Lately, when I start up my car, the engine makes a ticking sound. This goes away when it gets warmed up. Sometimes at a stop sign, I shift into neutral then back into drive, the sound goes away. Any ideas on what could be ticking? Thanks.

You don't say what engine you are running, but either way, shot in the dark, sounds like a lifter that is not pumping up(sludge). Have you changed your oil regularly? Try some Marvel Mystery Oil in the oil, or STP as a temporary treatment of the symptom. If it is a lifter, sooner or later you will more than likely have to replace them. Many things it could be without hearing it hard to tell. Worst case scenario would be a rod or main bearing with too much clearance, you know where that one goes eventually! Could also try 30wt oil.

My first guess would be a lifter, especially if the ticking noise gets faster if you blip the throttle slightly.

Sage, I have a V6. I am using 5w30 oil and I got an oil change 2000 km (1200 miles) ago.

Batboy, the sound does get faster when I step on the gas.

without hearing it its hard to say, but it
could be an exhaust manifold leak that as the engine warms up the leak is sealed by expansion.

had this happen before

scott

Have experienced the exhaust leak that sounds like a lifter, but more than likely it is a lifter. you know, if it looks like duck and it walks like a duck and it quacks like duck...it must be a duck! If it is a lifter that is not pumping up, it could be just plugged oil passage which the marvel oil should help. If the lifter is collapsed, the stp may help it, but is a temporary fix at best. I don't like to use it but there is a method for cleaning the oil passages without removing anything but the oil. Guess this should go in the "Snake oil and sawdust" post! You drain the oil and fill the crankcase with 2 qts fresh oil and 2qts kerosene or deisel fuel. Then run it for 10-15 min. Then drain and fill with new fresh oil of your choice. This is risky in my opinion, but I have seen it work. Like I said, I really don't recomend this method, but done properly, it has been known to remove blockages from the oil passages. DON'T FORGET TO CHANGE THE FILTER!

[This message has been edited by Sage (edited 12-12-1999).]

Could be a bomb. You're not in the Witness Relocation Program, are you?

The v-6 is notorious for this noise being caused by either a cracked exhaust manifold or loose exhaust manifold gaskets. The cracks aren't always easily seen with the manifold still attached to the engine.

i had this problem (the ticking)when i finished a head gasket change...what it was that the oil had some anitfreeze in it and one rocker didnt like it...so i just put in fresh oil and the sound went away.

you can try to get some of that stuff you pour in your crankcase to get rid of rocker knock...

I had this problem several months ago. It started out kinda' soft, then gradually got so loud it sounded like a connecting rod ready to take off(I've heard the sound before). It was loudest under moderate acceleration, and people would look at me, wondering if the Fiero in the other lane was going to blow up. Someone on the forum mentioned changing my oil etc. I changed my oil, the sound slowly went away, and it hasn't been back.

Sage; I have used pure diesel fuel to clean out engines, been doing it for 20 years and never blown any up while doing it. However it has caused oil leaks afterwards because it cleans the sludge off of some gaskets (valve cover mostly).

Kong: Thanks! I knew there had to be somebody else that has heard of this method. I just didn't want anyone blowing up an engine and saying they were following some bad advice! Did have to change the front exhaust manifold on my 87GT as it was broke clean in two! Started out to change the gasket, and when I got in there and took off the end bolt, the flange shifted 90 degrees! I thought, "boy that sure doesn't look right! Didn't take long to figure out I had two manifolds where there should only be one! But this was no "tick" I was trying to remedy, this was straight pipes! (at least sounded like it) Oh well am starting to ramble, and that's not what we are here for.

[This message has been edited by Sage (edited 12-14-1999).]

Another method is to use a little automatic trans fluid in your oil. The lighter weight oil will sometimes clean out the lifters. You could also try some CD2, I have never tried this personally but have heard that it works.

My truck was doing the same thing not to long ago, I used a product in the oil called "seafoam". It is suppose to be a mild
petro based cleaner that will clean the sludge and carbon out wearever the oil goes.
It is very popular in the autoparts stores around here. I ran it for about 500 miles and
the problem was solved. My mechanic swears by this stuff.

There are products available that you only run in the oil for 20 minutes. Amsoil and gunk make a "block cleaner". These tend to be very harsh or strong like kerosene. They
can actually plug the screen in the oil pump with all the gunk that it strips clean.

I would check out "seafoam" , It only costs about 4 bucks, and it should not hurt anything.

[This message has been edited by RossT (edited 12-15-1999).]

Engine oil made for diesel engines has a high detergent content. Maybe running that for a few thousand miles would clean everything out.

Seafoam is good stuff. Only additive I use.

I got a tick after my floormat got my accel pedal stuck. Car went redline about 3 or 4 times before i turned it off. Then a ticking sound started. Im guessing its a lifter that got screwed up or a bent pushrod. I was looking through the service manual, and I am curious if i can remove the lifters if the heads are on. I am hoping that if i just remove the pushrods, can i yank out the lifters, and is there a trick that i should know?

(I always get depressed when my fiero is sick)

Greg, if you have the 2.5 you do not need to remove the head. All that you will need to do is remove the valve cover and the intake manifold. Right under the intake you will see a plate held on by four 10mm nuts. remove those to gain access to the lifter galley. make sure you keep all pushrods, lifters, and lifter clips in their respective order. Hope this helps.

oops! I have the 6 cylinder. The official service manual says i just need to remove the valve cover, but it also says i need a special tool, and the illustration of it looks like a pair of pliers.

It is not necesarry to remove the heads on a V^. You need to remove
everything esls including intake manifold. Loosen uo the rocker arms enough so that you can remove the pushrod and simply grab the lifter and pull it out. Sometimes they come out easy and sometimes I have to use a pair of needle nose pliers. Once you re-assemble everything make sure you lifters are adjusted. You adjust you lifters before putting on the intake. All that you do with new lifters is tighten the nut on the rocker arm until there is no play on the rocker arm and then turn the nut 1 and 1/2 turns. Make sure that you turn the engine untill you see that the valve you are adjusting is completly closed.

There is a special tool to remove lifters while the intake manifold and heads are still on. However, the easiest shade tree mechanic way is to remove the intake manifold (upper, middle, and lower) so you have easy access to everything. No, the heads do not need to be removed.

batboy- I dont see how one can take the lifters out without removing the intake manifolds. Can anyone explain how it is done without removing all three intake manifolds?

The reason being...

I had to take the top and middle intake manifolds off to get the valve covers off. Once there, in the lower manifold(valley cover?), the pushrod holes are much smaller than the size of the lifters. So I figure I have to drain the coolant and remove the valley cover to get to the lifters.

Of course you're right. You have to remove the entire intake manifold. Not sure what I was thinking when I wrote my last reply.