I've been hearing this odd ticking sound when accelerating. I hear it mostly at lower RPMs in all gears. At higher RPMs the exhaust drowns out the sound. It sounds like a fast tick, tick, tick sound that seems to get progressively faster as the RPMs increase.

Its not detonation or anything of that nature.

It sounds like its coming from the engine bay either toward the passenger side or perhaps slightly toward the middle.

I don't hear anything at idle, its only under acceleration/boost.

Does anyone have any input on what this might be or suggestions on troubleshooting this?

Car runs normally and makes appropriate power. Boost levels are good but it does creep after 5500 RPM.

Mods are:
street port
twins running sequential
550/1300s
PFC
dp, resonated mid pipe, rb cat back,
open intake
FMIC
6 month old NGK wires
recent plugs - 9s all around
Running all emissions and factory idle control


Thanks!

 

How are you sure it is not detonation? Cuz thats what it sounds like, might want to change ur plugs just to be safe.

-Austin

 

Thanks for your response.

I doubt it. Detonation is generally louder and its often heard right in front of you since the combustion chamber is right in front of your feet. This sound is more localized to the middle or passenger side of the bay.

This has been ongoing for a while too with many boost runs. Car is Steve Kan tuned running 10.5:1 AFRs.

I really don't think its detonation.

 

What boost controller do you have? I know the blitz SBCID stepper motor will make ticking noises when the gain is set a certain way.

-Dan

 

I thought about that too Dan.

I'm currently using a Greddy Profec B Type S. Prior to the Type S I was using the Greddy Profec B Spec 1 - the old school one with the 2 *****. It also made the sound with that boost controller.

Thanks.

 

Mine used to do that also. Mine almost sounded like a rock in the tire, right and it comes from the passenger foot area? I'd check you exhaust gaskets. Mine finally stopped when i blew a midpipe gasket during a miss-shift at the track and hasn't ticked since replacing it.

 

It is the boost controller, the type S makes a .. tick tick tick tick tick ...sound when the solenoid is actuated. It caught me of gaurd the first time I heard it, thought something had blown loose. Easiest way to test if it is the controller is to turn it off and see if the sound goes away.

 

yup my profev b does the same thing

 

tick tick like an exhaust manifold leak?

 

Probably an exhaust leak. Do you smell exhaust in the front of the car?

 

No, I do not smell exhaust from the front of the car. The reason I don't think that it is an exhaust leak is that it doesn't make noise at idle or when I rev the car in neutral. I believe an exhaust leak would be pervasive regarless of load. I don't hear anything when the car is parked. Its when I start accelerating and building boost that I hear the sound.

I'm going to do a few runs with the boost controller off and see if that helps. Its been a while since I turned it off.

Thanks for the input gents.

 

If it is the boost controller then you owe me a $50 consultation fee

-Dan

 

there would be a ticking sound in my passenger side when i turned on the a/c and i never knew what was causing it. could that be the problem?

 

my boost controller goes tick tick tick too. I have a gm boost solenoid.

 

Boost controller... Its the solenoid thats hooked up to the wastegate..

 

Do you have OEM chrome wheels? Cause mine peeling on inside and chirping on brake caliper making exactly ticking sound

 

Haha. Nope.

I'm still not convinced its the boost controller but I'll give it a shot later. I know my last FD with the same controller didn't make this sound. We'll see. I hope it is just the solenoid making normal noise. I have a track day at Buttonwillow on 5/12-13 and would like to have this figured out before then.

Thanks fellas

 

That's exactly what my tick did. Only ticked while slightly cruising to boosting until exhaust droned it out. I'd still check the boost solenoid and just turn off the boost controller though...

 

mine ticks too. i've been told it's normal. funny though, it started all of a sudden. now it doesn't bother me that much. good thing about owning an fd-you learn not to sweat the small stuff.

 

I'm ****. I obsess about the small stuff as well as big until I figure out what the problem is. That's why I'm working on replacing my front suspension with new parts after 130k miles and 14 years of hard use.

 

did you check your exhaust heat shields?

 

Bro, I hear ya. I developed a "loping idle" that is probably a blown or stuck side seal. I agonized over it for months. Should I do the sea foam, what should I do. It seems to run fine. I talked to Steve Kan about it. He more or less said, since the only cure for that would be a rebuild, do you want to do it now, or when it quits. I've been much happier ever since. That has been over a year....

 

Kinetic - what exhaust heat shields? The only exhaust heat shields on my car are perhaps on the twins. Can't even remember if those are actually intact....

weaklink - I battled a funky idle that loped for 3 months. Tried adjusting and testing different things. Finally, I spent an afternoon going through all my mechanical throttle body settings and readjusting idle and TPS and I now have a perfect idle. There is no reason to live with stuff like that. Chuck's tuning notes helped a lot. My motor should last a long time with the maintenance I give it (along with a good regular beating).

 

Hey gracer, when I say lope, I don't mean hunting idle, I mean there is a dead whump in there My car has been tuned by Steve Kan, so I don't think it's a tuning issue. We specifically discussed the idle. He seems to think it's my streetport, but I had a good 3K miles on the engine when the sound started suddenly after a particularly spirited run. Then again, you might be the type that enjoys obsessing over the details. If so then I applaud your efforts and say, to each, his own.

 

Gotcha. One man's lope is another man's hunt

My car has some of Steve's majic as well.

Trust me, I definitely don't enjoy obsessing. But it annoys me to no end when the car doesn't run right. The only reason I've become **** about maintenance on older cars is b/c I don't enjoy breaking down far from home - or on track. I like to do things right and do it once.