engine and drivetrain Ticking sound towards front of motor

[saaron]

Hi all

 

Last year or two I notice a rhythmic ticking or clicking sound that comes from the front of the engine somewhere.  It's noticeable when you listen down close to the fan.  If you are standing back towards the firewall you can barely hear it.  It is in time with the engine's revolutions, I think.  I want to see if I can hear it as someone revs it, but I haven't done that yet.  

 

Any thoughts on what it could be - things I should investigate?

 

It isn't impacting how the car runs.  

 

Scott

['76mintgrün'02]

I have an intermittent ticking sound, which has been there for as long as I have had the car.  A friend called it 'knocking', but it is high pitched and I think of knocking as a lower sound.  Anyway, mine happens only at low rpm/oil pressure and I suspect it is a slapping timing (or oil) chain.  I bought a cheap stethoscope, but it was total crap and did not help to isolate the sound.  

 

This may not be helpful at all... but it seems like we may be hearing a similar sound.  

 

Is there no way to rev the engine in a tii, while you are under the hood?

[saaron]

Interesting - could be something similar.  I will rev it this afternoon.  Yes you can rev it while listening.  Just haven't done it yet.  First day of exploring it.

 

Scott

['76mintgrün'02]

Here is a thread from 2014, which has a video (aug 5th post) in which you can hear Pat's sound.  It sounds like what I hear, but mine is not that pronounced, nor consistent (yet). 

 

 

[saaron]

That video is much more of a knocking sound vs. mine.  Mine is ticking or clicking vs. that.  Though the cell phone audio is always a variable.  

 

I wonder if one of the valves is just way out of adjustment towards the front of the motor.  I haven't had the valves adjusted in a long time.  About time I learn how to do it.  

 

Scott

[saaron]

It does sound like it is coming from the front of the motor, and lower down.  The thread that talks about the oil pump chain being noisy - that might be it.  

 

When I rev it, the clicking either goes away or is drowned out by all the other sounds.  

Scott

[ray_]

Check the pulleys for looseness.

 

BTDT,

 

Cheers,

[PaulTWinterton]

I'm in the middle of a chain(s) inspection and parts replacement, because I, too, have a ticking/rattle in the front of the engine.

At idle or near it sounds like a random ticking/loose rattle.  At speed it sounds like a bicycle chain spinning at high speed. 

 

I'll post anything definitive if I get good results.

[Chamonix72]

Timing chain slack? In my original motor, the timing chain had so much slack, it eventually broke off a piece of the plastic guide.

[pdx2002]

You may want to check to see if your fan is touching its' shroud. I've had that problem and it sounds like a clicking or ticking.

[conkitchen]

Might be piston slap which sounds like a loose valve and tends to go away when rev'd. 

 

but what do I know. 

[saaron]

Thanks for the ideas.  I appreciate it.  

 

Scott

[Rosheee]

I am experiencing a similar sounds. Just replaced the water pump and radiator. Did you find out what it was?

 

Going back in time on this one..

[Simeon]

When this topic comes up I always relay my story about a ticking/ knocking noise that drove me mad only to discover that it was the hood vibrating when it was up and the engine was idling. Rule out the free stuff first. 

[jgerock]

Could be almost anything:

 

Alternator bearings going bad

Water pump bearing noisy

Smog (!) pump going bad

Belt slipping

A/C idler pulley bearing noisy

A/C compressor clutch noisy

Timing chain slap

Oil pump chain slap