Can A Leaking Inlet Manifold Causing Ticking Noise..

[daveyboyblack 1]

My mi16 is making quite a definitive "top-end" ticking noise at the moment. It is a constant ticking at idle, that increases with engine speed. However it totally disappears on overrun, returning as the idle settles back in.

 

I can track it down to a certain area of the head, on the inlet side/area to the front, so it's not a blowing exhaust gasket.

 

Can a dodgy inlet gasket cause a similar ticking noise? The car idles fine but does have a very slight misfire so I had originally thought it was a sticking tappet but the fact that it disappears on overrun would rule this out?

 

Cheers

Dave

[Anthony 1,003]

Noisy injector maybe? Right sort of area, and that could be silent on overrun as the injectors don't inject any fuel.

[daveyboyblack 1]

Forgot to add.... I don't think it's an injector as I had unplugged each one in turn but the ticking was definitely still there.

[Toddy 7]

Low on oil? or filled to the max level?

[daveyboyblack 1]

Yup, oil is almost at max, and gauge (albeit the original rubbish one) is showing good oil pressure. It's using 10W40 so i'm sure I could go slightly thicker but then again it's only one area of the head that's making the noise.

 

Should I rule out the tappets on the basis it disappears on overrun?

 

The car's going into XSport for some other work next week so I could get them to take a look (I wouldn't know where to start with the tappets) but if it could be something a bit simpler then i'd like to have a go myself!

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

If its the std manifold it could be the join in the middle (8 into 1) part which is blowing back towards the engine, Seen this a few times now and is a horrid job normally if its been on there for years to change, Shame Rob at XS left to start up on his own as he knew 205's well