Hey guy's my brother just bought a used 95 Camaro and on the way home decided to put mid grade fuel in instead of premium(the guy he bought it from said it was okay). While they were driving home they started hearing a clicking noise. My brother bought the Camaro knowing the driver side exhaust manifold header gasket needs to be replaced. So we thought the mid grade was the reason and it still could be, we decided to siphon the mid grade out and got almost all of it out then we put 11 gallons of preimum in the car.

I don't know much about cars so I'm just speculating, but could it be a bad rod or valve. Here's the video [autostream]http://autostream.com/camaroz28/?page_type=firebirdplayerthumbnail&framepage=1014& transactionid=1306092049-69180501&posted_by=Sierracharlie_www.camaroz28.com &youtube_video_id=HpVGzExUKPQ[/autostream]

Help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

Almost sounds like some contact with the valve cover and also a puffing sound like exhaust might be going back through the AIR check valve.

 

What do you think could be contacting the valve cover? And how could I check to see if the exhaust is going back through the air check valve? I'm pretty green when it comes to cars so hopefully I don't sound completely stupid

 

Oh and I should note, it didn't make this rattling noise for the first hour of driving it. Only after we got mid grade instead of premium and driving for about an hour on the mid grade. So we were not sure if the fuel wasn't the cause.

 

How does it sound when u rev the engine up.

 

I have a nasty exhaust leak going on right now from my passengers side manifold and it dont sound like that. does the tick get louder and faster with the RPM's? How about while driving if you take your foot of the gas does it go away? It should if its a exhaust leak. Sounds like something else maybe combined with a exhaust leak.

 

well it could be the gas. where did u buy it from.

 

Here's another video

[autostream]http://autostream.com/camaroz28/?page_type=firebirdplayerthumbnail&framepage=1015& transactionid=1306094646-69180501&posted_by=Sierracharlie_www.camaroz28.com &youtube_video_id=-x6DPjF5qTY[/autostream]

 

I'm just hoping this isn't a piston problem.. That isn't something you could hide for a short amount of time? The motor only apparently has 26k on it.. Just trying to figure out what's going on.

 

where did u buy the gas from.

 

From an Ingles grocery store.

 

I'm leaning towards needing the lifters replaced. Does anyone agree?

 

Feel for anything contacting the valve cover (put your hand on it, screwdriver...). Remove the rubber hose and see if there is any exhaust going toward the AIR pump.

I don't see how the gas is going to have anything to do with it.

The second video sounds worse. I can hear the exhaust leak, but the tapping doesn't sound good. I would at least take off that valve cover to investigate. Hopefully it is not something deeper.

 

Unfortunately we're coming to the conclusion it is possibly a rod knock that was masked by some sort of oil or something else temporarily. I'm reading it is an old trick that people use to sell cars with these issues. Hopefully it's not the case I'm going to a mechanic tomorrow but it's not looking good. The car is in really good shape otherwise so hopefully I can resell it for 2 thousand(we paid 3900 for it). Sucks but what can you do.

 

You can run the LT1 engine on regular fuel, and not do any damage. The knock sensor will pick any detonation, and the PCM will retard timing until the knock disappears. It will lose some power, but it won't hurt anything, and won't cause a clicking sound.

The exception would be if someone tuned it incorrectly, deleted the knock retard capabilities from the program, or "desensitized" the knock sensor. In that case the sound would be the classic "marbles rattling in a coffee can".