Update on my engine...

[MommyTaz022200]

The Good: I changed the power steering pump last week. It still was making the whinning noise so I assumed that problem was something else, but at least I wasn't dumping fluid all over. I continued working on the body, since I need it back together to be able to even drive it to somewhere to have it looked at, but I keep having to move it in and out of my garage to work on the body. The whinnng noise is getting much quieter. Yesterday we changed my boyfriend's power steering pump on his Bonneville, since his was leaking almost as bad as mine. Now his car is making the same exact whinning niose! So my whinning noise must be from the power steering, because that is the only problem both of our cars have had!

 

The Bad: With my whinning noise much quieter I can now hear my engine better. To me the exhaust sounds too loud in the engne area. I remember when my ex and I were putting the engine back in we had a really hard time reaching the rear manifold bolts & getting the gaskets on and in place. I hear knd of a tick-tick sound that seems to be coming from under the palenium. At first I was worried that the oil pump wasn't pumping oil as it should so I pulled my oil cap off and looked inside while it's running. I can see oil in there, so I'm thinking the other side would look the same since the oil pump pumps to both sides. I still have no codes reading out from the computer, no check engine light going on when it runs. I do still have an oil leak I'm not sure if it's from the oil pump o-ring, oil pan gasket, or the rear main seal. I am going to try to use my cam corder to zoom into the area it's coming from so I can get a real good look when it's running. I don't want to lay under it while it's running & my camcorder can zoom in closer then what I am willing to put my face or hands.

 

My Question: If my rear manifold gasket isn't sealed would it cause me to hear ticking, like maybe I'm hearing the cylinders firing?

[slick]

Yep, sounds like an exhaust leak to me.

[mfewtrail]

Did you "bleed" the power steering system by turning the steering wheel lock to lock(removes air trapped in the lines/pump) a few times and then filling the power steering fluid to the appropriate level? If not, then try doing so while having someone keep an eye on the fluid level and adding fluid if necessary(you don't want to run the pump dry if its too low when the air is removed). It's best to let the engine idle for a few minutes prior to bleeding the ps pump. Air in the system can cause whining, growling, or moaning type noises.

 

 

 

The ticking sound you're describing and the exhaust being too loud in the engine bay is likely your exhaust manifold gasket leaking like you suspected. I would try to get the exhaust leak taken care of soon since it doesn't only leak exhaust gases. The leaky gasket also lets fresh oxygen into the exhaust stream before the oxygen sensor(causing the o2 sensor to see more oxygen and dump more fuel into the engine which will cause it to run rich).

[MommyTaz022200]

Did you "bleed" the power steering system by turning the steering wheel lock to lock(removes air trapped in the lines/pump) a few times and then filling the power steering fluid to the appropriate level? If not, then try doing so while having someone keep an eye on the fluid level and adding fluid if necessary(you don't want to run the pump dry if its too low when the air is removed). It's best to let the engine idle for a few minutes prior to bleeding the ps pump. Air in the system can cause whining, growling, or moaning type noises.

 

We bled both of our power steering systems after changing the pump. I also flushed mine, since my ex decided to put tranny fluid in it instead of power steering fluid. My boyfriend's was leaking 1 of the big jugs of fluid every 2 days. I'm guessing he still could have some air in the lines, since he was driving the car as it was leaking. Mine leaked all over the garage and stopped leaking when there was just enough fluid left so the lowest point in the resevour (where the gears are?) still had fliud. Since I'm working on my car's body it was not driven around with it leaking. So I would guess that is why mine stopped making noise so much faster.

 

About how much is it to get the manifold tightened down as it should be? Will the palenium need to be taken off, or will they tighten it from under the car? Is the leaking going to cause my O2 sensor to go out? I still do not drive the car except to back it out of the garage when I need to use the space in the garage for getting the body parts finished up, so it's about 6 feet backward, and 6 feet foreward almost every day.

[DaveFromColorado]

header/exhaust manifold leaks can often be mistaken for lifter ticking, I've seent that dozens of times.

 

also, you may hear a slight ticking comming from the injectors, as they can be pretty noisey in an otherwise quiet engine.

 

--Dave.