Valve Tapping sound in 355 Spyder

Hi Wayne,

Welcome to F-chat - a great place to get your answers (and free of charge

Going to need a little bit more info on your tapping sound:

1.) is it on cold start up, warm start up or both
2.) is is after the air compressor kicks in, before or both
3.) You mention Valves - you think (or are you sure) it is coming from the engine area. Could it be the exhaust vibration/mounting bolts a little loose making a tapping sound - for a few seconds.
4.) how loud is it - like up close you can here it - or you can here it from 20 ft away.
5.) do you here any grinding in the tapping metal on metal sounds.
6.) any smoke or differences that you noticed when you started hearing this sound.

Can you record the sound - so we can hear it

With the answers to these - this would get a few thoughts bubbling - as many of us have had 355's for a while and seen most issues...

Oh yea - what year 95 or 96 - Valve guides have been know for issues in the first 3 years (and sometimes later) models.

Have you had the 30K done recently?

Rich

 

Well it very well could be the Valve Guides... Often people hear a sound at startup which sounds (trying to think of a way to explain this sound) - if you have an old spring bed - and you kind of move it side to side and hear the springs rattle - this sound is usally the exhaust vibration on the little y parts that holds the exhaust. Some people here a rattle - which can indicate the cats (going bad). If it is a Tapping (metal sound) probably the Vavles.

Being a 1997 - it is probably a little past due for a full engine out - some say 3 years (regardless of miles) - on the outside some will say 5 or 6 years - you are at 8 years and you are due. It will be good to get the belts, hoses, etc changed and all the other things that need refreshed due to age and high rev exposure.

Not sure where you are located - let us know - we can recommend the best service person in your area (with the best price) to get this done. It is important to take it to someone who knows these cars to ensure you get it right - and as you probably know - you are looking at a full engine out service to get the belts, Valve guides, tensioner bearings, etc changed out. Provided you don't have any big ticket stuff that is wrong - depending on where you are - and who works on it the engine out will be from around the very low end of $7K to $15K to get it in perfect order - which you will be good for another 5 years or so.

With this situation - I would get her checked out - you don't want to do more harm if something is going out...

I am sure others will chime in as well - to give input - but that is my .2cents worth.

Rich

 

I have put this responce in the 355 forum, but i will say here. It could well be the hydrolic tappets (lifters), i had the problem a few years back with one of my cars. The hydrolic tappets are filled with engine oil as the engine runs and if the oil is to thin and broken down or even the wrong oil it could cause the lifters to tap, as could a blocked oil way in the tappet. I changed my oil and that cured the problem. It could be the tappets or may not be the tappets, changing the oil first is cheeper than pulling the engine. Theres another option anyway.

 

Could just be a dry hydraulic tappet or it could be a failing header (known problem!)