danbennett2u Posted September 21, 2007 Share Posted September 21, 2007 I apologize if this has been answered before... but it is happening on both our 92 Legacy with 268k miles and our 93 Legacy with 182k. Seems to be worse on the 93 which seems to have been maintained less strictly. Anyway, this occurs under a low to moderate load when warm usually around 2-3k rpm... higher or lower rpm has no sound. Reving to that speed with no load does not cause the noise, and if I hear the noise stepping on the gas a little more makes it go away. The noise is somewaht metallic... I haven't heard pinging before but this doesn't really "ping"... it is more like a clacking/ticking type sound... it is not in rhythm like lifters, not quite random though. Almost like very small impacts are happening to small pieces of metal that aren't large enough to vibrate or feel through the normal engine vibrations. It almost sounds like it is coming from the valve train but I cant tell since I cant duplicate it while it is parked. Is this indeed pinging, or could it be excessive carbon around the rockers? Sorry I cant provide much more info or a sound clip but I will try to answer questions if you have any that might help Is this indeed pinging? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted September 21, 2007 Share Posted September 21, 2007 could be pinging. try a tank or two of the highest octane available in your area. if it goes away then it's pinging. EJ's are not the quietest motors i've ever seen i'll say that. subaru does not seem to care what engines may sound like after a couple years, if they do, then they suck at imt! are all the timing pulleys original with that many miles on them as well? axles can make clickety, click noises too, but i assue it's definitely motor related? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbennett2u Posted September 21, 2007 Author Share Posted September 21, 2007 yeah I have heard bad cv;s and it is definitely not that... not quite the same type of sound, and definitely from the engine. I have tried upping the octane but didn't notice a difference, although I haven't noticed it when the engine is cold so it very well could be pinging I guess... I don't really know the maintainence histories of either cars, the 93 I have only put about 4k miles on, and our 92 we bought with 232k on it I have run seafoam through the gas and intake on both cars, I don't think that did anything to the sound...and the 92 does have newish spark plugs on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted September 21, 2007 Share Posted September 21, 2007 It may be something as a vibrating shroud around the exhaust system. Both my 98 and 99 Legacy OBWs developed this. It was almost like a "zzzing" sound that would resonate at only certain engine rpm. Mine would not do it at idle, unless I turned on the A/C, which slightly lowered the rpm to create the noise. I put the front end of my car up on ramps, then crawled underneath the car with a long screw driver. Using the screw driver, I pushed on the shroud at various points until I located the source of the noise by stopping the vibration. To cure the problem, I found a large bolt, and hammered it into position between the shroud and the exhaust pipe as a wedge to keep the shroud from vibrating. Sort of a really low tech fix for a low tech problem, but the fix still works perfectly after a couple years of driving. I don't know if your 92 and 93 have the exhaust shroud covers, but if they do, then I would bet the farm that the shrouds are the cause of your noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT95 Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 Tough to imagine what your hearing, but rooster-dude may have something there with his comment. My wife's Volvo got this annoying ping-y rattle-y type noise from some of the heat shield on her exhaust system near the engine. I'd never heard the noise before, so it took a bit to figure out its source. Only thing for your case, though, hers did make the noise while at idle and/or in park, so that might rule it out as a possibility... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbennett2u Posted September 24, 2007 Author Share Posted September 24, 2007 Tough to imagine what your hearing, but rooster-dude may have something there with his comment. My wife's Volvo got this annoying ping-y rattle-y type noise from some of the heat shield on her exhaust system near the engine. I'd never heard the noise before, so it took a bit to figure out its source. Only thing for your case, though, hers did make the noise while at idle and/or in park, so that might rule it out as a possibility... Well Our 92 does that as well, The noises I am hearing are less metallic than the exhaust rattling, and a bit slower, like it may be from one or two cylinders, rather than in tune with engine vibrations. The best description I can think of right now is a cross between a zip-tie being slowly tightened (but the clicks not spaced evenly) and the aforementioned exhaust rattling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dangerdave Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 Have you considered a drop in oil pressure as being the culprit? I heard similiar noises coming from the engine in my 1.8 impreza. I traced the noise to the valves. It might be worthwhile to have them tested. The 'dummy' light will only alert you when pressure drops below 5 p.s.i. A test with a pressure guage might be an idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I apologize if this has been answered before... but it is happening on both our 92 Legacy with 268k miles and our 93 Legacy with 182k. Seems to be worse on the 93 which seems to have been maintained less strictly. Anyway, this occurs under a low to moderate load when warm usually around 2-3k rpm... higher or lower rpm has no sound. Reving to that speed with no load does not cause the noise, and if I hear the noise stepping on the gas a little more makes it go away. The noise is somewaht metallic... I haven't heard pinging before but this doesn't really "ping"... it is more like a clacking/ticking type sound... it is not in rhythm like lifters, not quite random though. Almost like very small impacts are happening to small pieces of metal that aren't large enough to vibrate or feel through the normal engine vibrations. It almost sounds like it is coming from the valve train but I cant tell since I cant duplicate it while it is parked. Is this indeed pinging, or could it be excessive carbon around the rockers? Sorry I cant provide much more info or a sound clip but I will try to answer questions if you have any that might help Is this indeed pinging? sounds like ping to me. Try a cooler plug to see if it goes away or reduces. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rexbox Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 Okay!! I'm not the only one with a 93 that makes that noise! I bet I know exactly what youre talking about. Mine does it when you rev to 2800 - 3000 rpm and makes the noise when you let off to shift. Just for a second or two. If I romp on it all the way to 5k+ or stay under 2500 it won' t do it. In my car it sounds very knocky/lifter, like everything inside the business part of the engine just went temporarily loose. If this sounds about right, I don't have a clue what it is. My engine has 168k on it, but was rebuilt under warranty at 34k. Frustrating. I will never know personally, cause I'm replacing that sound with the sound of two turbos and a couple blow off valves. Let me know when you find out though!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted September 25, 2007 Share Posted September 25, 2007 Okay!! I'm not the only one with a 93 that makes that noise! I bet I know exactly what youre talking about. Mine does it when you rev to 2800 - 3000 rpm and makes the noise when you let off to shift. Just for a second or two. If I romp on it all the way to 5k+ or stay under 2500 it won' t do it. In my car it sounds very knocky/lifter, like everything inside the business part of the engine just went temporarily loose. If this sounds about right, I don't have a clue what it is. My engine has 168k on it, but was rebuilt under warranty at 34k. Frustrating. I will never know personally, cause I'm replacing that sound with the sound of two turbos and a couple blow off valves. Let me know when you find out though!! Ah when you let off the power. Look at the heat cheilds and anything else that may be loose thats attached to the engine. Pinging is only under load. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rexbox Posted September 27, 2007 Share Posted September 27, 2007 Ah when you let off the power. Look at the heat cheilds and anything else that may be loose thats attached to the engine. Pinging is only under load. nipper Its internal. Not pinging, but for sure internal. I don't have heat sheilds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbennett2u Posted September 27, 2007 Author Share Posted September 27, 2007 I will try different plugs when I get a chance and let you guys all know if it helps or not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rexbox Posted September 27, 2007 Share Posted September 27, 2007 By the way... Can you rearend a dump truck so I can have your driver's taillight? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.