I went out and recorded some sounds of my SE tonight. They sound ok, but not great (laptop), but here they are.

I'll try to record my screeching exhaust leak too but it only shows up when cold.

Exhaust_1.mp3 is about 12 inches from stock muffler and it's mostly idle with few short blips. exhaust_1.mp3

Exhaust_2.mp3 is also 12 inches from muffler. About 25 seconds in is where I got the crappy idle to show up... normally it happens often. exhaust_2.mp3

engine_1.mp3 is me starting the car and walking around to the hood. Noisy valves and a few short blips again.engine_1.mp3

engine_2.mp3 is a continuation of the first, about 30 seconds into this one, the idle thing comes back. engine_2.mp3

If'n there's anything specific I should record, lemme know. I have nothing but time

 

I hear early signs of VTC tick for sure, it isnt a 1/4 of the tick mine had, before I grounded, you also have alot of hesitation. I would change the plugs, and maybe all coils if you have the money.

 

isnt it a vg?

 

naw man, my other car's a vg. This is a 92 SE. It sure is a POS. I wish I could be "the ericdwong of 3rd gens"
All 6 plugs are NGK laser plats, less than 500 miles on them, coil packs are unknown condition.

BTW, my VTC's are already grounded, that's why I say valve noise.

 

How long was the car running when you recorded? Cause ALL engines make a little noise on start up, until the oil flows all around.

 

just got back from work....about 10 minute drive. shut it off, got my laptop and came back out.

 

That is why, ALL grounded VTC's will make noise at start up and if you give it some gas, or put it in gear it will shut up within 5 minutes. Replace your VTC's and I guarantee you will not have NEAR the noise, you could also have an exhaust stud broken and that would cause ticking.

 

hmm, I just figured because it was hot and grounded also that it wasn't them. I know for a fact that I have at least one pre-cat exhaust leak in the rear bank somewhere near where it joins the front bank.

I'm also starting to think my idle problem is a vacuum leak in the manifold. Somebody had a really retarded person work on it in the past, and there was a swath of destruction where they were. Over in that general area, there was a broken shaft seal, leaking water pump, severed brake line replaced with VACUUM HOSE which burst when I first pumped the brakes, a missing vacuum hose which I replaced (probably stole it to fix the brakes), cruise control broken, rear valve cover leak, passenger axle bad, and the exhaust leak. Granted, alot of that could just be wear, but it's really suspicious that its' all in the same corner of the engine, and broken at the same time. I saw maximajism94se's writeup on his valve cover gasket replacement and I'll follow that later when I do the KS job.

 

wow...your car sounds fairly different from mine...only way i can describe it is your car has like more "bass" than mine lol...but the 1st engine one sounds pretty bad...i dunno...on the good side u didnt have any detonation coming outa the exaust so dats good...

 

I know, I love the exhaust tone. Except for the fact that half the muffler core's rotted out...lol at least it still sounds good...

and yes, my engine is a piece of SH*T. There's half a dozen things that shouldn't make noise that do.

 

do you have a pop charger? I hear a whistle of either a pop charger or vacuum leak. A vacuum leak would couse rough idle. Just a thought.

 

I've got a custom vacuum leak.

 

sounds pretty tight

 

really?, ive always had a rough idle ever since i bought the car.. would a poor VTC rebuild also cause this? my VTCs were rebuilt when the prev owner had the car

 

It's a tossup between a few things.
I'm also considering a bad VTC job as a possible cause for mine.

BTW: how did you fix the stalling at idle and the choppy acceleration? I have both those too.

 

new MAF sensor ownz j00

although some other things may pose a problem; before spending $ on a MAF sensor make sure the fuel lines/injectors/fuel filter are ok as they can also be a cause to this problem. I use chevron fuel cleaner every 3k with every oil change. My VE runs strong except for this strange whining noiseat low rpms and a steady but rough idle

after i get the engine running healthy again, then time to focus on the suspension and tranny

 

I'm going to keep a close eye on this thread. My engine sounds very, very similar to yours.

 

are you sure the clicking is VTC clatter? my VE makes the same noise grounded or ungrounded. after the car has been running for a while, it seems to get louder. the heads seem healthy (just healthy valve ticks..no sarcasm), the VTC area is quiet. the noise is the damn injectors.


also, what noise does detonation make in the exhaust?

 

Check MAF. Sounds like u have a vacumm leak some where to. Check manifold etc... is on tight and no cracks in the hoses. There is a spary that u can use to check with u just spary it in the suspect area and the car will die or shudder.

Broken exhurst manifold or leak in there some where. Chould have no baffles left in the rear muffler also I know the sound just can't pic it.

Does it burn any oil??

 

nope. burns no oil.
leaks plenty though!

I'm gonna replace the manifold gaskets when fix the valve cover gasket later.