Strang ticking noise upon cold startup. Need help.

[BensBACobra]

Strange ticking noise upon cold startup. Need help.

every morning this week when i go to crank it up i have noticed a strange ticking noise. i couldnt locate where it was comming from and didnt really pay too much attention to it. it goes away after the car warms up anyway. this morning when i cranked it the noise was a bit louder, i decided to get out of the car and locate the noise. i believe its comming from inside the engine. this makes sense in that it goes away after the car warms up. i dont know whats making the noise. the car seems ok. it runs and idles the same as it always has. when i sit at idle before the car warms up and rev the engine, the ticking is in line with the rpm's. I am certainly not mechanically savvy so ANY and ALL input would be valueable to me!

 

[SVT98Snake]

with those symptoms, it sounds like valvetrain clatter.

It could also be your timing chains

 

[BensBACobra]

thought about maybe a lifter sticking. i have read through some other posts and they all point to bad oil circulation in these cars. i use (and have always used) 10w 30, could this be a problem being that ford says to use 5w 30?

 

[COBRA90GT]

First - check oil level (when cold!). Are you low? If so, add oil!


It very well just be associated with the 10w taking a little time to get pumped to the top.

You can try switching to 5w-30 and see if that cuts down on "tick time." 5w will pour/flow better than 10w at initial start-up but they both behave the same once they reach operating temperature.

 

[BensBACobra]

First - check oil level (when cold!). Are you low? If so, add oil!


It very well just be associated with the 10w taking a little time to get pumped to the top.

You can try switching to 5w-30 and see if that cuts down on "tick time." 5w will pour/flow better than 10w at initial start-up but they both behave the same once they reach operating temperature.

yeah i just changed my oil and then noticed it so that is definitely at the top of the list as of now. also when i start my car after it has sat for only a few hours, the sound is not there. i do want to fix the problem (if there is one) not just cover it up. should i take it to a shop? and if its a lifter or timing chain etc... shouldnt i be able to tell in the way the car runs/other symptoms? the car runs fine as of now.

 

[BensBACobra]

ok so i put in the 5w 30 and no differene, still makes the noise on cold starts (and quite evident i might add). i refuse to beleive this is "normal" it may be common but doesnt mean it cant be fixed. should i just take it into the shop? any more ideas/suggestions?

 

[BensBACobra]

Ok, i took to the Ford dealership and they basically told me there is nothing they can do unless i want to pay them hundreds of dollars to take the valve train apart to see whats making the noise. i know i shouldve expected that answer from them but it still sux... is there anyone out there whose had this problem and was able to fix it? or have it fixed?

 

[BensBACobra]

ok so i used the marvel mystery oil and suprise! no difference...

 

[BensBACobra]

has anyone ever had to fix the valve lash adjusters? i did some research and am thinking that might be it. PLEASE HELP

 

[BensBACobra]

took it to a Mustang shop this time, they seem to think that bad motor mount is making the noise, does this make sense?

 

[Uncle Meat]

took it to a Mustang shop this time, they seem to think that bad motor mount is making the noise, does this make sense?

No. At least not the way you described it to begin with. If it were a motor mount the noise would not go away once the engine warmed up.

U.M.

 

[BensBACobra]

No. At least not the way you described it to begin with. If it were a motor mount the noise would not go away once the engine warmed up.

U.M.

yeah i misunderstood the guy, seems my mounts may also need replacing on top of this problem.

its hard to get anyone to care about this issue, its like as soon as a shop knows its comming from underneath the valve covers then thats "no man's land" and they brush me off and tell me not to worry about it. am i just crazy here?

 

[Nate14120]

Does it still click when you push the clutch pedal in? If so, its probably your throwout bearing. If not, I would have your pullies checked. My tension pulley ticked a couple years ago.

Your best bet is to take it to a good local shop, have them find it with their special hearing tools and then you can go from there.

 

[BensBACobra]

Does it still click when you push the clutch pedal in? If so, its probably your throwout bearing. If not, I would have your pullies checked. My tension pulley ticked a couple years ago.

Your best bet is to take it to a good local shop, have them find it with their special hearing tools and then you can go from there.

well i took it to the ford dealership first and they didnt want to touch it. its at a mustang shop now.

the tension pulley makes sense. how did you fix it? was it similar symptoms to mine? my noise goes away after the veh reaches opp temp.

 

[snakebitx1]

Just recently i started having the same problem. When i sart my car up it clicks until like 1-2 minutes after i drive. It's not loud, but you can tell it's there and once it's warmed up it goes away. I've had so many people try and tell me what it is and nobody's been able to figure it out??

 

[BensBACobra]

Just recently i started having the same problem. When i sart my car up it clicks until like 1-2 minutes after i drive. It's not loud, but you can tell it's there and once it's warmed up it goes away. I've had so many people try and tell me what it is and nobody's been able to figure it out??

yeah i still havent gotten any answers either

 

[BensBACobra]

Just in case you guys were curious, it was the tensioner pulley making all that noise, nothing in the valve train. Finally found a good shop. The bearings were going out...