Posted by Michael Haertel (IP: 216.67.53.222) on January 23, 2000 at 13:08:23:
I hate posting non-mav questions, but this is the only board that has good advise that can be trusted. Here it is.
My friend has a '93 Mitsu Eclipse GS (2.0L) The engine was replaced at 43,000 miles, due to a defective timing belt that snapped. The Current engine has approx. 27,000 miles on it. I recently encoutered a strange tapping noise. It soulds like Piston Slap, or Valve Clatter, but being that this engine is so new I don't see how the engine could develope that much wear to cause either of these problems.The noise seems to start at 2000 Rpms. Whenever the engine is accelerating and in gear the sound goes away. If you let off the gas and keep it in gear the noise instantly returns, and the sound goes away at anywere below 2000 rpms. I know it's hard to diagnose this problem without hearing it, but could you take a guess at any posible problems. We have just changed the oil, and the problem has not changed. It sounds like noise is coming from somewhere in the top half of the engine. Somewhere in the head/valve train. Thanks in advance for any help you have to offer.
I sent this message to a few people...Here's some more info
It's a DOHC. This is the only answer I've got so far.
MICHAEL, the sound maybe there when moving but you can't hear it.
Your vehicle has hydraulic lash adjusters on the value train. It's possible that one has collapsed and increased the gap. This is not terminal they can be replaced.
My friend has been driving the car as little as posible, but he has to drive it occasionally. The sound is a little worse, and when he drives it, he keeps it in a high gear, and keeps the clutch in an coasts whenever posible. He's getting great gas millage because of this...hehe
My friend used to be a motor cycle mechanic in the 80's, but these newer engines have alot of stuff he has never seen, and I mostly know about OHV engines. My mechanic is gonna be here next weekend, so the problem will probably be taken care of by then, but for now I could use as much advice is you guys can come up with. Thanks, and sorry about posting a Mitsu question. :)