Hi there, we bought a 98 Excel twin cam with 130,000km on it not long ago. It has a noise in the engine that I thought was the hydraulic lifters, (HLA's). I am a trained mechanic looking for some helpful advice before I make a decision as to what to do, (whether to pull the engine apart or buy a 2nd hand motor). The noise is like a rattle or a tapping and it gets faster/slower with engine speed, as a lifter would. It is similar to the unique rattle of a diesel engine. It is there almost immediately upon starting. The interesting part is, it disappears upon acceleration, and is most pronounced upon deceleration, but is constant at idle. Timing belt is brand new, as is the cam chain, and all lifters have been removed and checked. I have noticed the exact same noise from 2 other twin cam Excel's in carparks too, so i know this is a fairly common problem. Using a stethoscope, I have located the noise to the front of the engine, (the timing belt end), and I think it may be coming from the oil pump or relief valve because these sit directly behind the crank pulley - where the sound seems to be loudest. My thoughts are that the oil pump may be worn out where it sits on the crank. Has anyone else experienced this noise yet or had it repaired? Or better still, does anybody know what it is? Has anybody ever had to replace the oil pump on a twin cam? Is the crank prone to damage where the oil pump mounts to it? Any help with this is very much appreciated because I bought this car for my partner and she still doesnt have a reliable car yet!
Thankyou,
Chris

Oil pump failures on these cars are very rare. However it is not impossible that this may occur.
I have seen a woodfruff key flog out and damage the crank pulley and the crankshaft before.

But if you say that the noise is more prominent on decelleration, then I would be more inclined to presume piston slap.
Does the noise sound like a "marble" rattling around when you decellerate?

Hi Dr Hundi, thanks for your help and for the quick reply. The noise does sound like a marble rattling around yes, but its a lot more pronounced. It is there on idle, low-medium engine speed, and deceleration. It is less noticeable on med-high revs. When the car is cold (left overnight) then started, the noise isnt there at all for about 20 seconds, which I find very interesting. But once its been started, the noise is immediate upon every start. Something else you might find very interesting that I forgot to mention. When I bought the car, the noise was hardly noticeable, (thats why I bought it), but it had dirty black oil which I knew I had to change. I immediately changed the oil and the noise appeared straight away. (I have since done 3 engine oil flushes and replaced 2 lifters and now located the noise away from the lifters - it is not them). I noticed with a clean oil change the noise is louder until the oil gets dirtier. In your experience, how long do these DOHC's last once piston slap has appeared? Have you ever seen an oil pump let go on a twin cam excel?

No, I have never seen an oil pump let go on an Excel.

I believe that you may be experiencing a piston slap problem.
There was a guy on here with a coupe who posted a media player section with the noise on it.

I will try and locate it for you and you can have a listen and tell me whether your noise is similar. :)

Here you go, check out this and tell me whether your noise is similar or not.

Hyundai-Forums

Hi, I actually read that whole post and found it quite interesting. I listened to the mp3 recording and that noise is identical to the noise in our excel 1.5 twin cam. The noise was posted by "tuscani16" and it was on a 1.6L twin cam, but it is exactly the same as our noise. Can you say with certainty that this is piston slap? It has no other tell tale signs of wear - doesnt use oil, great economy, smooth idle etc etc. Without the noise this motor is fantastic! (Maybe some sawdust might help, what do you think?) This motor has 130,000km on it, and I dont think the previous owner did 7500km oil changes. In your opinion, what is the best option here? I was just going to buy a low km 2nd hand engine and fit it. (And transfer all the new parts across to it - timing belt, idlers, cam chain etc).
Thanks for your help,
Chris

Slightly off topic here Dr. Hundi, but due to the way the Forums are set-out, this really needs to be in the Accent Forum!.

The Excel Forum is intended to be for the old (Mitsubishi-engined) car which preceeded the arrival of the Accent in`95. This car was called the X2 in the U.K. & Excel in the U.S.A., but apparently the Australians blurred the issue somewhat, by calling their older-model Accents Excels!!!.

I would have moved it myself, but I am only an Accent Moderator, as I have no experience of the earlier cars & I`m sure this topic will interest many Accent owners!.

`Phew!
Nick. ;)

you are correct, but keep in mind, that the ACCENT is called Excel in some part of the world.

Sorry Valk. My mistake.

My E-mail service recieves messages that are replies to any topic that I moderate. I just click on it and it brings up the post and most of the time I don't see what forum it is in.
Will be sure to check from now on.

But yes as Duke said, the Accent (X3), in some countries is the Excel, like in my country.

My Bad! :rolleyes:

Hi! ChrisV!! In my engine the noise as piston slap, im sure 100x100... Mechanics repair my engine and they shows me engine dissambled, old pistons and new Graphite piston. They change old pistons for a news piston with skirts blacks (graphite).

The noise come back after 100km, but this is reduced in 90%, and dispears after 20sec.

This post has been edited by tuscani16: Jan 26 2005, 08:53 PM

are you sure you are not mistaking this noise for lifter noise.
Alot of other people in this forum seem to have lifter problems, mostly those who live in cooler climates.

Im sure DrHundi.

The Noise is same, and i ear this in front-down (oil filter zone) part of engine (i think is 1º piston)
I feel fear for a future noise come back more strong...


have you noticed of this pistons with graphite-skirt???

Are you repair any engine with those graphite pistons without rebulid cylinders 0.25????



(sorry my poor english :D)

Hello ,

I'm new to the forums, i was told I can share some of my problems you all
I have been having a lot of trouble with my 95 Exel X3 SOHC , the bugger put me into debt for more than the cars worth. Don't go to Auto Leaders or Ultra Tune, They rip you off support you local mechanic small business they do a Better job and charge you less. Any way I fould I had the problem with the "pistion slap" too I fix that with Lucus Oil stablizer from supercheap it got rid of the noise ,well less than the noticable noise it made. The piston slap problem had been fixed when on Monday I blew the motor, I'm not a car killer I just was driving along when the Temp gauge went from C to H between South beenleigh and North Beenleigh . Just a minute when a dense smoke came from the Motor my good morning went to hell. So I was told today I need a new engine. I found out after beating my bonnet of my car with my fist that , you know how the raditators are plastic, well the water release tap at the bottom had broken off .
Oh by the way if you have a Hole in your radiator use QuikSteel great product!!
knead it like dough then put it where the hole is then wait 10mins it goes as hard as steel.

I have many other stories about my Excel .. I should have bought a Holden Dammm....... :devil:

You would have had just as many if not more problems with a shitbox holden!!!!

Hi i work for Hyundai UK as a suggestion try the water pump we have problems as the bearings become worn

[QUOTE]Hi i work for Hyundai UK as a suggestion try the water pump we have problems as the bearings become worn

On this last point, for many years I have made it a practice to add a cupfull of BRAKE FLUID to my engine`s coolant!.

This is an excellent water-pump lubricant, as it mixes completely with water & is designed to be kind to rubber hoses. I have never suffered a water pump failure since I started doing this!.

Nick. :wink2: