Ticking kind of sound when engine cold near timing belt...NOT LIFTER TICK

[eclipsegsx1736]

When my engine is cold and I apply load (moderate acceleration, tapping gas in neutral), i hear a kind of ticking noise coming from around the timing belt area. It goes away once the car warms up, and ONLY happens when under acceleration. I cant find anything noticeable loose. It started after my last oil change, but I don't think it's related. The only change I made to the car was new oil and I added some Lucas Oil Stabilizer for the first time. But once again, I'm pretty sure this is NOT the problem. Other than this sound, the car runs just as it did before. Its fairly loud, a little louder than bad lifter tick. I know it's not lifter tick because I used to have it, and it comes from a different area and it sounds a little different than this.

Below is a link to a video of the sound. Note that the mic on my camera isnt very good, and had a hard time picking up noise from the engine and from the ticking. So when i pull the throttle cable to cause the sound, the camera picks up the ticking, but for some reason mutes all other sounds... I found another thread that I think may have the same problem and someone suggested the harmonic balancer, but it was hard to tell if it was the same problem.

http://s22.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0WMXVZSCS9XD00BORU8VCGARDB

 

[DSM MAN]

Ok, funny thing saw your thread yesterday downloaded the vid had no idea what it was. But today on my way to work my car starts making this horrible noise. Sounds like its coming from the timing area just like yours. Kinda hard to hear it clearly on your vid, but sounds kinda similar so its worth a shot. So anyway I left it where it was, went to work came home pulled the heat shield on the exhaust mani. And what do I see, the bolt for the egt hole had wiggled itself out and I had a pinky finger sized hole right in my manifold. Weird part was it sounded like it was coming from the timing area just like you say, I looked at all my belts about 20 times. But just ended up being pretty good sized exhaust leak for me. Good luck .

 

[KingAWD]

i have the same problem as you do--when i leave my car parked for about 10 or 15 min and let it cool down and try to take off there is a noise that is a ticking which only occurs for about 2 or 3 min until the car is warmed up and then it goes away--Ihave no idea what it is, and this is the only time, i have ever seen a article about this--at first i thought the motor had to build oil pressure for the turbo before i leave,, now im not too sure--any ideas?? I do not think it is lifter tick, sounds totally different--

 

[Bigglesworth87]

I think I have the same clicking noise you are talking about. I always thought it was because the car isnt warmed up and that it was coming from the clutch? I dont know though.

 

[fd2002]

weird that well all have awd's? I also have the same sound, though i think mine may actualy be 3 sounds in one, see i have a small exhaust leak cause i broke a bolt on the exhaust mani, so that makes a sort of burping sound when the car is cold and i rev it, also my lifters tick quite loudly when the car is cold, and lastly i have that strange rubbing/ticking sound comming from the first cylinder area, not shure what on earth that is, it does greatly dissapate when the car is warm tho, ill try and post a recording of all my noises......

PS sorry for the horrid grammar,

 

[PaulN]

Raises hand. Me too!

Mine makes a kind of faint wa waa wa waa with a tick sound intermixed. Sounds like it's from down lower in timing cover.

Cars seems fine though, regardless and everything is new behind that cover except the oil pump.

 

[SixBolt_16G]

weird that well all have awd's?

Nope... My 99 GST does it too... I havent been able to figure it out either.

 

[1g4g63pwr]

same here....mines a 91 eclipse awd

 

[Blkbomber]

I have a loud clattering going on in the timing belt area too. making me wonder if I need a new head.

 

[EclipseSH21]

Count me in on this...i added some Lucas today, but it sounds more of a belt noise....but I put my ear on the timing cover and i can hear it churning away, but no ticking noise...ideas??

 

[plaiboiprophet]

I have a 95 with a 420a. Since everybody is throwing out their ticks and different sound combos, ill post mine too I had like three sounds, a ticking that gets louders as the car warms up, grinding sound when the clutch is in, and a different grinding when the clutch is out. some thing like grrrrzzztttt tick tick grzzzty tick tick tick. anyway one grind was the clutch, and one was the throw out bearing aka clutch release bearing, but the tick is still a mystery to me, i think its the lifters and i think i will try to soak/clean them and see if this helps?

