I put off asking this until I got through the EGR nightmare, because it seemed to be more persistent when the EGR valve was acting up...

I have a tick - relative to engine speed, but most noticeable either at idle or at high rpm's. All the way from cold start to normal operating temp. I can't really explain it much better - just a constant 'chicka chicka chicka' while the truck runs.

I've tried to figure out where it's coming from, and it seems to come from the front of the engine (but hell if I know...)

This leaves a wide variety of issues that it could be - valve issues, loose tappet, and worse as you go down, but it seems like a lighter tick than an engine needing a complete rebuild. The thing runs stronger than an engine needing a rebuild too, no funky colored exhaust, and the exhaust has a good 'pulse' at the tailpipe.

Could it be an exhaust manifold leak? Is there something running off the serpentine belt that could be ticking? alternator? a/c compressor? harmonic balancer?

I know... I come up with some good ones!

Please give me some ideas!

 

could it be the belt itself? any chunks missing?

 

Take a length of fuel hose, put it to your ear and listen around the engine with the other end. You are using the fuel hose as a stethescope. Narrow down where it's coming from.

 

05 Super - the belt is 'showing it's age' with slight cracks, but nothing major or worth getting excited about.

sean - you realize by now how clumsy and stupid I am? The thought of myself with a length of hose up to my ear in a running engine bay kinda scares me. I might end up in the hospital, but I see your logic.

(or maybe you're just tired of putting up with me!)

 

You're a funny guy. I'm sure you will do just fine.

 

my truck ticks just like that too....I'm pretty sure its the exhaust manifold. I'm fixin it by putting in headers. That should solve the problem, not to mention give you a little more power, better gas mpg, and nice sound.

 

I haven't had much luck with the hose yet... Tried it, but didn't get much from it. I'll keep trying (even though my neighbors are staring at me)

Is the exhaust gasket a common thing? At 115K miles, I doubt they've ever been replaced. There are a lot of these old fords that sound this way - I hear them on the road all the time, and they sound like they are really low on oil. Being something that a lot of trucks seem to do, I'd think there would be a common place or two to start looking (I guess the exhaust is one of them).

I stuck that stupid tube all over around the exhaust manifolds, and couldn't hear anything. But then again, I couldn't hear anything anywhere else either.

Could an exhaust leak cause the truck to run rough? Or just make the annoying sound?

 

The tick can be an exhaust leak, and it doesn't necessarily have to be in the engine compartment. It can be lower and echo throughout the truck. It's possible it could cause it to run a little rough, but not too bad. Check the smog tube that comes off the catalytic converter. Mine rotted off and was leaking exhaust there. Also check where the exhaust bolts to the manifold.

 

I had some success with the hose - once I figured out how to make connection with my ear I could hear more than the sound of a sea shell...

Anyway, I'm not hearing anything at the exhaust manifolds. Didn't check on down the exhaust system, but maybe I should. At the injectors, I can hear them clicking, but it's not as loud as the tick that I'm trying to find.

On top of the valve covers, I'm getting a click (I think) above the front passenger side valve. My bet is that the problem is right there. I couldn't hear anything anywhere else along either valve cover, but just listening with my open ear, it sounds like the tick is coming from both sides.

Of course it would have to be the side that's under the intake... The driver's side is easy to get to, even though I'd have no idea what to do once I got the cover off. Probably gonna take it to the shop for this one, unless you guys can come up with some strong words of encouragement.

 

If you're lucky, it would be a loose rocker arm bolt. Or it may be a collapsed lifter. It can also be excessive wear. A collapsed lifter would require intake manifold removal to fix. Excessive wear could be taken care of by replacing the pushrod with a longer one, depending on what's worn. This is how the valves are adjusted on these engines, but they don't usually require adjustment. If you take it to a shop, they are going to charge the hell out of you.