OK, so, this has been bugging me for a long long time and it "seems" lately that it's gotten louder, so I'm turning to you guys to ask whether or not any of you have this problem.

I have read about and watched videos for engine ticking sounds all over the internet, and can't seem to find a sound and/or similar circumstance in which the 'ticking' occurs on other Gs. So here goes:

Let me preface this by listing my cars specs, maintenance and mods: its an 04 6mt with 149k miles (owned since 70k). K&N, 5/16 MD ISO thermal with aramid gasket, magnaflow catback, Uprev tuned. Maint: TB is clean, new pcv, MAF is clean, oil changed every 3.5k with 10w30 castrol magnetec syn blend, and currently full (just topped off). Rad and thermostat are less than a year old, and coolant is full.

Now the prob (or so it may seem):
Right around 4.5krpm I start getting this fairly loud ticking coming from the passenger side (I believe). At first I thought it was valve noise, but after more tests, I'm no longer sure. The problem is that it doesn't do it as bad in 1st and 2nd gear as it does in 3-5th. It also makes zero noise before 4krpm. Makes no weird sounds whatsoever.

To make things more weird, it only does it under load. I can't replicate the sound when the car's sitting still and I rev it. I was thinking it may be loud injectors, but it still makes the sound when I'm at 'X' rpms and I release the throttle completely. Also, injector noise should be apparent at idle. Again, it is as smooth as butter and I have zero power loss, it just makes this annoying tick. It's rhythmic, and climbs with rpm (post 4.5k) but isn't as bad after 5.5k. It sounds like tapping a plastic pen on a counter or something really fast. I'm almost thinking it's something in the dash area that's loose, but don't wanna just write it off as such if it could be something more serious.

Anyone?

 

What type/brand of gas you use? Also, can you provide a sound clip? Most ticking, especially pen sounding is lifter tick or possible bad gas. piston slap is a worry sometimes, but that's much more lower in tone. Try a different brand of gas and run some octane booster in it.

 

Oh, yeah! Meant to include that as well. Cuz that makes it even weirder.

I only use 91 octane Chevron (CA)(exclusively - Vons gas rewards, whaaaat) and put high quality octane boosters in every few fill ups. It's immaculately maintained (which pisses me off even more). I put in a high quality fuel system cleaner a couple days ago just to see what happens. I don't think its a fuel problem. I have only used gas from two chevron locations for the last 1.5 yrs or so (other than a road trip a couple months ago).

I'll try to include a sound clip tomorrow, but I honestly don't think it's loud enough to record over my exhaust and I can't recreate it if the car isn't in motion. I'll try tho.

Do you know anything about the fuel damper problem that our cars have? What it sounds like/when it ticks?

 

I don't doubt your baby is well cared for But as far as the noise, it's possible it's the damper as well, it has a similar sound to lifter tick but it's a little softer. What I do is use a big flat head screw driver and it sounds strange, but put the flat head on areas of the motor, like the lower collector and the damper. Then put your ear to the handle. Then see what you hear.

 

Totally off topic but I love the imagery of these kind of five senses scrambles....

 

OK, so the last couple days I've done a few more running tests and had a couple theories just based on the sound and when it occurs. I'm really leaning toward it being some kind of dash vibration.

So, its kind of more of a buzz/tick (in-between a tick and a buzz) than just a tick. Now, I already explained where it happens in the rpm range, but recently tested it in fifth gear (which I hadn't before, cuz going up to 5500rpms in 5th requires some really open road) and it doesn't make the sound in 5th. I'm figuring that the vibration frequency is different because of the longer, smoother 5th gear. I'm thinking the TQ transfer thru the chassis (in the lower, more aggressive gears) is shaking something and causing the buzz. Does this make sense to anyone else? I can't otherwise figure why it wouldn't tick in 5th or in neutral at the same rpms.

 

check the rearview mirror...sometimes the frame around the mirror buzzes at diff RPM's.