JMAXIMA

Car had a hard time starting yesterday... like it had water in a cylinder. I eventually got it started but ran rough. I turned it off and restarted it... it started ok, but had a ticking noise. It didn't seem too loud so i let it run, and it eventually went away. I checked the oil, ok... coolant looked ok and level was only slightly low (maybe a half inch below max fill). I changed the oil and noticed the oil looked frothy... not discolored, just aerated. I started the car again... ran ok, but still had the ticking noise again for about 2-3 minutes. I have started the car several times since and it seems fine... the ticking sound has not returned. This is the first time anything like this has happened. Ideas? Suggestions? The car is an 03' I35 with 170k.

Thanks,

Jon

george__

iTrader: (1)

Does it sound like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSzkAicj43c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXPIWgsyUhc

If so time to save up for new engine or fix it

JMAXIMA

Its not a timing chain rattle. i'm familiar with that as well, but the noise I heard is more of a lifter tick.

george__

iTrader: (1)

Alternator?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbsNUahfokY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4R6ztj6sAY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBIktSdXLsU

JMAXIMA

Not the alternator... its only a few months old. I'm rather certain the ticking came from water/coolant contamination in the cylinder head. The slow start wasn't an electrical issue... the engine was trying to compress something that wasn't supposed to be in there. I am just curious if anyone has had a head gasket issue? or if anyone has run into issues of where a leaking valve cover gasket or something similar has let coolant into the combustion chamber? I've checked the front spark plugs, they look ok... and there isn't any milky build up on the dipstick or oil cap as one would expect from a head gasket leak. i am just caught off guard as this happened all of a sudden. I figured a headgasket leak would have prompted a slow coolant consumption first.

FanaticMadMax

you would noticed your oil is mix with coolant look like a mocha milk. If nothing present there, then possibly could be weak spark. As far as ticking noise would possible be the lifters. How many miles does it have on your odo?