I've opened up the valve covers, all my rockers are tight, nothing seems wrong there. The ticking increases frequency with RPM, so I don't think it is an exhaust leak, or maybe it is? It only ticks under load above 1500 rpms or so.

It is very loud, sounds like a pressure cooker on the passenger side of my engine bay, this isn't just an annoying little tick. I'm not really sure how to pinpoint this, since it only does this under load while I'm driving... can't listen for it at idle or revving it in the garage.

 

Lifters tick when they're getting old. Mileage?

 

Get it out in open air somewhere, and have someone brake torque it (lightly! not enough to spin the wheels!). That will allow you to listen for it.

An exhaust leak would increase frequency with RPM, especially if it were leaking where the manifold / headers bolt to the engine. Check that area carefully!

-Jake

 

39K, don't think it's a lifter... I hope not!

I've tried stalling it up but I can't really hear any ticking when I do that, not high enough RPMs I guess.

It definitely sounds like an exhaust leak, but I thought it wouldn't change with RPM, that's why I thought it was in my valvetrain but that all seems fine. All my header bolts were tight, I'll have to double check all that again, maybe it's the gasket or a leak somewhere else... definitely sounds like it's on the passenger side so I at at least have that to go on.

Thanks guys!

 

Don't trust your ears completely. Sounds in the engine bay echo around and can be confusing. Get a long screwdriver and press the tip of it against different parts of the engine. Put your ear to the screwdriver handle. It will amplify the sounds that are coming from somewhere close to where you are holding the tip. If you have earplugs, wear them (in both ears!) while doing this.

Move the tip around and listen carefully. You should be able to isolate the sound to a pretty small area by finding what point makes it sound loudest.

You'll also be able to hear more subtle details about the sound, rather than trying to make it out amidst all the other sounds coming from the engine.

 

I got loud ticking, under load only, shortly after installing 1.6 RR.
Did you get those recently?

 

What do you guys mean increase frequency with a header leak? I hear a sucking rattling which I think it's an exhaust leak. I hope I don't have a leak at the headers. Can someone listen to this and let me know if they think it's a header/exhaust leak? Just listen to it closely, and let me know what you guys think.

 

Broken catalyst inside the cat?
I don't know, I've never heard of anything like that. Up until the 1:00 mark it sounds like you've got a can of marbles rattling around. Strange.

Oh and forewarning to anyone else "listening carefully" he tromps on the gas pedal really hard a good number of times after the midway point. be ready at the volume control.

 

No cats

I think it may be part of the y pipe rattling up against the floorboard, it makes weird souns.

 

ttt you ever solve the on idle noise?, very similar to what i have. Comes and goes and only on decel and idle..