Strange Ticking

KillNThrill24 · Oct 22, 2012

I've noticed the past few weeks that I have a ticking of some sort. Initially I thought it was an exhaust leak coming from the manifold but today I tore my exhaust all apart to shorten my intermediates to allow dumps and special hangers and upon reinstalling I snugged up my X pipe to try to eliminate that as the cause, and then fired it up. And the tick was still there. So I put my hand around the pipes where they have clamps/connectors and felt no air whatsoever. Then I popped the hood and sprayed the manifolds with a little water from a water bottle to check for leaks. I couldnt find any.

So then I grabbed a flashlight and started looking around the engine and listening to different locations and I swear it sounds like it's coming from under a valve cover or the timing cover but I can't confirm that. Anybody have anything similar happen to theirs? It's been getting louder the past few days too it seems.

MustangChris · Oct 22, 2012

what engine you got brotha?

could be a tensioner going out and vibrating/rocking (modular) or a lifter (push rod) or a wrist pin (all engine types) or a spark plug being pushed out (modular)

did you tighten up the header-to-engine bolts?

ttocs · Oct 22, 2012

funny enougg my 5.0 has had a similar noise the past week or so. It goes away after it warms up though so not sure what to think.

sn95 bullitt · Oct 23, 2012

Maybe the lifter under the valve cover. Take a long screw driver and put one side of the screw driver to your ear and to the valve cover. Start front to back and listen for the ticking.

ttocs · Oct 23, 2012

mine is pass side all the way by the firewall. Something I/we should watch or something I should stop driving?

MustangChris · Oct 23, 2012

if yours is a 5.0, i'd lean towards an exhaust leak or a lifter problem. If it changes with RPMs and maintains the same "tick" sound, lean more towards lifter. if its starts to "muffle" or "blend together" or all together stop, lean towards an exhaust leak. If you have a wideband and it starts reading lean, also lean towards exhaust leak (as the exhaust passing by the leak will scavenge fresh air into the exhaust and the gauge will read lean.)

MustangChris · Oct 23, 2012

its best to know what engine we are talking about, as 03/04 cobras tick from the factory. lol. I know his sig says 00 GT, but i've seen out-dated sigs before, and I could have sworn I saw his say he took his terminator out to the track in a thread somewhere. lol.

...

ttocs · Oct 23, 2012

sorry I am crappin it up and confusing everyone I will start my own post in the 5.0 section it just reminded me of mine. Sorry again.

KillNThrill24 · Oct 23, 2012

Chris my man. Rockin the Modular 4.6 lol. But no sir I did not tighten those I haven't had the desire (yet) to try to get a socket in there to check those. At some point I will tho but for the sake of the fact that it hasn't bothered me to the point where I wont drive it, I'm not gonna risk snapping an old rusty manifold bolt and then being forced to not drive it if you get what I mean LOL...

Scott my noise unfortunately doesn't go away lol

SN I have a stethoscope haha but thanks for the idea in case I don't have one when I need it! I didn't think about doing that tho... That would tell me right away if it's engine related or not since using my hand didn't exactly help lol

KillNThrill24 · Oct 23, 2012

MustangChris said:
and I could have sworn I saw his say he took his terminator out to the track in a thread somewhere. lol.

Hahahaha holy crap I wish!!! Nope my sig is up to date lol

MustangChris · Oct 23, 2012

oh.

who the eff has the silver cobra??// LOL.

MustangChris · Oct 23, 2012

keep in mind the sound can be a tricky *****.

i thought i had a vlavetrain problem, pulled my valve cover and nothing seems out of line....

KillNThrill24 · Oct 23, 2012

That guy with the picture of him on (I'm assuming) his boat with the sunglasses lol. Real descriptive I know!

But anyways, you're very right about that. Initially I thought it was an exhaust leak (though I'm not totally convinced it's not) but after listening around I would guess the only way it could be an exhaust leak is if it's coming from where the manifold is bolted to the head. Hoping that's not the case, but then again that would just mean time for headers! Lol

97_Mustang · Oct 23, 2012

my old 2001 done the same thing. It went from a ticking to a loud knocking from the Rods. Had to replace the motor.

KillNThrill24 · Oct 23, 2012

Ehhhhh please dont say that.... Lol

MustangChris · Oct 23, 2012

could be a vlave or a follower.... git a video??

KillNThrill24 · Oct 23, 2012

Shoot if I had stayed up till 4 last night to see that I would have gone out and taken one before I went to work. I'll try to get one tomorrow before I go in!

sn95jones · Oct 24, 2012

I'm sure it's fine, our 4.6's naturally have a "tick" and all it is the motor doing what it does best

I wouldn't worry bud, I remember when I got my 98 and took a video I had the same concern, the members here informed me that it sounded healthy as can be. Hell take it to Ford and tell them you need someone to listen to your car real quick. They'll grab a mechanic who isn't busy and have them take a listen. They won't charge for that. I did that once too.

KillNThrill24 · Oct 24, 2012

Yeah thanks Jones my buddy's dad has an F150 with a 4.6 and his has a similar tick, I just wanted to make sure it was nothing crazy bad. I'm still not super knowleged on these engines yet so when I hear something I hadn't always heard before I like to ask first lol