i don't know what it is, but it's pissing me off.

was driving to BJ's for some chicago deep style pizza and ended up in the parking lot diagnosing the problem. it's a ticking noise that seems to be fairly faint at idle but increases in loudness and is parallel to the rate of rpm (higher the rpm, more amounts of ticks or knocks or slaps).

i went to my buddy's house to remove the plenum and whatnot and try to minimize where the sound is coming from, but... i just squirted coolant all over his garage. needless to say, it's late and i am about to down a couple of beers so i can forget this ordeal. it's still not fixed and i will need your help.

the sounds are coming from the driverside of the engine. i can feel the ticking vibrations on the plenum but most prominently on the throttle body. we thought it was a loose butterfly on the TB but doesn't seem to be the case. doesn't sound like a knock either... and the sound doesn't seem to be coming from the bottom (block) or the front (pully or chain tensioner)... so i believe it is most likely from the head. maybe i need a valve adjustment? something must be broken?

ahhhh!

how much does a valve adjustment go anyway?

and i have aps tt with built block.

 

hmm.... sound like a problem i had with my 01 celica gt.. the dealer found out that my piston has a hole...

 

i think ur hearing your injectors man, thats normal, i only hear mine working when in in a drive thru when theres a wall next to my car for it to echo off of

 

you mean like this?

http://www.timware.org/g/g_noise2.wmv

been told it's normal for the last 4 years. and I've asked some people pretty knowledged in the ways of the VQ.

 

Ya I always wondered if that was normal with my car lol... i guess it is -Derek

 

i was told it was ormal also on other cars i had as well

 

thanks for the replies.

nah... i had my car for almost 5 years now and i reassure you guys this ticking is NOT normal.

it's pretty darn loud to be anything remotely similar to fuel injection noise... sounded like something is broken and rattling.

well... wish me luck, going to remove the valve covers to check the rocker arms and other valvetrain. if that's not the problem, i may have spun a rod bearing.... which means i'll have to ride my bicycle for groceries (again).

 

exaust leak?

 

that was my first thought.

guess i'll have to retorque the bolts down at the manifold.

 

Check oil level. What weight oil are you using? Now with warmer weather, thinner oils will make clicking noises louder.

 

If you had a spun rod bearing, you would definitely know. Your car would be knocking and rattling like crazy if it even ran at all.

But if the noise is anything like the one in that video that the guy posted above, it's just a common engine noise in these cars. Maybe try switching to a thicker oil. I'm running German Castrol 0W30 in my car(very thick oil, despite it's viscocity rating) and my car seems to run a lot smoother and quieter since switching from Mobil 1.

 

+10000 I'm willing to bet thats it. Your oil level is probably low. These VQ motors are having issues with burning oil. Keep an eye on your oil level.

 

with the APS oil pan, the oil was a bit lower than the intended point... as far as i know, at optimum level the oil should be at the L notch but i found the reading to be just a bit lower than the L (hell, i can't even read the pos dipstick because oil was everywhere on the stick). the car was running and sounding GREAT even this past summer even at 100 deg F here in the badlands. the only concern i have is the low oil which may cause the rod bearing to spin, but doesn't sound like it.... not very violent during idle and not very violent when i press the gas. just loud ticking/tapping noises.

my thoughts exactly.

i am using motul and not sure what model of oil. also not sure of weight, but more than likely of 5w30 or 5w40.

i got a question... just wondering how our heads work. i removed the valve cover on the driver side to check the valvetrain for loose ends... but they all seem secured as far as i can tell. do the cams hit the valves themselves or are there certain lifters or rocker arms to push the valves? i am thinking one of those components are bent and causing the tapping but i can't seem to find ANYTHING of some sort unless i remove the cams. so, in essence, how do our heads work?

 

Check your oil level as I am or was in the same boat just yesterday, the car was ticking at start up and then got a little louder as I drove to work. Came back to find out I was 1.5 quarts low I filled it up and the noise has gone but I need to find out where the oil went.
Taking it to Sam at GT Motorsports to have a leak down done and if needed going to have new piston rings installed and drop the compression while I'm in there.

 

how loud was your ticking? was it absolutely obnoxious?

i filled up an extra quart last night and the ticking has minimized SOMEWHAT... but still there. i guess i'll add another quart and see how it goes.

thanks for the reply. i really appreciate it.