I have a tapping noise when starting the car from stone cold and will last around 2-3 mins. Thought it was the TCT but replaced and noise is still present. Next thought would be to get the valve clearances done but my thought would be that if it was these, the noise would be present all the time. So wondering if this was normal?

The car is silky smooth once warm and oil level is always on the H mark.

 

Valves will change as they warm up - oil does take time to warm up but when was the last time the valves were done and what mileage is on the car?

 

mine does it, and i've recently done the tappets too.
no harm re-checking them though, since they may be out and is a service item anyway.

i say slight tick is normal when cold - oil is thick and not as willing, overall clearances are greater etc.

 

car is on 64k, not sure if the valves have been adjusted from looking through the comprehensive HSH

 

Agree with unclefester its probably the valves,they will need adjusting i expect. Its definitely not normal to make that noise though as all of the S2000's would do it.

 

Does the noise come back when the engine is idling and hot?

The air pump can be quite noisy on cold start but that only lasts for a minute or so.

 

nope only when stone cold. Its coming from the rocker cover area and I though it was a dead cert to be the tct when I put my ear near it, hence the change. maybe its just oil taking a while to feed the tct. It last for a good few minutes whilst the engine is idling quite high.

 

SOrry to revive thread, but have you fixed this? I am currently experiencing something similar... It's not the high pitch jet like sound you hear on cold starts, there is this extra "lazy WHUR" that goes on for about 2-3 minutes (until warm, and it goes away).. Is it the TCT?

 

yep fixed with valve clearances

 

That is the supplementary air pump to assist emmissions on cold start up or something like that, nothing to worry about and perfectly normal.