Odd Clicking Behind Dash

[4G63Boosted]

Ok, this one has got me stumped. Ever since the day I got my car, I have had this insanely annoying clicking sound coming from behind the dash on the drivers side. I have pulled the dash apart, and can't find a thing. I can hear it coming from somewhere above the top of the pedals. It only happens when I am at part throttle. If I go to 1/4 throttle or past, it stops. Under normal cruising pedal pressure though, it ticks like crazy. It doesn't seem to matter what rpm the car is at, it seems to be based soley on the gas pedal pressure. This probably seems like a crazy question, because I'm sure theres a number of things it could be, but I have yet to find any of them. Any help would be extremely appreciated. Things like this drive me crazy. I hate having to drive around with the radio cranked all the way up just so I can't hear that damn clicking!

 

[DiamondStarM]

Does it affect the engine in any way, could be the fuel pump relay on its way out. Its a common problem and only cost 5 bucks from a junkyard to fix.

 

[4G63Boosted]

No, it doesnt seem to have any effect what so ever on the engine. Everything sounds and feels normal, if I floor it when it's clicking, the car will pull like it's supposed to. It doesnt miss, hesitate or anything like that.

 

[luv2rallye]

Does it do it with the car still and just changing engine rpm? Assuming yes, while making it do it touch every relay and object under dash to feel any vibration or see if it stops (did you touch relays on engine drivers side of firewall?). It almost sounds like engine vibration is rattling something. Move, push, and pull on every wire and everything you can get your hands on (reach way up there) to see if it stops. Check every bolt/screw for tightness. I have a rattle under my dash I've never been able to find also ever since a guy backed into me.

 

[femmeDSM]

I can imagine that would get annoying. As the previous poster mentioned, it does sound like the engine vibration is rattling something. I would think, though, that if this was the case, the ticking wouldn't go away at higher rpms....

Have you unplugged your clutch safety switch? If so, it might be rattling around down there, and hitting against some plastic.

 

[4G63Boosted]

Yes, it does do it with the car not moving with just a change in the rpm's. I did unplug the safety switch, but the car was doing it when i picked it up, before unplugging the switch. That's odd that you have a noise behind your dash after being backed into, this car was also backed into before I got it. I have checked all relays and as many of the wiring harnesses I can get my hands on under the dash, and nothing seemed to change it. It seems like it is somewhere behind, or right below the guage cluster, because I can hear it above my head when I'm laying in the floorboard listening. I've pulled the guage cluster out, but can find nothing behind it that is making any noise.

 

[femmeDSM]

Here are a few diagrams I dug up. They might help a little....It's just your wiring diagram for everything behind the dash....
Might find it useful...The images are very large, so I'll just post links to 'em from my server....Don't everyone go look at them at once please. .

http://www.lenoradark.com/dsm/2g-dash-1.jpg

http://www.lenoradark.com/dsm/2g-dash-2.jpg

http://www.lenoradark.com/dsm/2g-dash-3.jpg

http://www.lenoradark.com/dsm/2g-dash-4.jpg

 

[dr_fatkins]

I would check the solenoids mounted to the firewall inside the engine compartment. There is one for fuel pressure, one for EGR, and one for canister purge and I would bet one of those is making the clicking.

 

[4G63Boosted]

Claire, thank you for the diagrams. I'll be tearing the dash apart again Friday and checking everything possible behind there. Hopefully I will find it. I like driving around with no radio on so I can just hear what the car is doing, but with this crazy ticking, I can't do that.

I've also already eliminated the possibility of it being anything in the engine compartment. That was the first place I checked. The clicking is completely inaudible when under the hood. The only place I can hear it is inside the car.

 

[femmeDSM]

Claire, thank you for the diagrams. I'll be tearing the dash apart again Friday and checking everything possible behind there. Hopefully I will find it. I like driving around with no radio on so I can just hear what the car is doing, but with this crazy ticking, I can't do that.

I've also already eliminated the possibility of it being anything in the engine compartment. That was the first place I checked. The clicking is completely inaudible when under the hood. The only place I can hear it is inside the car.

Cool, glad I could help. Good luck! That'll be quite a task, I'm sure...Makes me tired just thinking about it. Ha.

 

[4G63Boosted]

Yea, it's quite the pain. After the last Eclipse dash I tore apart I vowed I'd never do another one. Then I turned around and bought an Eclipse myself......it never ends.

 

[4G63Boosted]

Problem has been found! It turned out to be a solenoind under the hood, that I apparently couldn't hear when I checked before. Now I just need to know what solenoid this is. There is a bracket on the firewall behind the intake manifold that has two solenoids on it, and it looks like the lines run to the TB. The one that is clicking is the drivers side solenoid. Anybody know what this one does? Thanks for all your help.

 

[olmytsi]

HOLY SHIT. I have the SAME EXACT problem. Glad i found what it is. Always puzzled me that it only occurs at low percentage throttle and not rpm related and almost sounds like lifter tick but not really. Wow...soo happy i found the answer

So the clicking means the solenoid needs to be replaced?

Here you go....tells you which is which. http://members.shaw.ca/dsm.1000q/Engineprimer/2G/solenoids.htm

Order from left to right looking at the bay is EGR, Purge control and Fuel solenoids.