I've been told since the dawn of time that all K-cars have a mild tapping sound when
the engine is running. I've been told its valve lifters or something slapping inside while
the pistons go up and down. My car has always had this sound since I owned it. Someone
riding with me mentioned the sound and set "is that your valve lifters"? It got me to thinking could the sound be getting worse or more noticeable at 140,000 miles. Is this
really normal? Can I expect it to get a whole lot worse until it sounds like a thrown piston? What makes this sound anyway? As a K-car nut, I should know the answer, but I have never really been concerned with this until now. Also, I find it weird that if the car has been sitting, and I start it, I can't seem to hear any tapping sound and while running, I hear it more in park then in drive.