vibration, the tapping sound only louder and worse sounding.
then at about 2500rpm(under load) the clatter comes in
or no clatter but you hear the clatter as you depress the clutch

this went on for several thousand miles and the owner befoer said it was there from at least 116,000
the motor went last night at 119,500(rod knock, it still "runs")


hope this helps some one

Well I found out what mine was, a spun rod bearing that is not full blown rod knock. The car now sits(as of last night)


This is what the symptoms were:
Light clang, like a marble under the VC at idle
and a light tapping at idle
free reving the motor the marbel sound goes away but you can hear a really bad vibration, the tapping sound only louder and worse sounding.
then at about 2500rpm(under load) the clatter comes in
or no clatter but you hear the clatter as you depress the clutch

this went on for several thousand miles and the owner befoer said it was there from at least 116,000
the motor went last night at 119,500(rod knock, it still "runs")


hope this helps some one

Im pretty sure I have the same problem.
Your symptoms are just like mine.
Maybe i can get a few more thousand miles out of it.
*CLACK clack clack clack* :(