Tick from my motor after head gasket replacement

[98legacygt22]

Ok so I had my motor out (Phase 1 2.2L) for a while to replace the head gaskets, timing belt.. etc. Now when running it has a tick to it, doesn't sound like a rod knock but it sounds like it's coming from a valve. I replaced the head gaskets with the same exact ones. I hear that it could be the valve lash needing adjustment but it only seems to be coming from one cylinder. When I had the heads off I also cleaned all the built up carbon off them and there was a lot of build up around the valve seats, maybe that could have something to do with it but I am not sure. Any advise or idea's are very appreciated! I'm unsure of driving it until I know what that tick is, it seems to run okay but that tick just bugs me as before I changed the head gaskets the motor was quiet as could be.

[chuckthefuk]

did this motor overheat? blowing a head gasket on a EJ22 is not that common.

[98legacygt22]

No it wasn't. Just thought I'd be safe and replace them when I got the car along with the timing belt components. I also changed the oil and I've read that after an oil change they will tick until the oil starts building up carbon deposits again. Same situation with my buddies 98 outback 2.5 I changed the oil in that and it ticked for a few weeks afterward then just disappeared one day out of the blue. I'm running 10w30 with a quart of lucas in my car.

[98legacygt22]

Also have no idea how many miles are on it, thats the main reason for replacing everything.

[chuckthefuk]

Can you confirm that your timing is been set properly? Sure its possible for the valve lash adjustment but I cant see this being the case since you have not touched the valves.

Also when you pull the spark plug wire from the ticking cylinder does the tick go away?

-Chuck

[98legacygt22]

Yeah lined up the lines on the belt with the ones on the crank and cam pulleys. Luckily it's non interference. I will go outside and try taking the plug wire off and see what it does.

[98legacygt22]

Took it for a ride down the road, now its smoking like its burning antifreeze and its still ticking.. Im about to just give up on this car.

[Grafton]

how loud is the ticking? is it a very fast ticking?

if it's 96 or later you have an interference engine. and if you used the wrong mark on the crank pulley then you fubar'd the timing job, I've done it twice once one my interference 2.2L and the second time on an old non-interference 2.2L. my motor survived because I only ran it for ~20 sec while it was out of time.

but I'm willing to bet you ruined the engine if your 2.2L is from a 98, which would mean your ticking sound is/was piston valve contact. triple check which mark you used when doing the timing job, because there are two on the crank sprocket and see if that helps your problem.

[98legacygt22]

Its a non interference 2.2

[98legacygt22]

Just to clarify things, my car is a 97 Legacy GT which is suppose to have a 2.5. The 2.2 that has been swapped in is from pre 96, again my engine is a non interference. I do know the difference, I am not new to engines I know what I am looking at. The engine is fine, I just have a slight tick that is getting quieter every time I run the car.

[chuckthefuk]

OK finally some back story.. Moving on..

Did you pull the spark plug wire>?

[98legacygt22]

Yeah I pulled each wire and it didn't stop making the tick. Not worried about it I have the option for a hybrid 2.2 with 2.5 heads for $450 so Im going to just get that and put it in.

[chuckthefuk]

Sounds like its the valve train.

Before you spend more money try giving her a boot.. beat on her when you have a chance. let her cool down and go for another run.

[98legacygt22]

Yeah I got on the throttle going down the road yesterday it seems to have full power, I think the white "smoke" that was coming out was seafoam left over from when I did that.

[chuckthefuk]

Oh forgot mention that you will need the EJ25D intake manifold and electrical to make the EJ25D heads work if you plan on using that setup. Flanges on the intake manifolds are different :-/

[98legacygt22]

The heads are the phase 2 2.5 single cam heads, but he is including the intake with it. Thanks for the heads up though!

[chuckthefuk]

interesting. those motors are MAP based... I wonder how the electronics are going to switch over..

[98legacygt22]

hmmm I will have to look into that.