 

[GORBS88]

same noise here....the colder it is out the louder the noise....kinda a hard to explain noise but sounds like we all have it.Goes away once warm. I have had the front of motor apart many times to try and fix it...gave up. New timing belt,tensioner,w/p and all. Still same noise, has always did it.. i have been runnin it hard for 3 years and hasnt got any worse. I am used to living with it now, I have changed all the movin parts there...Mabe balance shaft noise..im not to sure..

 

[ddavisaf]

Have you all checked your flywheel/drive plate bolts?
Also, make sure you're using the right viscosity oil. Check all the bearings on your pullies. That's the best I can say right now. A friend's car just started doing this today also, so I'm going to check out what's up with it today. I'll have more information tomorrow hopefully.

 

[GORBS88]

Have you all checked your flywheel/drive plate bolts?
Also, make sure you're using the right viscosity oil. Check all the bearings on your pullies. That's the best I can say right now. A friend's car just started doing this today also, so I'm going to check out what's up with it today. I'll have more information tomorrow hopefully.

Well its on the front of the motor and not the back....i have changed the clutch and flywheel many times and no diff....i use castrol 10w30 oil......and ran motor with all accesories unhooked and still did it...i finally gave up on it....

 

[James Bondage]

Anyone ever find out the problem. My 92 talon tsi asw does it as well.

 

[numlock666]

Same problem in my 97 RS, a friend that builds hotrods told me it could be pistons slapping on the cylinder walls from not expanding yet from heat. And yes it only happens when I'm starting her up in the morning but as it gets warmer it doesnt tick anymore.

 

[undrboost]

my 98 GST makes the same noise before and after my rebuild.

 

[T9S1i]

everyone touch your spark plug wire/boot on the #1 cyl (closest to the timing belt right?) . I think i hear this same noise, and i can feel it in on my spark plug boot... all other cyl's feel smooth and i cant feel it, but in #1 i can feel a tick through the wire. Maybe its just a misfire, but i only notice it when i first start the car... definately not loud enough to be lifters though... hmmmmm

danny

 

[Doubletake]

I used to have the same problem. I managed to trace it down to a worn out hydraulic tensioner for the timing belt. It seems that whren it was cold it wouldn't generate enough tension and the tensioner arm would be loose against the tensioner pin. As the car warmed up whatever fluid that was left in the tensioner would expand enough to tighten the belt and no more noise.

Good luck.

MMB

 

[Bigglesworth87]

As lame as it might sound, I think I figured out what the problem is/was. I think its the oil we were using. Atleast in my case, I switched from Mobil 1 to Royal Purple this weekend and I have yet to hear that chatter sound. I noticed it alot when I would leave for work early in the morning and its cold as shit out. Well I woke up early every day since I switched to drive my car to test my theory and I have yet to hear that noise. Its worth a shot for some of you guys.

 

[skinnykenny84]

A sudden epic plague! No, they all do it. This is my 3rd dsm and Ive worked on many others and all of em do it. It has to do with your car warming up, right, well it needs to warm up longer. As simple as it sounds it works. You might not be letting your car warm up long enough. Now we all do it. And its constistant with an exhaust leak as well and they can sound like their coming from one side of the car and it may be the other, that of course would go away once it gets hot enough to expand. The oil effects the sound because diff oil warms up at diff rates some faster than others. all that I still dont know whats making the noise!

 

[skinnykenny84]

It be interesting to see how long everyones car takes to warm up and when the ticking goes away? .................In the famous words of the Gov of Cali. Ill be back!

 

[DiamondStarCar]

Might as well add myself in. 4 dsms, and all have done it. It seems to be nothing catastrophic...but it is very annoying.

 

[skinnykenny84]

4 minutes roughly

 

[toybreaker]

My 92 tsi has a veritable symphony of underhood noises.
I quieted down the early morning percussion section when I changed out the t-belt tensioner arm. It had a divot worn into it where it rides on the tensioner. I put a teeny amount of grease on the tensioner tip to prevent wearing a divot in the new arm.

Now I can hear the lifters, piston slap and every other sound that's "supposed" to be there