exhaust manifold gasket leak?

[ExplorerTom]

2004 Saturn VUE 2.2L
When I start the engine when the engine is cold, I get a loud tapping/clacking noise. It's embarrasingly loud. Definitely engine speed related. And it quiets down or goes completely away after the engine is warm. I've also been smelling exhaust in the cabin.

I popped the hood with the engine running and it seems to be coming from the exhaust manifold area- there's a heat shield in place now so it's pretty tough to be certain.

My experience with gasket leaks previously is in the pipe itself and not at the cylinder head/manifold gasket interface. From my experience, the leak sounds more like a "puffing" noise and this is definitely more of a tapping/clacking noise.

What is the likelihood of this just being the gasket? Cracked manifold? Or lifters in the cylinder head?

Thanks.
--Tom

[Rick]

when the engine is cold

Or lifters in the cylinder head?just me but sounds more engine related:2c:

[Chris]

Check this thread Tom: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/repetitive-ticking-sound-heard-idle-only-hot-cold-698789/

A friend had this issue a month or so and mentioned this thread, sounds similar..

[Rick]

"another thing that can tic under the hood and be quite loud, is the oil pump (http://motors.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=oil+pump) electicals. this is located near the oil filter (http://motors.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=oil+filter) and the ticking varys with engine RPMs. You can actually feel it tick if you touch the top of the unit. I believe its called the send unit but i couldl be wrong." Good to know Chris ,Thanks.....My daughters car does this at times

[Robert B]

our Nissan has a sound like a tick and its in the head but it usually goes away real fast but if it is exhaust is it a puff every few rotations of the cylinders firing or every single time ?? will narrow it down if I heard the sound I could help more but that's the best I can do from here

[Shane]

lifters in the cylinder head?
My guess would be lifters, how is the oil pressure?

[The StRanger]

Id lean more to a cracked EGR tube ???As it heats up it seals itself !

[ExplorerTom]

Here's the video:
http://i642.photobucket.com/albums/uu143/TJUrbanek/VUE/th_77f0ebb75d55d27ab2b93c90c153bfb1.jpg (http://i642.photobucket.com/albums/uu143/TJUrbanek/VUE/77f0ebb75d55d27ab2b93c90c153bfb1.mp4)

The engine was a little warm so the noise wasn't quite as loud as it is first thing in the morning. Also, the video is dark (sorry), so it's really more of a sound clip than a video. I moved the camera (iphone) down right next to the exhaust manifold toward the end of the video.

I think I hear "puffing" sounds.

I posted this over on saturnfan.com as well. Apparently the manifolds on VUEs are paper thin and there's a good chance I'll find a hole in the manifold when I pull the heat shield off- which is tonight's project.

[Shane]

Apparently the manifolds on VUEs are paper thin
Hopefully not a broken stud. Do do you have any spare vacum line you could use to isolate the area in which it is coming from?

[ExplorerTom]

No. And tonight I had to bring work home with me so I didn't even get a chance to pull the heat shield off and get a better look.