Strange Ticking Noise

DiZzyBonne · July 9th, 2008, 02:23 PM

Since late September my car has been making a weird ticking noise when putting a load on the motor. You can't hear it in neutral - revving or not - but when the car is at low RPMs and you give it more than 1/4 throttle you can hear the tick. It's even more obvious with the windows closed and in a higher gear, say 5th, going 50 MPH (which is about 1,500 RPMs) and then just giving it 1/2 throttle. The ticking is slower, but it's easier to spot simply because you don't have the exhaust droning it out. The higher the RPMs, the faster the tick. Once you get past about 3,000 you can't hear it anymore, but I'm almost positive it's still there, it's just the exhaust note is probably downing it out. Actually, I think I may have heard it a few times in high RPMs, it's just extremely difficult to point out. I was told when I changed my exhaust it would go away, but it didn't. This is what I THINK may have caused it:

When I bought my car in August 2007 it was fine, or at least, to the best of my knowledge. When I moved up to San Jose, I had to drive my friend around because he didn't have a car and he was letting me live with him for free. The guy weighs like 250-300 lbs. Anyway, one day I went over a speed bump and bottomed out the car. After that day is when I noticed the ticking. It might of been there before, but I never heard it.

Thoughts? The ticking is driving me nuts! Oh, and it can't be detonation because I fill up my car with 89 gas, but I've tried 91 gas plenty of times to no avail.

blk01gt · July 9th, 2008, 03:02 PM

Have you checked for exhaust leaks?

00vabchgt · July 9th, 2008, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by blk01gt

Have you checked for exhaust leaks?

+1. sounds like an exhaust leak...

DiZzyBonne · July 9th, 2008, 03:16 PM

That's what I've been thinking as well, what would be the best way to check? I took it to another friend while he was at his shop and he used his stethoscope on the engine and said he heard a lot of other noises, one being from my alternator, but he couldn't find an exhaust leak - he lifted up the car as well. I can double check myself, what would be the best way?

00vabchgt · July 9th, 2008, 03:22 PM

pop the hood, start the engine and manually open the throttle. if the ticking gets louder/ faster, then you've got an exhaust leak...

whtpny · July 9th, 2008, 03:26 PM

yeah i say you have a decent exhaust leak.. especially to be able to hear it on acceleration

DiZzyBonne · July 9th, 2008, 03:31 PM

I'll try revving the engine with the hood open using the throttle body, I'll let you know what I hear. Just keep in mind that this sound has been here since before I changed my exhaust. If it is an exhaust leak, I really don't mind as long as it's not at the header/engine connection, I heard it's terrible if it's there! If it's at the header/mid-pipe, it's just a power loss.

FoxHoss · July 9th, 2008, 05:45 PM

yea but if he only hears it when the car is under load he might have a bigger problem than an exhaust leak, no?

blk01gt · July 9th, 2008, 05:59 PM

His car could be like mine where the exhaust is too damn loud to hear the ticking except at lower rpms.

chris1 · July 9th, 2008, 08:03 PM

Piston slap?
Could be what both machs and termies experience. Feel free to correct this if you have "correct" information.

DiZzyBonne · July 9th, 2008, 08:32 PM

I tried popping the hood and revving it up via the throttle body but I didn't hear a thing. Also, I doubt it's piston slap.

July 9th, 2008, 02:23 PM	#1
DiZzyBonne Enthusiast 2001 Ford Mustang Bullitt Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bay Area Posts: 933 iTrader: 2 reviews	Strange Ticking Noise Since late September my car has been making a weird ticking noise when putting a load on the motor. You can't hear it in neutral - revving or not - but when the car is at low RPMs and you give it more than 1/4 throttle you can hear the tick. It's even more obvious with the windows closed and in a higher gear, say 5th, going 50 MPH (which is about 1,500 RPMs) and then just giving it 1/2 throttle. The ticking is slower, but it's easier to spot simply because you don't have the exhaust droning it out. The higher the RPMs, the faster the tick. Once you get past about 3,000 you can't hear it anymore, but I'm almost positive it's still there, it's just the exhaust note is probably downing it out. Actually, I think I may have heard it a few times in high RPMs, it's just extremely difficult to point out. I was told when I changed my exhaust it would go away, but it didn't. This is what I THINK may have caused it: When I bought my car in August 2007 it was fine, or at least, to the best of my knowledge. When I moved up to San Jose, I had to drive my friend around because he didn't have a car and he was letting me live with him for free. The guy weighs like 250-300 lbs. Anyway, one day I went over a speed bump and bottomed out the car. After that day is when I noticed the ticking. It might of been there before, but I never heard it. Thoughts? The ticking is driving me nuts! Oh, and it can't be detonation because I fill up my car with 89 gas, but I've tried 91 gas plenty of times to no avail. __________________ Current mods: Maximum Motorsports XL Full Length Subframe Connectors Catted Bassani X-Pipe Borla Stinger Catbacks H&R Super Sport Springs MM Bullitt Crew Founder and Member #1

