I've got a ticking sound?

[Fireman845]

I've got a 98 Cobra, just recently i starting hearing a ticking sound, coming from what i think is under the valve cover. At first i thought it was an exhaust leak becuase it sounds almost exactly like it but it's not atleast i dont think it is. i have an off-road h-pipe and a bassani cat-back which right now is dumped right infront of the axle. If anyone has any ideas on what it could be please let me know


Thanks

 

[Kilgore Trout]

This is a huge subject my friend. Please describe the severity of your tick.

 

[Fireman845]

i can hear the tick around 2k if driving normally igoes thru about 3200-4000, at idle there is no tick and when you get on it i can't hear it. its more noticible when the windows are up and/or i drive under and bridge or between car(due to echo) it only seems to do it while its warming up and warm. I dont hear it when it cold, only slightly on a start up. Hopefully that makes sense.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

It sounds like an exhaust leak to me.

 

[BensBACobra]

Yeah hard to diagnose with that description. I'd be willing to bet a steak dinner its your belt tensioner. When they start to go, the bearing makes all sorts of racket, particularly when you rev the motor. I just had the exact same thing and I was convinced it was comming from under the valve cover as well. It sounds somewhat like an exhaust leak but louder. Gates makes a belt tensioner for our cars at around $80. Its an easy fix...

 

[Fireman845]

Thanks guys

 

[lund477]

I am having the same problem as you guys have described. I found this video clip of someones engine http://videos.streetfire.net/search/mustang/11/2d715f7a-5a64-487c-9750-985000e9ed93.htm

My engine sounds something like this clip. I don't know how much to trust the diagnosis of the website it is posted on so i figured I would ask you guys. BensBACobra or anyone else is this the kind of engine noise you heard? I want to know if I should try your belt tensioner theory.

 

[SVT98Snake]

do you have youe emissions bypassed?

There is a bung on the top od the header that may have fallen off/ broken....that is what happened to my 98.

 

[shhak]

I had a 94 cobra that had a noise like that. I was sure it was in the passenger side head. Even started to pull the intake cause I figured it was a bad lifter. Then I noticed the emmisions tube from the top of the header to the bottom of what I think is the EGR vavle had came loose. No matter how tight I tightened it, it always came loose again. Even after I sold it, the new owner always has to tighten this tube. One time I thought the tube had came loose, only to find out it was the header gasket itself.
Just like yours, it was really noticeable driving on roads with a concrete median or over a bridge or something like that.

 

[96_Stang-a-roo]

Valves. Change your oil.... do a fuel system clean (not the bottle stuff, the real carbon cleaner that will make your car smoke like a bandit)... and see if it goes away. If not... at least you have clean oil and fuel/intake system.

 

[BensBACobra]

I am having the same problem as you guys have described. I found this video clip of someones engine http://videos.streetfire.net/search/mustang/11/2d715f7a-5a64-487c-9750-985000e9ed93.htm

My engine sounds something like this clip. I don't know how much to trust the diagnosis of the website it is posted on so i figured I would ask you guys. BensBACobra or anyone else is this the kind of engine noise you heard? I want to know if I should try your belt tensioner theory.

Well all i can do is relate my problem to you and hopefully that will help you out. My noise was a loud ticking noise that began immediately upon a cold only start up. The fact that it was only on cold starts convinced me it was something internal in the engine. I took it to a Ford Dealership locally and I was completely blown off. I was initially told by the service shop guy when i described the problem to him that it was most likely something in the valve train "sticking." When I got the official word after I had to leave it there for 48 hours another tech told me about all the codes I was throwing due to failing catalitic converter... I have long tubes and NO CATS! The stupid lazy bastards never even looked at what the problem was. I promptly took my car out of the shop and took it to an independent whom i already had a relationship with. He diagnosed it on the spot as being a bad belt tensioner. Like I said, Gates makes one for DOHC Cobras for about $80. Thats my story hope this helps.

P.S. DON'T TRUST FORD TECHS! JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE BLUE OVAL ON THEIR OIL STAINED UNIFORM DOESN'T MEAN THEY KNOW *****! THEY ARE USED TO DOING EASY WARANTY WORK ON FOCUSES AND F150'S NOT YOUR MODIFIED MUSTANG!!! I CAN'T SAY THIS ENOUGH!

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

+1 on the exhaust leak. It is either from the passenger side gasket to h-pipe seal. Or it is a header leak in between the head and the header (manifold whatever you wnat to call it)