Hey wazzup? I have a 97 GA 3.1 with just about 128k miles. I recently noticed a slight tick, I assume its a valve tick. It otherwise runs fine, pickup and performance is about as was new except for gas miliage.. How many miles can be expected out of this engine, and should I expect problems with the tick getting worse. This engine has had oil changes at about every 3k miles since new.
I ran a 2.8 litre V6, which is of the same family, nearly 200,000 miles and then sold it. The leaking gasket issue is to be taken into account, but I think they are pretty good little engines in general.
Lifters, whether roller or hydraulic type, can get dirty or just have mechanical wear which can make them tick. Also, sometimes a bearing will wear and the oil pressure to a particular hydraulic lifter will be too low, causing a click. And last, a worn camshaft lobe can cause problems. The lifter bottom, in case of hydraulics, can be hammered out.
Since you have maintained yours so well, I would suggest that, before your next change, you add a really good detergented cleaner to the oil and run it a couple hundred miles.
(I have used Mystery Marvel Oil a few times and it seems to help clean the varnish pretty well, but there may be better answers. )
If the cleanup and oil change doesn't help, you may have to go deeper into the engine.
I ran a 3.1 about 200,000 miles also. Ran like new. I sold it to a 16 year-old, and later I saw it in the junkard and found he ran it off the road and screwed up the frame. So it never did die a natural death.
Does this happen on start up when its cold outside? Once the car is warmed up it goes away? If thats the case it could be one of the first four pistons making the noise.
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