Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick

My engine has started to make a new noise, hooray for me!!!

Anywho, here's what it does. At any RPM, I'll hear this ticking noise... but only if I put the pedal down. If I'm just cruising, it won't do it. However if I start to get on the ol girl, I'll get that ticking noise that speeds up with engine RPMs and increases in loudness depending on how far the pedal is to the floor.

I have felt no performance losses, the engine doesn't stumble or act funny, my gauges read the way they should... what in the world is this new noise my engine has discovered?

Rod bearing? Brake dust shield? Valve knocking?

i don't think it is a brake dust sheild, because mine was falling off, and it made a really obvious and consitent scratching noise

given the old gal a compression test lately?

well as funny as it sounds my car was making one to befor the tranny went and come to find out it was a spark plug, is your lxi a 5 speed if so id look at it it might be a syncro

Sounds like the valves. When i changed the oil i put in a Mobile One oil filter and i have no more valve knocking or pinging.

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Originally Posted by ghettogeddy

well as funny as it sounds my car was making one to befor the tranny went and come to find out it was a spark plug, is your lxi a 5 speed if so id look at it it might be a syncro

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Could be the transmission. If I get down on her, I get the ticking. The instant I let off the gas pedal, clutch pressed in or not, it goes away. Doesn't matter what gear or what RPM. I could be at 6000RPMs and once I ease off the gas, the ticking disappears.

Strangest damn thing.

mine does that...but i knoe its the valves cuz of my damn cam gear.

Does it do it only when in gear? Have you had someone help you isolate the noise to the engine?

valve lash? i'd check that and i'd check the park plug wires.

maybe check your distributor cap and rotor?

i do think it's time for you to pull your valve cover off and at least check your valve lash, though.

I'll check the valve lash as well.

I can park the car and gun the engine and it won't make that noise once... it's like the engine has to have some sort of pressure against it for it to happen. That makes it sound like a tranny issue... but if I am driving normally and I pedal down, the sound comes around and gets louder the closer my pedal is to the floor.

Weird weird weird!!!

my dads car makes the same ticking sound, but his sounds like its comming from the injectors

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Originally Posted by Overdosed A18A

my dads car makes the same ticking sound, but his sounds like its comming from the injectors

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That's exactly what I was thinking, because anything engine or transmission related that made a ticking noise like that would be noticeable performance-wise, especially a rod bearing or a synchro that was ready to go.

I installed an AFC recently, so the injectors might be put under a bit more stress than normal. I'm in need of new injectors anywho, so I'll look into replacing them.

are you sure you don't have some kind ticking bomb?if it was the injectors they would be ticking all the time. i say something is happening with tranny.
did you check the driveshafts?

Detonation/Pre-Ignition?

Try to full it with premium. Detonation will often occur when you floor the pedal.

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Originally Posted by carotman

Detonation/Pre-Ignition?

Try to full it with premium. Detonation will often occur when you floor the pedal.

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That's all I use. It just recently started doing this. I'll toss in a full tank this evening.

Maybe it has something to do with an axle, since it doesnt make the sound when its not moving, but as soon as you move it starts. Plus, as you increase in speed, the axle should be rotating faster (The c.v. joint).

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Originally Posted by Toneloc5145

Maybe it has something to do with an axle, since it doesnt make the sound when its not moving, but as soon as you move it starts. Plus, as you increase in speed, the axle should be rotating faster (The c.v. joint).

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It doesn't do it relative to speed... it does it relative to RPMs only when I give her a decent amount of gas. It only does it when the engine is under load too. Gunning the engine in a parking lot will not make that noise, no matter how high the RPMs go. On the other side of things, I could be pushing 4500 - 5000 RPMs in any gear and as long as I am not heavy on the throttle, it won't make the noise. There's no loss/gain in performance, the engine sounds just like it should except for that ticking.

It just recently started doing this... the ONLY thing that I did wrong is I started the engine with the MAP sensor disconnected. I wasn't thinking and I had the AFC unit unplugged. It stumbled for a second and I quickly turned it off. Plugged the thing back in and it went to running normally. All of a sudden this noise starts up.

I hope I didn't eat my engine. Not like a replacement is that expensive...

Hmm, let's say you floor the gas in 3rd gear at 2000 rpm, will it do the noise?

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Originally Posted by carotman

Hmm, let's say you floor the gas in 3rd gear at 2000 rpm, will it do the noise?

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Yes.

This really sound like detonation :(. Unplug the vacuum lines on the dizzy (plug them with a screw to avoid vacuum leaks) and see if it still does the noise. If the noise goes away, it's most likely detonation because the dizzy is giving too much advance or the gas you're using is bad. Could also be the engine leaning out too.

I might have the same problem, it's been driving me crazzy for about 2 mo.
Mine only makes the tick when the car is moving, It won't do it if the car is stationary, and the car has to be going forward. Noise increases with speed.
I even jacked up the front end and layed on the gas and it does not do it.

Some of the guys here thought it was the speedo cable but I removed it, and it still makes noise.
The sound seems like it coming from the throtle body or near the top of the dash/center.it's difficult to pin point it.
I can't even listen to the radio.

I'll give you a list of what I've ran across from my experience in a ticking noise. <to name a few>


injectors
lifters
valves
worn rocker arms
rod bearing (more of metallic sound)
CV joints
speedometer cable
torque convertor bolts hitting the backing plate
warped rotors & worn caliper
timing chain guide worn out & chain slap
CV boot clamp hitting steering knuckle

(The sound varies on different cars) Hard to say without video clip of the actual noise.

Well,

If it were valves or timing gear, it would tick all of the time, regardless of throttle or load. These factors do not affect the valvetrain operation.

If it were a rod or main bearing, you would hear a distinct "clack" (rods) or a constant rumbling at idle. Loading the engine under throttle or decel forces makes the noise go away as the load holds the bearing under constant contact with the journal. The noise is loudest when idling or "floating" the drivetrain, giving it enough throttle to neither accelerate or hold back the car. This allows the bearing and journal to lose contact, and smack together. Bearings are usually quiet with a cold engine and get louder as the oil thins with heat.

Piston slap can be heard at idle, but usually under throttle. It sounds like a rapid, dull "gack" noise. It is loudest with a cold engine, and usually disappears after several seconds to a minute or two after starting, as the pistons expand from heat.

Detonaton or pinging can occur without any sound at all. However, it's usually heard as a rapid metallic rattling sound which happens with a hot engine, under load. Engine run on, a relative of detonation (it is in fact the fuel and air detonating under compression alone, without ignition spark present) occurs after the engine is shut off. The engine will continue to run for several seconds and sound just like a diesel. Carboned heads, too high a heat range spark plug, excess fuel and poor quality fuel can cause detonation/pinging/dieseling/run on.

Cylinder compression leaks can happen via the head gasket, a poorly seated spark plug, leaking valves or cracked engine parts. These may make a variety of sounds.

Vacuum and pollution control systems malfunctions can also make strange noises.

Personally, I think you have an exhaust leak at the manifold. Hope this helps.

could it be the alt or power steering pump?