cant figure out this tick!

[ryanr623]

Ok I have had this tick for awhile.... its random but always there. It is from my right bank or where my outfrive and engine come together. Haven't figured it out. Its only at idle or just above idle. Its like tick...........tick tick......tick.... tick......tick..................tick. random. It almost sounds like the drive system but I can't figure out what would tick randonly but constantly. I know rod knock and its not even close. Defitinitely a tick. I'm so confused as to what it is.

 

[ryanr623]

Re: cant figure out this tick!

Sorry 1991 mercruiser 4.3

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: cant figure out this tick!

bent valves? maybe a blown headgasket letting water get in the cylinders and tapping the valves? Mine did this and when I pulled the heads it turned out I had a blown head gasket and it bent 2 valves. The noise would always be there but would get louder or faster randomly. It really sounded more like a bottom end ticking, but not a knock. We thought maybe it was a wrist pin or something because it sounded so low in the engine, but nope, it was valves.

Good luck. Keep us posted as to what you end up finding.

 

[Icyharp]

Re: cant figure out this tick!

If it is very random check your exhaust shutters, I had the strange noise and that what mine was, and mine was at low idle speeds as well. Cheap fix if it is it.

 

[ryanr623]

Re: cant figure out this tick!

If it is very random check your exhaust shutters, I had the strange noise and that what mine was, and mine was at low idle speeds as well. Cheap fix if it is it.

I thought of that, because it is definitely from the right bank and close to the exhaust manifold. The shutters would be close to the drive as well wouldn't they?

 

[NHGuy]

Re: cant figure out this tick!

You can pull the elbows and look in there very easily. If the flappers have no more silicon rubber on their edges they will jingle or tick against the exhaust pipe-very annoying and concerning til you know what it is. The new style are completely different, so don't worry when you shop for replacements. They work fine.

 

[Don S]

Re: cant figure out this tick!

item 6 in the picture below shows your shutters, (There is one each side of the Y pipe). The picture usually makes it easier to understand why they can make that ticking noise once the rubber burns off the stainless plate in the shutter.

 

[ryanr623]

Re: cant figure out this tick!

thanks for everyones help. Im now almost 100% positive its my shutters based on this quote on the sterndrive website:


The shutters can start making a "clakity" noise.
The sound is often diagnosed as a bad lifter, connecting rod, gimbal bearing or a bad drive.
Bad shutters will only make noise at or just above idle.

It definitely only does it at or just above idle... to about 1500 rpms. Im gonna pull the elbow tonight. thanks!

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: cant figure out this tick!

Good luck. Hopefully you find this to be your issue. That is what everyone told me mine was too, but I found out otherwise. Let us know what you find.

 

[Don S]

Re: cant figure out this tick!

Good luck. Hopefully you find this to be your issue. That is what everyone told me mine was too, but I found out otherwise. Let us know what you find.

Well maybe it would be a good idea to tell him what your problem was instead of just saying it wasn't YOUR problem.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: cant figure out this tick!

Well maybe it would be a good idea to tell him what your problem was instead of just saying it wasn't YOUR problem.

Um well maybe you should look at the second reply where I did just that.

 

[Don S]

Re: cant figure out this tick!

The good news is he didn't say the engine was running rough, and an engine with bent valves and a blown head gasket is not going to idle smooth or run smooth.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: cant figure out this tick!

The good news is he didn't say the engine was running rough, and an engine with bent valves and a blown head gasket is not going to idle smooth or run smooth.

Mine ran perfect, idles smooth, and ran like a scalded dog. The head gasket had been blown a long time, in fact when we pulled the head it had a crease in it and had been bolted down pinched from, presumably, the factory. I was the second owner so who knows. It ran perfet other than the noise. That is why we thought for sure it had to be bottom end as well. We checked the exhaust first thing though because everyone suggested that.

I was simply telling him that hopefully he is luckier than I was. What he described was exactly what mine did.