July 9th, 2008, 03:02 PM	#2
blk01gt Regular Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 196 iTrader: 0 reviews	Have you checked for exhaust leaks? __________________ 01 Mustang GT \| 5 Speed \| Bullitt Intake \| 4.10's \| Diablo Tuner \| JLT CAI \| Flowtech LT Headers, bbk catted H, dynomax catback \| 01 Carbon Black BMW M3 w/dynomax exhaust

July 9th, 2008, 03:16 PM	#4
DiZzyBonne Enthusiast 2001 Ford Mustang Bullitt Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bay Area Posts: 933 iTrader: 2 reviews	That's what I've been thinking as well, what would be the best way to check? I took it to another friend while he was at his shop and he used his stethoscope on the engine and said he heard a lot of other noises, one being from my alternator, but he couldn't find an exhaust leak - he lifted up the car as well. I can double check myself, what would be the best way? __________________ Current mods: Maximum Motorsports XL Full Length Subframe Connectors Catted Bassani X-Pipe Borla Stinger Catbacks H&R Super Sport Springs MM Bullitt Crew Founder and Member #1

July 9th, 2008, 03:26 PM	#6
whtpny Hardcore Enthusiast 2002 Mustang GT Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Gainesville, GA Posts: 1,930 iTrader: 0 reviews	yeah i say you have a decent exhaust leak.. especially to be able to hear it on acceleration __________________ Mods: Fidanza Al Flywheel, Steeda UDP, EMP/Stewart Components WP, PP Plenum, K&N FIPK, Mac Prochamber, Magnapacks WhtPny's Videos

July 9th, 2008, 03:31 PM	#7
DiZzyBonne Enthusiast 2001 Ford Mustang Bullitt Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bay Area Posts: 933 iTrader: 2 reviews	I'll try revving the engine with the hood open using the throttle body, I'll let you know what I hear. Just keep in mind that this sound has been here since before I changed my exhaust. If it is an exhaust leak, I really don't mind as long as it's not at the header/engine connection, I heard it's terrible if it's there! If it's at the header/mid-pipe, it's just a power loss. __________________ Current mods: Maximum Motorsports XL Full Length Subframe Connectors Catted Bassani X-Pipe Borla Stinger Catbacks H&R Super Sport Springs MM Bullitt Crew Founder and Member #1

July 9th, 2008, 05:45 PM	#8
FoxHoss Enthusiast 02' GT Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Brooklyn, CT Posts: 902 iTrader: 0 reviews	yea but if he only hears it when the car is under load he might have a bigger problem than an exhaust leak, no? __________________ Nitrous is like a hot girl with an STD... you wanna hit it, but your afraid of the consequences 02' GT ~ Twin Screwed 469hp/493tq

July 9th, 2008, 05:59 PM	#9
blk01gt Regular Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 196 iTrader: 0 reviews	His car could be like mine where the exhaust is too damn loud to hear the ticking except at lower rpms. __________________ 01 Mustang GT \| 5 Speed \| Bullitt Intake \| 4.10's \| Diablo Tuner \| JLT CAI \| Flowtech LT Headers, bbk catted H, dynomax catback \| 01 Carbon Black BMW M3 w/dynomax exhaust

July 9th, 2008, 08:03 PM	#10
chris1 Banned 2003 Ford Mach Traveling at the speed of a photon Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 851 iTrader: 0 reviews	Piston slap? Could be what both machs and termies experience. Feel free to correct this if you have "correct" information. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Under my Umbrella! [I][COLOR=#ff0000]Studies show that 99.9% of the kids on MM ask the same questions over and over again about performance parts yet do nothing after the advice is given because they're still in Highschool and suffer from no money syndrome. [/COLOR][/I]

July 9th, 2008, 08:32 PM	#11
DiZzyBonne Enthusiast 2001 Ford Mustang Bullitt Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bay Area Posts: 933 iTrader: 2 reviews	I tried popping the hood and revving it up via the throttle body but I didn't hear a thing. Also, I doubt it's piston slap. __________________ Current mods: Maximum Motorsports XL Full Length Subframe Connectors Catted Bassani X-Pipe Borla Stinger Catbacks H&R Super Sport Springs MM Bullitt Crew Founder and Member #1

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