When my car is idling, I hear a ticking sound coming from the top half of the motor. I put a screwdriver on the fuel rails and I can hear it pretty clear. I don't have a longer screwdriver to really reach anywhere else. I can hear it clearly from both fuel rails. It speeds up when the rpms go up. I first noticed it when driving so I popped the hood in the driveway to get an idea of where it's coming from. Any ideas or suggestions on what to check?

 

its probly your injectors its normal.

 

I forgot to mention it's a 2001 GT...the only mod so far is a JLT RAI. The car has 46k on it and I've had it for the last 2 years and only put about 8k on it. It just started doing this in the last 2 weeks. I did have detonation issues that 93 octane seems to take care of. Are they related? Are the injectors going bad?

 

Hmm well my 02s injectors have ticked since day one. on an 01 they shouldnt be goin bad. run some cleaner thru it might help

 

I put about a half can of seafoam in the last tank I filled up with a week or so ago. I am at about quarter of a tank now...maybe a little less. I have an appointment with the dealer for Monday but if it's something I can fix, then I'd rather do it myself than get bent over by them...

 

dont know? but id see if they would listen first,before they hooked it up to the machine.see what they think.might save you some cash. just an idea. i was concerned like that once took my car to the dealer told em to come hear it. They told me everything sounded fine. cost =$0

 

True. I can only assume something is wrong with it if I can't even run 87 octane as per Ford's recommendation or even 89 octane. Now the ticking comes up out of nowhere. Seems like it's on a downward spiral. It doesn't have the response it had when I got it. Maybe they'll want me to blow it up...more money for them if I have to replace the motor.

 

I just had a ticking problem . It turned out to be a lash adjuster . But it can be any # of things . I used about 4 oz. of marvel mystery oil because it was a brand new forged stroker motor with 0 miles and there was no reason for it to get stuck . After the break in it went away and never returned . However I also had detonation problems on my old stock motor and it was a similar to theticking when the lash adjuster got stuck . That time I needed a new motor . I would check the compression in each cylinder .Does it have oil pressure ? Get an automotive stethesscope (about $9.99)and put it under the intake but on top of the block and listen . Does it get louder ? If it does I think you may have a cracked ring or piston and the compression test will confirm this with a weak cylinder . Good luck and hit me up when you get more info .

 

f*ck it blow it up

 

I wouldn't mind a brand new motor but that would take forever for them to fix I would imagine...not to mention the repair costs. As for all the test that 'breagles' suggested, I will have to have them do all that. I don't really know how to check any of that or what tools I would need. I wouldn't mind learning and doing all that. Can I pick up the stuff to do that at an Advance? How hard would it be to check the compression, etc?