ChinaRiders Forums - View Single Post - Lifan X-pect 200 EFI. Normal engine noises?

jsonnentag · 10-17-2023, 02:56 PM

I have some other more major engine noise and wonder what other people think/speculate. . . .

I have heard the low toned "knocking" forever (2,600 miles on it at the moment) under load and just considered it "normal" for something attempting to get high mileage per gallon. But about 1,000 - 1,500 miles ago a whine developed and at times (since it came and went) there was almost like a chain rattling on something lightly inside.

Well, I didn't know the engines are "known" to arrive with tight valves so adjusted them late in the game to the currently recommended specifications (0.6-0.08mm in and 0.05mm out). There was no apparent space/gap when first opened up (just like the team that tore one apart and checked every singe thing that in one in a post that is a sticky post) - would have been nice to have been told in the user manual to not even run it until the valves were checked.

Anyway, yesterday I was cruising home and off the freeway off ramp (I only cruise at about 55) the sound changed. It sounded BEAUTIFUL! The extra rattle sound was gone and it just sounded like nice valves moving in there. No extra noise!

But this morning about 1 mile from home an excessively loud rattle developed and I turned around as soon as I could and got back home and drove the car to work. It doesn't seem to affect the actual running/idling of the engine much at all. It starts fine and there is no misfiring. But that massive noise can't be good for anything and I think I can now see there evidence of oil leaking (starting to seep) at the bottom front of the crankcase area. That was never there before, so I assume whatever is hitting things in there causes enough vibration to break the seal a little.

So has anybody else experienced anything similar on an X-pect or anything else?

It has to be something loose and rubbing on things in there. But it is strange (to me anyway) that it idles fine and shifts through all the gears fine. I don't relish the thought of taking out the engine and cracking it open, but see no other alternative. I'd just like to know what anybody might speculatively (or "experimencially") guess it might be.

10-17-2023, 02:56 PM	#6
jsonnentag Join Date: Oct 2023 Posts: 10	I have some other more major engine noise and wonder what other people think/speculate. . . . I have heard the low toned "knocking" forever (2,600 miles on it at the moment) under load and just considered it "normal" for something attempting to get high mileage per gallon. But about 1,000 - 1,500 miles ago a whine developed and at times (since it came and went) there was almost like a chain rattling on something lightly inside. Well, I didn't know the engines are "known" to arrive with tight valves so adjusted them late in the game to the currently recommended specifications (0.6-0.08mm in and 0.05mm out). There was no apparent space/gap when first opened up (just like the team that tore one apart and checked every singe thing that in one in a post that is a sticky post) - would have been nice to have been told in the user manual to not even run it until the valves were checked. Anyway, yesterday I was cruising home and off the freeway off ramp (I only cruise at about 55) the sound changed. It sounded BEAUTIFUL! The extra rattle sound was gone and it just sounded like nice valves moving in there. No extra noise! But this morning about 1 mile from home an excessively loud rattle developed and I turned around as soon as I could and got back home and drove the car to work. It doesn't seem to affect the actual running/idling of the engine much at all. It starts fine and there is no misfiring. But that massive noise can't be good for anything and I think I can now see there evidence of oil leaking (starting to seep) at the bottom front of the crankcase area. That was never there before, so I assume whatever is hitting things in there causes enough vibration to break the seal a little. So has anybody else experienced anything similar on an X-pect or anything else? It has to be something loose and rubbing on things in there. But it is strange (to me anyway) that it idles fine and shifts through all the gears fine. I don't relish the thought of taking out the engine and cracking it open, but see no other alternative. I'd just like to know what anybody might speculatively (or "experimencially") guess it might be.
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