Why the heck won't my car idle???

[OneFastEclipse]

I drove home from work the other night and everything was perfectly fine with the car. I parked it over night, came out the next morning and voala! The damn car won't start without me giving it gas. Then once started it idles like complete shit and wants to die unless I keep the gas on it. There is also this horrific ticking noise coming from the motor. I checked the spark plugs and noticed they were completely black so I swapped them out thinking they were the problem, but no results. Same crappy problem. I can drive on it as long as I keep giving it gas to keep it from stalling. But that ticking noise never goes away. Any ideas?

 

[ricer99']

the horrific ticking..does it get worse when you give it more throttle? and the idle problem sounds like an i.a.c.(idle air control) I believe you may have a spun rod bearing or a collapsed lifter depending on where the noise is coming from. if you get really close to the engine and listen, you can tell if it's coming from the top or bottom of the engine. if it the top(head) then it's a lifter I believe, if the bottom, then it's a spun rod bearing.

 

[OneFastEclipse]

The ticking definately is coming from the top of the motor. It seems to stay consistent in noise threw out the rpms but goes faster the higher the rpms. So you think it is a lifter then? Is there anyway for me to tell this by pulling the valve cover? Thanks

 

[ricer99']

yea, pull off the valve cover and try to move each valve. due to valve lash, you should be able to move each one but if there's a collapsed or bad lifter it will have excessive movement. you'll be able to tell.