ticking noise

[luvmy240sx]

I bought a 98 240sx about 3 months ago. there was a slight ticking coming from somewhere in the engine bay, it sounds to be around the driving seat but i can not seem to figure out the problem. can anyone provide me with some information i don't know.luvmy240sx

[pmkls2]

well what kind of mileage is on the car ? a tick can be coming from anywhere but if it has a few miles on it ONE of the sources could be timing chain and/or guides, but anything could be the root cause even a minor exhaust leak....

[grimlunacy]

have you checked to see if the noise is comming from the valve cover? perhaps some adjusting is needed, especially if the car has some miliage on it.

[luvmy240sx]

i have not checked the valve cover , that has not been suggested to me yet, i am thinking it may be an exaust leak....does this sound right?

[Ni2s4s0aSnX]

No, I don't think it would be an exhaust leak. I havn't heard of an exhaust leak making a ticking sound before. When you have an exhaust leak, you'll know it, and so will everyone in your neighborhood. The ticking is probably coming from under the valve cover, some of the components may need to be adjusted. It also could be coming from the fuel system, sometimes old injectors will start to make a ticking sound.

Try something for me. Start the car and listen for this ticking sound, then rev the engine and see if the sound gets faster and/or louder.

[onosqv]

First, you need to isolate where the sound is coming from. There's a lot of stuff in there.

Use the getto method if you must - i.e. get a long long screwdriver or stethoscope, and listen around by putting the screwdriver on different bolts/locations etc.

There's the front of the valve cover, rear, injector area, exhaust area, intake, etc, etc, etc.

Also, does the tick increase w/ rpms?

Have you checked your oil levels?

Have you done an oil change? Could be as simple as that.

[HashiriyaS14]

I actually have a ticking sound too.

It doesn't really start until I've revved the engine a little, but then it's very distinct. It is NOT coming from the front of the valve cover, so I do not believe that it's the timing chain, it's coming from the rest of the valve cover.

It's not terribly loud, you can't hear it in the car, only when the hood is up. My suspicion is maybe lifters, because my car had some oil starvation issues for awhile because of a slight oil pan gasket leak. Anyone have any ideas?

The car currently is full of clean oil, so an oil change/addition likely isn't the issue. The oil has been changed since the ticking began, to no avail. I'm actually pretty worried about the car, which is one of the reasons I'm looking into possibly getting something else. Am I overreacting?

[karmakaze]

your injectors will make a ticking noise. this noise is normal.

[HashiriyaS14]

How can I tell if it's my injectors or something more serious?

Would a shop just be able to hear it and tell me, or would someone have to start taking shxt apart?

[moyea]

10 to 1 the ticking is coming from your resonator on you exhaust.That's the thick round bulb in the middle of your exhaust system, not to be confused with the cat converter.If this is the problem, dont worry. Beacause it is not actually a problem. Its just the metal cooling, when the exhaust gets warm the metal expands a bit. Its not a leak!I learned this when I put a cat-back on my 97 sentra. I drove it home and noticed it made a funny ticking under neath my car(like under my seat). I asked my muffler guy and he said it was the resonator cooling and it is very common on exhaust systems that have a resonator. He said most guys will just remove it and replace it with a straight pipe but it increases exhaust tones.My stock 240 exhaust does the same thing and I have had the system checked for leaks when I swaped the muffler so I'm sure that's what you are hearing.Ex. After a day of driving you would hear a fast tick tick tick but after the car has sat for a while it slows down tick....tick....tick. Or you wont hear it at all.Thats my 2 cents.

[HashiriyaS14]

My ticking is definitely coming specifically from the engine. I can't hear it when I'm in the car, or anywhere but in front of the car with the hood up.

[jamied311]

Use the getto method if you must - i.e. get a long long screwdriver or stethoscope, and listen around by putting the screwdriver on different bolts/locations etc.

lol... im laughing because i've done it before... but it works!

[luvmy240sx]

you have described my problem. I thank you. Iam getting ready to put a full exhaust system on .....will this solve my problem?

[DRFT 14]

I have the same problem. I have an RB20DET in my S14. A ticking noise begins at around 2000rpm and gets louder/faster the higher up the rev range I go. Over time it has gotten worse. Now its pretty damn loud. I took it to a workshop and got told that it needs new big end bearings. This means an engine removal job and $500-600 (New Zeland currency) for the labour work on the bearings. The mechanic that I took the car to actually said to start looking for a new motor. But I reckon id rather get new bearings on my existing RB, as it runs very well apart from the ticking. So that way, i know ive got a decent motor with new bearings, rather than another second hand motor that may have the same problem.