187thINF

I've been lurking around this forum and various other sites for a few years now and have found tons of helpful and useful information that has helped me to fix and do a lot of little things with my stang but this one has me at a loss. I'm pretty much lost when it comes to engine repair so I'm finally breaking down and creating an account.

My mustang started ticking about 1 month ago. This is the noise it makes. This video is with the car warmed up. When the engine is cold it doesn't start ticking till around 2000 RPM. Any suggestions as to what could be wrong would be greatly appreciated!

http://youtu.be/9C-Ijqh6H9w

JC316

Sounds like the timing chain tensioners or a lash adjuster to me.

dhadder1

I had a similar sound and issue. It was my cold air intake ratteling. good luck.

Lokota

Let me know what u come up with mine is doing the same but 10x louder

95SHO

Mine is similar just a little bit louder. I believe mine is a piston slap.

jamsunami

When my car had this similar ticking issue, turned out to be an exhaust leak between the manifold and the h pipe, one of the nuts was loose. If u can get under the car, try to listen for a source of a leak along the exhaust. Might want to do this when the car is cold, so the exhaust isn't too hot yet.

187thINF

JC my initial thought was a lash adjuster but from what I have heard if it was it would tick at idle too. This only happens when the engine is warm. When its cold there is nothing till 2000 RPM. The noise is coming from the middle of the engine on top so I don't think its the intake but I will check it. 95SHO Someone else told me the same thing. What would be the way to check for this?

Bmitchell373

I have the same noise and i have no exhaust leaks or loose things rattling. On my car if i use a long screw driver and stick it on the back side of either heads, you can hear it very loudly. I am torn between timing chain slap, sticky valve lash adjuster, or being paranoid spun bearing.

JC316

Remember that the oil is thicker when it's cold. Once it warms up, it could be thinning out and allowing it to collapse. There is a worst case scenario here too, you might not ever find it. I chased a ticking/knocking just like this through two engines on my 96 and I never could find it, hell even the new owner of the car can't find it.

cliffyk

My bet is an exhaust leak near or at the manifold--it is surprising how exhaust leaks can so completely mimic mechanical ticks...