**UPDATED PART** :

Hey guys... I was wrong.Its COMPLETELY RPM based. Tick tick tick. Louder on drivers side when driving by curbs vs passenger side when driving by curbs. Louder under car than under the hood, but maybe its because under the hood is loud all around.

Tomorrow Im driving up ramps and checking everything out with the car on. Having the needswing intake on will help give me see more of the engine.

Any more ideas though?


**OLD POST BELOW**

So I have a rattle that increases with speed. It sounds exactly like an exhaust tinker tinker. It increases with speed/rpm.

But thats the thing, its too inconsistent to say it comes with speed or RPM. When I slam on the gas while moving, I get the tinker. But if I give some gas while sitting in the garage I get no tinker.

When I drive slowly through a parking lot, window down, I can hear the tinker tinker easily. Its slow too, and it speeds up if I speed up, and slows down if I slow down. This is why I think its speed based more than anything. But does not explain why slamming on the gas seems to give more tinker tinker than anything.

At fast speeds theres no tinker tinker, probably because the tinker tinkers are so close together that the individual tinkers are not able to be seperated by the good ol human ear.

Its hard to tell where it comes from when you're driving, but its easily heard when driving near curbs or other cars and would seem to be coming from the driver's front area, maybe a little forward, but around there.

Any guesses?

 

Check the mufflers and muffler hangers to see is anything is loose.

 

Could be the guts in one of your CATS as shaken loose - happened on my pickup - would rattle around and sound different a different speeds

 

still stock wheels? longer lug bolt hitting the ebrake makes a similiar noise.

 

Yes, stock wheels.

Now that I've listened closer... It is consistently there, and quiet, when sitting still, and it definately increases in speed when the car's speed increases, but it does not increase in sound.

But, the amount of exhaust let out when flooring the gas pedal is enough to make it increase in sound also.

I should also point out that if Im coasting and put it into neutrel the sound stays and slows down as the car slows down, all the way to a stop in which it becomes just a constant slow tack tack.

 

So you still have the tack tack with the car stopped. That should rule out the wheels and drive shaft. The fan belt wouldnt be a slow tack tack. The fan is a variable speed isnt it? Check and see if that is anything in the path of the fan blades or the fan motor. Is your heater and AC off? Just throughing out ideas. Good luck with your search.

Mike R

 

Sounds like you have a rock in your hubcap.

Seriously, if you have a coupe, have you considered the latch on the rear lid? There is a TSB on that or you can fix it with electrical tape.

 

I doubt you have an exhaust leak. Have you ruled out your motor. These things are not quiet with the clattering they make. Especially when an oil change is due.

 

No, its not a rock in the hubcap or a rock in the tire. I was hoping that was it. But its a slow tack tack at idle. Speeds up with car speed. Is loud at WOT before returning back to speed-based.

And yeah, I dont think its an exhaust leak either. Though that would've been nice and easy to fix.

I'm not familiar enough with exhaust hangers in this car, haven't look at the setup at all. Ill check it out though.

A dead cat is possible, but this tack is so speed based (except at WOT) that I'm sort of thinking (and hoping) that its not a dead cat.

Its definately not the rear hatch though.

Its just really weird and sounds like I'm driving a cheap car. Me no likie.

 

Piston slap?

 

I'll piston slap you for even suggesting that.

But seriously, I remember I was under the car with it running and the tack tack was loud when underneath the engine. Somewhere.

I'm going to start it up on ramps tomorrow when im doing my partial tranny fluid change so maybe I'll have more to report to you guys.

 

Try unplugging the fan and see if it goes away.

MikeR

 

A noisy fuel injector?

 

Hey guys... I was wrong.Its COMPLETELY RPM based. Tick tick tick. Louder on drivers side when driving by curbs vs passenger side when driving by curbs. Louder under car than under the hood, but maybe its because under the hood is loud all around.

Tomorrow Im driving up ramps and checking everything out with the car on. Having the needswing intake on will help give me see more of the engine.

Any more ideas though?

 

Have you checked the super charger bearing ?

 

Well, bad news. I put the car on ramps, removed splash shield and turned it on. The tick/tap is coming from around the oil pan or backwards, where the engine mates with bellhousing. Somewhere in there. Sounds like bad news to me.

Also, it seems dead quiet in the morning until warmed up, then the tap is loud, and stays loud all day since i drive every several hours. THen quiet the next day on startup.

but who knows, I could be imagining that too.

 

That is odd. My experience with piston slap has been on my Expedition when the engine was cold. Maybe it's time to see a physiatrist.

 

Here is an update...

Its ticking consistently from cold or hot.

Its louder from sides of car, more specifically front tire wells.

Its not very audible from under the hood, but things are so loud under there anyways (fuel injectors especially)

Using one of those autozone stethescopes..... I dont hear the tick in the valve covers, or the exhaust manifolds, though I can hear the rapid fuel injector ticks. I also can't hear it on the bellhousing. And I cannot hear it when touching the oil pan.

But when I drive up on ramps and get under the car the tick is loud and seems to come from around the bellhousing, or the engine in front of the bellhousing.

Weird huh? Its definately loud, and RPM based.

 

Can you record some audio of it and post it here. Use high quality audio, 48kHz, 16-bit stereo if you can.

Wth something like a tick, none of us would be able to help you, short of cheering you on with encouraging words like, "OHNOES YOU CAN DO IT!!"

 

Possible electrical arc in the ignition system ??