9165pt0

was hoping the ticking was just a header gasket, so replaced gasket and no luck. at idle the ticking is audible if you put your ear close to the motor, however when driving the ticking speeds up and gets louder during acceleration. i took off each spark plug wire, 1 at a time, to find the problem area. each 1 just make the same ticking slightly more audible at idle. yet the number 8 spark plug wire, when off, amplified it into more of a knocking sound.

this has me stumped, why would it get louder with the plug wire off at idle?

mattdel

It wouldn't, especially if it had anything to do with arcing. It's probably valvetrain related.

9165pt0

ya im startin to thing your right. I pulled off the serpentine belt, and fired it up just to make sure it wasnt something else. and tick is still there. new plugs, fuel filter, injectors, header gaskets etc. and still tick. with a long screwdriver held up to my ear, it sounds like more of a knock in there. but its hard to locate, seems to vibrate through the whole motor. both valve covers, intake, it all makes the noise. but it def seems to be coming mostly from the drivers side. I was positive it was either a header leak, or a leak from the little tube that runs into the h pipe because thats exactly how it sounded. but its been getting louder, and increases with rpm. idk what else to check, suppose ill have to pull the valve covers and start checking with the rockers

tinman

Check for a loose rocker arm............

9165pt0

ok, checked all the rocker arms and they are all tight, no play. at idle the tick is almost a slow knock. oil pressure is fine, drives with good power. usually once fully warmed up and driven the ticking gets louder, and sometimes the idle will get a lil rough. with a stethoscope, both valve covers you can hear the tick but mostly the drivers side, also the driver side of the intake manifold, as well as the iac and egr valves. any ideas?

mjr46

rod knock?? or if it's an upper end noise, possible lifter not pumping up

9165pt0

yes rod knock or lifter tick for sure. car still runs with lots of power, however after 20-30miles of driving the knock does get louder and oil pressure drops a lil more than usual. it really sounds more like a tick, its almost the same rythm as injectors firing. really wierd. you can sometimes hear it with stethoscope through upper intake, vavle covers, egr and iac. sometimes you cant. but i got underneath the car today, and theres def noise coming from bottom of oil pan, and it was even coming from the tranny. its really hard to narrow down whats making the noise, and what the noise is just vibrating through. sounds like only one way to truley find out now, rip the motor apart.