[akira410]

As I pulled into my parking spot today, I reved my engine. Instead of hearing the typical lifter tick, I heard a different sound. I checked oil levels, pressure, blablabla.

I can only hear it when inside the car, with my windows up. If the windows are down, it is drowned out by the sound of the engine/exhaust.

It increases in speed with the revs, just like lifter tick would. However, this seems to be coming from behind my radio. The only thing in this general area, that I know of, is the ECU. Why would it be ticking?

I'm pretty confused. Any helpful advice will be most appreciated.

 

[Redstorm]

Do you happen to have a CD changer w/ a RF modulator?

 

[AmkreadGTO]

ticking?? Any run ins with middle eastern ppl lately?? check under the car for any "unusual" foreign device/object....

 

[akira410]

ticking?? Any run ins with middle eastern ppl lately?? check under the car for any "unusual" foreign device/object....

Shit. I died.

 

[akira410]

Redstorm: No CD Changer.

Hans suggested the boost solenoid. It does sound sort of like a ticking solenoid. I'll remove the radio tomorrow when it's light out and track down the sound even more.

 

[Elmo]

As I pulled into my parking spot today, I reved my engine. Instead of hearing the typical lifter tick, I heard a different sound. I checked oil levels, pressure, blablabla.

I can only hear it when inside the car, with my windows up. If the windows are down, it is drowned out by the sound of the engine/exhaust.

It increases in speed with the revs, just like lifter tick would. However, this seems to be coming from behind my radio. The only thing in this general area, that I know of, is the ECU. Why would it be ticking?

I'm pretty confused. Any helpful advice will be most appreciated.

Rob, better spend the $5 on new Caps from John Monnin.

From what I understand, the ticking, if it is coming from your ECU, is because the caps are beginning to fail, and cannot flow current the way they're supposed to. This causes them to reset every engine cycle, which makes the 'click' noise.

If it wasn't RPM dependent, I'd say maybe your Turbo Wastegate was just chattering, but that is NEVER RPM dependant.

If your engine also seems to be a tad sluggish, then it's DEFINITELY the ECU. The clicking, accompanied by chattering noises, while the ECU resets, would result in mistiming and non-maximization of timing retardation, since the injector pulses will all come from the initla 'zero trim' point every time the unit resets.

Have a friend lean his head down in the passenger footwell, and rev the parked car. If he hears clicking, get those caps soldered in as soon as you can.

Good Luck dude.

Elton

 

[akira410]

Just like what happened to Kalla's Talon.

See, that's what's got me confused. IT sounds SORTA like the ecu resetting (I know the sound) .. but its hard to be certain. I'm definately going to investigate it more tomorrow. =)

 

[orangetabby4567]

prolly a present from someon who dont like post whores

 

[AmkreadGTO]

prolly a present from someon who dont like post whores

 

[akira410]

Someone that hates darktrail and whitetiger (your alter ego) made my car tick?

 

[AmkreadGTO]

so orangetubby is whitetiger's alter ego??

 

[Darktrail]

Akira just be glad its small stuff on your car always going wierd.
First a strange smell(Btw did you get that fixed)
Then this noise.

-Jeff

 

[akira410]

Akira just be glad its small stuff on your car always going wierd.
First a strange smell(Btw did you get that fixed)
Then this noise.

-Jeff

Jeff,
I kept trying to track down the weird odor, but it went away after nother week. I've been driving my car pretty easy, though. Maybe it's still there and I will not notice until I drive a little harder.

 

[Darktrail]

Could be a bad tank of gas or something. I've had it and some other cars I've had do that everyonce in a while.

-Jeff

 

[akira410]

Just my luck..

Today I was thinking "Hmm, my car's having problems. I bet my warranty expired yesterday."

I went out and found my warranty paper. Yup! It expired 11/4/2001. Do I have luck, or what?

 

[Lawrence Wang]

You have the most incredible luck sometimes, Rob

 

[OhioSpyderman]

Rob, do you have an EBC?

If not, the clicking is coming from your boost solenoid (as someone else suggessted. It comes with the cold temps (hence never hearing it in CALI).

Its nothing to worry about, and it goes away when the engine compartment warms up. The solenoid is located on the firewall (inside the engine compartment) slightly above where the radio is located.).

IM me for further info.

Bob.

 

[MattRed3000GT]

I have the same noise (not lifter) on my old SL and VR4. I don't think mine was the boost related cause my SL wasn't turbo. It will only do it in the morning for few mins. I am not sure what it was but my cars was running fine. I guess it is just getting old??? It sounds like a wood pecker inside the car on the passenger side. Not sure what it was though.

 

[Elmo]

Rob,

If the noise is a clicking from the dashboard, then it might be the solenoid. But the cases I've heard of (including my own car) is that the noise is not RPM dependent when it's a solenoid.

Mattred, Your SL could have had a bad solenoid also; there is another control solenoid, on the california emissions non turbo, for EGR. That EGR solenoid could theoretically just as easily go bad, and make noises. All non turbos also have an evaporative purge solenoid, which could also make the noise. So being an SL doesn't exempt you, it only eliminates two solenoids from the Turbo, the wastegate control, and the fuel pressure solenoids.

Simple solution though Rob, just have someone listen around. If the clicking is high up, like right behind the dash, in the firewall, then it's coming from the solenoid bank. Otherwise, if the noise is lower, by the floor/stereo, then I'd say it's the ECU.

Good luck today. (since ya gotz no warranty and all. )

Elton

*edit - braindead. I said 'insurance' in the last line when I meant 'warranty' *

 

[DanF]

So Rob, did you find out what this was?