Tapping after car overheated

[SFC_R0CK]

Ok here is what happened to my wife's 1991 GT. She was driving home and it started making noise and stalled out on her and after I got it back home I found the radiator had a rotten spot in it that caused the car to overheat and die on her. Now when I start it there is a loud tapping coming from the drivers side of the engine, sounds like lifter noise but it was not there before. I saw no water in the oil, and no water in the exhaust. Any ideas what it could be?

Thanks.

 

[brecht63]

If it overheated bad enough to stall it could be a scored hole, that will make a tick sound. If it did score a cylinder it will have blowby that pulses. could also be an exhaust leak though too, or just a lifter like you thought.

 

[capri debris]

At normal operating temperature the exhaust valves glow red... when an engine overheats, just imagine how bad it is on the valves. That is what I'd guess your ticking sound is... a burnt valve. You should've schooled the little lady if her car ever overheated to shut it down then and there... not to drive till it shuts itself down. Driving a car hot is the worst thing you can do... now instead of just needing a new radiator, you need an engine overhaul and a new radiator... just because it wasn't turned off when it got hot.

 

[SFC_R0CK]

There is no exhaust leak and there was no tapping before. I aksed her if any of the gauges showed anything wrong or if any of the idiot lights came on and she said no. She is good about letting me know if the car makes any noises or gauges dont read right.

 

[capri debris]

There is no exhaust leak and there was no tapping before. I aksed her if any of the gauges showed anything wrong or if any of the idiot lights came on and she said no. She is good about letting me know if the car makes any noises or gauges dont read right.

An exhaust leak has nothing to do with a burnt exhaust valve. A burnt valve taps because it's been heated to the point that is changes shape and doesn't mate with the hole in the head anymore and taps when it snaps shut. And waiting for an idiot light to tell you something is wrong is not a good idea, because usually by the time they come on, the damage is already done... hence the name IDIOT light. What she SHOULD be watching is the temp gauge... if it ever goes above 210* SHUT IT DOWN right away, not at the next exit, or next gas station or when she gets home... but RIGHT NOW.

 

[SFC_R0CK]

She said the temp gauge never went out of the normal range. I was just trying to provide the information she gave me. The comment about there not being an exhaust leak was to brecht63 comment about a possible exhaust leak. I am thinking it is a burnt valve or bent push rod.

 

[brecht63]

If you have a burnt ex. valve you could check for poping out the exhaust/slight miss. Could even be a head gasket leaking coolant into a cylinder, that makes a pretty loud tick sound. Ive had that happen when I stretched and broke head bolts and still had no coolant in the oil, but im just sayin overheated engines like to score holes, and they tick, just something to look into.