tick

[NIN]

I have a tick that is coming from under the car. Any suggestions what this may be?

 

[1TallMF]

I'm assuming you mean from the engine running, like if you leave it idling and step outside you can hear a tick from the engine? Does it go up consistently with RPM? If thats the case check all your header bolts and make sure none have backed-out. If the tick is really actually coming from under the car, check the flanges at the header/mid-pipe and make sure they are nice and tight. Also make sure the rest of the exhaust isn't hitting the body at any place (but that usually makes more of a rattling sound).
Lastly, has this occurred ever since you did the head swap or just out of the blue? I often hear of improper pushrod length and valvetrain geometry issues associated with TW heads...

 

[NIN]

Over the car it seems to be loudest over the driverside valve cover. It seems to echo off of the ground and is the loudest and I can hear is pretty loud on both sides of the car. Could valvetrain noise echo off of the ground like that and not be that loud over the engine? Also, can this noise come out the the exhaust. Sometimes my smog pipe gets loose on my h pipe.

thanks,
tom

 

[earleys94gt]

Since you said the smog pipe gets loose, it might be an exhaust leak. My $0.02

 

[NIN]

I looked under there and everything looks tight but I sound like there is a tick coming from the valve cover. Can I possibly do an adjustment on it without taking the lower intake off? It will take me awhile to get that sealed again.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[droptopford 5 0]

i know my smog pump makes one hell of a tick, even the new one i put on ticked since day one about 20k ago. i also seem to think that i have valver tick, or at least thats my guess... And thats loud enough that i can hear it echo off buildings i drive by at lower rpms even with my o/r h, just a thought as to what urs might be...btw h/c/i is stock and never been opened up