How serious a problem is intermittent valve tapping?

JMIFF

MEMBER
1999 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO
80,000 MILES

My ****** in-law started her Monte Carlo the other day and hear a loud tapping noise coming from the engine. We suspected it was a valve issue, so my father-in-law drove it 3 miles to a repair shop where the sound continued. The repair shop was unable to diagnose without opening the valve cover. Since the, the noise has disappeared. Is this something that has to be fixed immediately? It's the L36 version of the Buick 3800 V6. Oil level is fine and has been changed recently.

3 Replies

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
11,004 POSTS

I HUNT AND PECK REALLY SLOW

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/2000-ford-ka-tapping-from-engine

HERE'S SOME MORE INFO
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Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 AT 5:46 AM

JMIFF

MEMBER
2 POSTS

But what I'm really trying to determine is if they must shell out several hundred dollars right away to have a mechanic look at the valve train, or, since the noise went away, do they have time to try things like MMO without their delay causing serious damage to the engine?

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Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 AT 6:02 AM

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
11,004 POSTS

THIS IS PROBABLY THE BEST THING YOU CAN USE TO TEST YOUR VALVE TRAIN OR ENGINES CONDITION----BEFORE YOU TEAR INTO IT----I USE IT WHEN I AM ASSISTING SOMEONE IN BUYING A USED CAR...SEE THE BOTTOM OF THIS ONE...SCENARIOS 3 AND 5, WOULD BE THE WORRY (COMPARE TO THE SPEED AND RANGE OF THE OTHERS)

http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public/186.cfm

THIS ONE WAS "HANDY" TO SHOW YOU--THERE ARE MANY VACUUM GAUGE VIDEOS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrnzD7PgoHI&NR=1

REALLY, ABOUT 20 Hg AND MOST IMPORTANTLY A "STEADY NEEDLE" PUTS MY MIND AT EASE WITH A VALVE ISSUE

YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO INSURE YOU FIND A VACUUM LINE TO TIE INTO THAT IS CONSTANTLY LIVE, RIGHT OFF OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD

SSE MY PICS ON SORTA HOW TO "TEE IN" WITHOUT AFFECTING ANYTHING ELSE

IF YOU HAVE A STEADY NEEDLE OF ABOUT "20"--NO NOISE--NO SKIP--NO LOPE....I DON'T THINK I'D BE REAL WORRIED

MY LAST 2 PICS--BOTH OF MY JEEPS HAVE A VACUUM GAUGE ON THE DASH PERMANENTLY....PLAYING GAMES LIKE, "KEEP IT HIGH", WILL IMPROVE YOUR MPGs AS WELL AS WARN OF PROBLEMS

IF YOU DO...DO MMO, SUBSTITUTE A QUART, NOT "ADD" A QUART TOO MUCH!

WHATCHA THINK?

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