Ticking engine

[Brennon]

I know it's been brought up before, and I'm used to the 'typical' ticking, but today I started up the engine and I heard a much louder audible ticking. I checked the oil and it was a smidgen low, so I added a bit and tried again with the same ticking noise. It gets louder and faster as the revs climb and still remains when the car is idling. Car has approximately 20k miles on it right now.

[charliex]

Call the boston police department.

Might be cold, might be the lifters, might be a lot of things, including nothing, hard to say.

[Brennon]

Originally Posted by charliex

Call the boston police department.

Might be cold, might be the lifters, might be a lot of things, including nothing, hard to say.

Got their number?

Better question, do I risk damaging anything by modest driving until I can get it looked at?

[DeathTrap]

I rented an Elise before I bought one, and it purred; No ticking. I purchased an Elise and it's been ticking for three years. I was told when it was new that it would fade with time. I've got 9000 miles on it and it's not lessened one bit. I've been told that it's normal, but I doubt that.

[charliex]

I believe its 1-800-IFEARALL

depends, i don't want to say yes its fine, then a piston leaps out of your engine and embedds it into your skull, although it'd be your estate i'd be dealing with,.

if its a gentle ticking that does go away after warm up, its probably fine, if its a clacketty clack it could be a serious problem, does it engage the high cam correctly ? Is it uniform, does it sound like a diesel?

I say this after one day hearing an elise making a ticking noise and not saying much about it, it blew up 1/4 of a mile later, so investigate all.

But really the internet is no place to diagnose it you'll get 15 different answers from people with varying levels of experience and be none the wiser, i'd call my dealer / mechanic, whom also will give you 15 different answers with varying levels of experience, but at least they have to fix what they break.

[Brennon]

Originally Posted by charliex

I believe its 1-800-IFEARALL

depends, i don't want to say yes its fine, then a piston leaps out of your engine and embedds it into your skull, although it'd be your estate i'd be dealing with,.

if its a gentle ticking that does go away after warm up, its probably fine, if its a clacketty clack it could be a serious problem, does it engage the high cam correctly ? Is it uniform, does it sound like a diesel?

I say this after one day hearing an elise making a ticking noise and not saying much about it, it blew up 1/4 of a mile later, so investigate all.

But really the internet is no place to diagnose it you'll get 15 different answers from people with varying levels of experience and be none the wiser, i'd call my dealer / mechanic, whom also will give you 15 different answers with varying levels of experience, but at least they have to fix what they break.

It doesn't go away after it warms up, it's not so much clacketty clack, but moreso has the sound of when you were a kid and put a playing card in the back wheel of your bike to rub against the spokes. It's also pretty uniform.

I guess i'll take it in to get looked at tomorrow.

Anything I should check in the meantime?

[charliex]

well if it goes on the high cams or not would be a question,if it won't then it could be a lifter issue, that causes a noise.

power loss is an indication, shift light coming on at the wrong times, uneven running.

they can be naturally noisy, especially at low temps, its probably nothing to worry about.

[Serebo1]

Have any mods whatsoever in the engine bay?

Originally Posted by Brennon

It doesn't go away after it warms up, it's not so much clacketty clack, but moreso has the sound of when you were a kid and put a playing card in the back wheel of your bike to rub against the spokes. It's also pretty uniform.

I guess i'll take it in to get looked at tomorrow.

Anything I should check in the meantime?

[Brennon]

Originally Posted by charliex

well if it goes on the high cams or not would be a question,if it won't then it could be a lifter issue, that causes a noise.

power loss is an indication, shift light coming on at the wrong times, uneven running.

they can be naturally noisy, especially at low temps, its probably nothing to worry about.

I took it to about 7k to test if it engaged the 2nd cam, and it did, but I didn't exactly want to push it.

I can't feel any power loss and it still runs smooth, so I suppose that's a good thing.

I don't have any mods under the hood.

[jlj3394]

Originally Posted by Brennon

I know it's been brought up before, and I'm used to the 'typical' ticking, but today I started up the engine and I heard a much louder audible ticking. I checked the oil and it was a smidgen low, so I added a bit and tried again with the same ticking noise. It gets louder and faster as the revs climb and still remains when the car is idling. Car has approximately 20k miles on it right now.

What you're describing sounds like a lifter to me, but I'm a thousand miles away on a computer, so take it FWIW.

[charliex]

Any misshifts , if so that can lead to problems outside of just the lifters? *

* Caution answering this question honestly on a public forum can seriously damage your ability to gain warranty coverage.


Incidently the one time i saw a lifter problem it was cured by a simple engine additive, unfortunately i don't remember what it was called offhand, i'm sure someone else does though.

[lotuson74]

Its always a good idea to pull all the "ticks" off your dog. They cary many diseases. O.K. THAT'S ENOUPH TONIGHT before I get banned

[lotuson74]

Have you checked your watch? They tend to "tick" does your car "tock" also? It could be a "tick" "tock" imbalance!
I can fix it for a Minimal fee. Call: kirk fix.

[Brennon]

Very funny guys.

I made a video of it. My roommate seems pretty confident it's a lifter.

[charliex]

yikes, turn it off and flatbed it in. (oh and i'd say definetely a lifter)

[codymac]

Originally Posted by charliex

yikes, turn it off and flatbed it in. (oh and i'd say definetely a lifter)

+1
Either that, or it's a Mitsubishi engine.


Anybody that tells you that's normal should be slapped.

[Canyon Red Elise]

I can tell you mine does not do that..... That is not a "normal" ticking. I would absolutly have that checked. could be something simple but its worth finding out.

[Brennon]

See! I wasn't being paranoid. :X I could tell it wasn't normal.

[raggedy1]

Holy crap! You revved that thing to 7k?!? Let us know what your mechanic finds, but that is in no way normal.

[Mark16q]

mine has plenty of weird little ticky noises, but nothing like that. I'll call that more of a clacking noise...get it checked asap.