MyFirst90coupe

Help!

I decided to change the plugs and wires on my 90 L98 since I have only had the car for a couple of weeks and the age of the ones in there was not certain. I got the correct NGK V-grooves and a set of plug wires from O'Reilly's and installed them last night along with my new AC Delco EGR valve. (still getting the dang code 32 also)

Anyway, I got it all put back together and fired it up to test drive. I noticed a ticking on the right (passenger) side of the engine. I drove it about 5 miles with no real change in the sound, it speeds up with RPMs and never really goes away. I don't think that it's a lifter since I took the oil fill cap off and listened in there and did not hear anything in there. I pulled the 4 plugs on that side and they all look like they have been firing. I took special care to make sure that I did not cross thread any of them. I thought that maybe I had not tightened one up enough and that was the cause but it's not that either. I even put the old plug wires back on that side just incase. No luck! It got too late to change out to the old plugs to make sure that I do not have a defective plug..is that even possible?

I'm totally frustrated that in trying to do something good it turns to poop.

Any suggestions would be helpful!!

Thank you!

Jeff

Bondami

Its almost certainly a plug not sealing or defective.. it could be a broken porcelain arcing to something (maybe).. but I would take the plugs out on that side (Miserable i know) and look them over.

MyFirst90coupe

I guess that's the plan for tonight. I saved the old AC Delco plugs that I took out of it.

383vett

Bad EGR gasket?

MyFirst90coupe

I pulled that back off and put a light coat of Ultra Copper on it to make sure it wasn't leaking.

Chatman

It's time to get a mechanic's stethoscope. (That probably isn't the right name.) If you pull the rod and diaphragm piece off, you have an air tube that does a great job of isolating sound. You should soon be able to locate the problem. Depending on how bad it is, you can do the same with any tube held to your ear.

Do let us know what you find. Returning to the old wires was a good diagnostic move.

MyFirst90coupe

Swapped back to the old plugs. No change. I'm baffled. Unless it's the new egr valve being defective. I really don't want to change that thing out again!!!!

Totally frustrated now, thinking about taking the night off and drinking numerous Jack & Cokes.

bill mcdonald

Did you lean on any of the exhuast manifolds parts while installing? Maybe you broke something?

I would just put some tub to my ear and go around the exhaust till you find something.

I would still not rule out a loose rocker as well.

Defective EGR. only issue I could find is with it would be leaking. Use a piece of tube to your ear and listen around that too.

MyFirst90coupe

Ok, I bought a stethescope, not very effective for me. Still cannot locate this dang sound precisely. I even used a piece of garden hose against my ear. No love.

I did not lean on any of the manifold parts because I was concerned that they would break even though they look pretty stout.

At one point I had my wife in the car with it running in reverse. We shut it down then restarted it about 2 minutes later and it backfired through the exhaust. It has never done that before. About scared the mess out of her. Me too because I was walking around the back of the car.

I'm about to give up. Anyone know any trustworthy mechanics in High Point, Greensboro area????!?!?!?

More Jack and Cokes to come now...GRRRRR.

Thinking about reinstalling old EGR valve in the morning to see what results that nets me. Do not know what else to do.

MyFirst90coupe

Ok, a litte hungover but now determined to fix my baby.

I really beleive that this is a plug not sealing. #2 looks to have carbon showing around the outside. Is there anyway to check that or should I just get a thread chaser and hope for the best?

BADDUCK

If the plug is seating I would not use a thread chaser. Are you using anti-seize? If not try a good coat of that. If that doesn't do it you may need a heli coil.

MyFirst90coupe

Ok, I bought a thread chaser just to see. Threads in #2 and #4 were fine. I did not chase the other 2 since it's 90 degrees out and even hotter in the garage.

I gave up and took it to a shop. They said that if the plugs were not in right it would blow them out. They did a smoke test to see about exhaust leaks and found nothing. The guy got out his stethescope and determined that the pass. side manifold is leaking.

Time for headers?

MyFirst90coupe

ok so, headers are not in the budget right now so I set out this morning to change the manifold gasket. After a broken flange stud and a coupe of trips to the parts store I got the b^tch out and clean up all of the surfaces. Put it back in...still the same TIC TIC TIC.

I am really disappointed and aggrivated now and really regretting trying to take care of the dang car...excuse me for changing spark plugs and EGR valve!!!

Keystring

Noisy injector?

MyFirst90coupe

I just installed a set of Bosch III's from FIC. Good thought though.

Marv02

Code 32 it the EGR soleniod is bad.
I changed out My EGR Valve did not fix it either.

MyFirst90coupe

Yeah, NAPA shows a number for the solenoid once I figure out this other issue I will resume chasing down the code 32.

Marv02

I see you live in High Point NC we use to live in Kernsville, off Unioncrossing NC.