so my engine clicks. it's hard to tell from where it is coming from. i have added atf to see if it was not lubing somewhere but it still clicks. i dunno when it got it's last valve adjustment but it sounds a lil like valve tap. how can i be sure? should i take the cover off and check? how do i check? it is hard? how bad is it if i wait? so many questions... thanks in advance.

 

Had a '98 with the 1.5L DOHC, made an intermittent tapping noise, like a valve, but sounding like it came from the intake area. Traded it in before anything was done, but I think this might be an emmissions system noise, check the service bulletins... (sorry, I don't have them readily available, but they are on this site somewhere)

 

It could be either your valves or injectors knocking. Either can be adjusted by a mechanic. How much it would I have no idea. But if its clicking badly, see it to get fixed.

 

a rythmic ticking could be a valve adjustment
actually, my car was doing it and i did a valve adjustment and it went away

if you have over 90 000 km's you should get that checked out

 

The Z5 motor in your 2nd gen's does not have manually adjustable valve lash. The cams sit directly ontop of the valves, in a Cam on Bucket configuration.

The ticking you are hearing is probably your fuel injectors. Get yourself a long screw driver and listen on one end as you place it in different areas along in the intake manifold and valve cover to narrow down where the sound is coming from.

 

"The Z5 motor in your 2nd gen's does not have manually adjustable valve lash"

"The cams sit directly ontop of the valves, in a Cam on Bucket configuration."

um... you contradicted yourself

the Z5 does have manually adjusted valve lash

it goes valve, bucket, shim, cam lobe

the cam lobe sits above the lifter, which sits above the valve

the cam does not touch the valve
its called a shim over bucket configuration

they are solid, which means they need to be manually adjusted
the hydraulic ones in some 1.8L's dont need adjustment
until the lifter dies, then they jus need replacement