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

 

[Morphius]

If it's gear whine, it's the oil pump. 90's are more prone to low temperature 'groan'.

If it's on a 2g car, I'd suspect crank walk. Likely the crank sensor hitting the timing mark on the crank. (ie lower right side of the engine behind front cover)

Other than that, I'd have to say it's merely the lifters.

 

[dr_fatkins]

Don't forget the famous solenoid ticking.

I would be willing to bet that half of you have a malfunctioning EGR or Purge solenoid system.

The solenoid itself is often good, but the valve downstream isn't opening so the solenoid rapidly fires as it repeatedly attempts to open the valve; this is especially true of the purge valve.

 

[xrobbx03]

well my car started with the ticking today also. Put the car in neutral and reved it up a lil and the noise got a lil louder and faster. I am in need of an oil change. I hope its not to late. Whats the difference in the noise some of you are talkin about anf the lifter noise.

 

[FlatBlackTerror]

well my car started with the ticking today also. Put the car in neutral and reved it up a lil and the noise got a lil louder and faster. I am in need of an oil change. I hope its not to late. Whats the difference in the noise some of you are talkin about anf the lifter noise.

Try running some engine flush or something through the engine, that might help if its the lifters. But it could posible be the fuel injectors, i know mine make a clicking noise and all, so thats perfectly normal unless they are getting to loud.

 

[ndsti]

okay guys i had a GS and i also had a sound near the timing belt. It sounded horrible like a slow grinding noise, only happend when the car is cold went away when it warmed up. heres what i discovered it was the timing cover its self it rubbed on the belt/cam gears. This caused the ginding noise, i pushed on the cover towards the cylinders and it went away. I finally figured out that when i had recently replaced the plastic timing cover that the plastic is made out of different material causing the cover to contract and expand at different rates. This is just my experience.

 

[goran]

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

I agree with Doubletake. The tensioner for timing belt is making the noise when the engine is cold.

 

[Splitpi]

When I bought the car it had a slight but noticible ticking sound. But recently I noticed it seemed to be louder. I started it up today when it was cold and it sounded louder. I got in and drove it and as I was pulling out I heard a weird humming sound like an electric hum in speakers. But after a few seconds as the engine warmed up it went away. I drove the car around town and parked in my garage and popped the hood. It sounds like the noise is coming from the back of Cylinder #1 (top right of motor as viewed from font) and putting my ear close to it, I heard a metal rubbing sound that is very faint.

I know I need to replace my power steering pump and fix my timing belt cover, going to get that done tomorrow. And I recently did a timing belt change about 2000 miles ago and I replaced all pulleys, tensioner, waterpump and belts.

Any ideas what could be making the noise? Harmonic balancer? Just plain old lifter tick? I'll try and up date this tomorrow after getting the powersteering pump installed and cover fixed.

 

[UofACATS]

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.

Thanks for the info here, and the description......

 

[mopardwh]

All of these engines do it at one point or another. My 6G72TT did it also.

I switched to a higher viscosity oil =Royal Purple 20w50. Problem solved on both of my 4G63T's and the 6G72TT.

Buy the way, why does anyone keep reffering this noise to a lifter tick?WTF Who has lifters on a DOHC? Do you have push rods too????

 

[Carmenpzito]

i think i'm having the same problem. but my case is definitely ALOT worse. i installed a MBC on my 90 gsx ( it was only boosting to 8psi) to get it up to ~12psi. after the test run i noticed the ticking noise around cyl 1. checked oil level and belts etc. driving home last night the noise got louder and louder untill my car started to buck, loss of power, then stall at about 50mph. this happened three times in 5 minutes. checked oil again this morning and it looked weird like metallic dust was in it and smelled burnt. now it sounds like slapping. this is only about 750 miles on new engine build. im stumped and broke.

 

[LilRedRocket]

My 90 Laser does it aswell.. But now after about a year of doing it it lasts a little longer and I can still notice it a bit after it being warmed up.. I was told it could be the waterpump bearing, and the oilpump light does flicker at low RPMs and stays lite sometimes when I sit at a light until I press the gas. So Maybe mines does have something to do with the oilpump?? Hope not!

Mike

 

[CHItown90gst]

Mine does it too. First time it sounded like that, it was my tensioner arm as well. The little arm was missing a little chunk and it was making all that clatter. And now i think its starting to clatter as well but not the same ass before. This time its just like a constant taping coming from the belt area. I dont know what the hell it is. But im not too worried because im about to start my rebuild.

 

[Black91TSiAWD]

Yep I had that problem and a new hyd tensioner solved it. Mine was starting to sound like a frickin chainsaw by the time I found out what it was.

 

[cfisher]

Don't forget the famous solenoid ticking.

I would be willing to bet that half of you have a malfunctioning EGR or Purge solenoid system.

The solenoid itself is often good, but the valve downstream isn't opening so the solenoid rapidly fires as it repeatedly attempts to open the valve; this is especially true of the purge valve.

This is what my ticking was coming from. I blocked my EGR with a block plate and left the harness plugged in. I also installed an Aeromotive FPR and bypassed the fpr solonoid & purge solonoid. They ticked nonstop until I looped them and the ticking stopped.