loud Ticking sound when cold

corbin09 · 01-23-2012, 09:36 AM

Hello all,

over the past few weeks I have noticed my car making an odd ticking sound on warmup. At first I thought it was low engine oil, but I checked and it was fine. I added a small amount for good measure though.

Car has:
Injen Intake
Nismo Exhaust

Today it was ticking particularly loud. It is coming from the front of the motor. The car has 50k on it, and I havent had this problem before.

I am trying to find some possible causes before I just take it into Nissan so they can tell me it is not an issue, they werent able to replicate it, or it was my fault.

Any help would be great. Thanks!

DOOMMONKEY777 · 01-24-2012, 10:57 AM

All Normal i got the same thing, as long as your car dosnt die or dont start youre in the green,

and i have 11k miles on myne.
And you are right it does get a little louder when you drive it for a block or two then stop and get out of the car, its louder---it goes away

Staples · 01-24-2012, 10:30 PM

Could be the injectors that you're hearing. If that's not it, you could be hearing the ticking from the VVEL.

When you first cold start your car, most of the oil is at the bottom of the pan so it doesn't properly lubricate all the head components. I would try switching to an oil that's ester based. The ester leaves a thick film on the head at all times.

HKYStormFront · 01-24-2012, 10:46 PM

normal for VQ's to make a lot of clatter at startup, my frontier sounds like an old diesel when it gets cold outside until the motor warms up.

SPOHN · 01-25-2012, 05:52 PM

I love the way my exhaust sounds on cold start up. Wish it had that aggressiveness always.

Staples · 01-25-2012, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPOHN

I love the way my exhaust sounds on cold start up. Wish it had that aggressiveness always.

On cold start my car sounds like subs and it starts shaking my whole work. I started parking half a block away and they still hear it. OOPS!

1slow370 · 01-25-2012, 10:05 PM

ok the vvel makes almost no noise so it's not that. The mechanical lifters are a different story and hr's do that too. there is no hydraulic lash adjustment so when it's cold they are loose when its warm they are tight due to the valve stem expanding, and your thermal coefficients with metal it's how all high rpm race motors with mechanical valvetrain sound. Its is possible however for there to be a problem in the timing set but it is unlikely. take it in if it is really loud seeing as you've had the car for a long time this is a little late to be noticing how loud it is, if they say its normal live with it til it breaks these timing chains never go unless an adjuster fails.

01-23-2012, 09:36 AM	#1 (permalink)
corbin09 Track Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Dallas tx Posts: 665 Drives: 370z Rep Power: 279	loud Ticking sound when cold Hello all, over the past few weeks I have noticed my car making an odd ticking sound on warmup. At first I thought it was low engine oil, but I checked and it was fine. I added a small amount for good measure though. Car has: Injen Intake Nismo Exhaust Today it was ticking particularly loud. It is coming from the front of the motor. The car has 50k on it, and I havent had this problem before. I am trying to find some possible causes before I just take it into Nissan so they can tell me it is not an issue, they werent able to replicate it, or it was my fault. Any help would be great. Thanks!

01-24-2012, 10:57 AM	#2 (permalink)
DOOMMONKEY777 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Crooklyn Posts: 1,008 Drives: 370Z 6psd-sport-pkg Rep Power: 20	All Normal i got the same thing, as long as your car dosnt die or dont start youre in the green, and i have 11k miles on myne. And you are right it does get a little louder when you drive it for a block or two then stop and get out of the car, its louder---it goes away __________________ Kids don't do Drugs, Drugs are bad, so let the professional druggies do Drugs for you. 537whp/496lb/tq@8-9PSI 93 octane Last edited by DOOMMONKEY777; 01-24-2012 at 11:00 AM.

01-24-2012, 10:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
Staples Track Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 546 Drives: '08 Infiniti G37s Rep Power: 15	Could be the injectors that you're hearing. If that's not it, you could be hearing the ticking from the VVEL. When you first cold start your car, most of the oil is at the bottom of the pan so it doesn't properly lubricate all the head components. I would try switching to an oil that's ester based. The ester leaves a thick film on the head at all times. __________________ '08 Infiniti G37s - Forced Induction Fed

01-24-2012, 10:46 PM	#4 (permalink)
HKYStormFront A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Greer, SC Posts: 14,954 Drives: 06 Frontier SE 6spd Rep Power: 52	normal for VQ's to make a lot of clatter at startup, my frontier sounds like an old diesel when it gets cold outside until the motor warms up. ortiz73ca likes this. __________________ Patrick // 06 Frontier 6spd Nismosis // Mods: Uprev Tuned @ Z1 Motorsports: 257whp & 292 ft lbs 09 Pontiac G8 GXP // M6 // Sunroof // Tint... For now

01-25-2012, 05:52 PM	#5 (permalink)
SPOHN A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Covington, GA Age: 45 Posts: 14,844 Drives: Waiting on next Z Rep Power: 221	I love the way my exhaust sounds on cold start up. Wish it had that aggressiveness always. __________________

01-25-2012, 10:05 PM	#7 (permalink)
1slow370 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: In the D Posts: 3,732 Drives: v8 74 260z ;) Rep Power: 7250	ok the vvel makes almost no noise so it's not that. The mechanical lifters are a different story and hr's do that too. there is no hydraulic lash adjustment so when it's cold they are loose when its warm they are tight due to the valve stem expanding, and your thermal coefficients with metal it's how all high rpm race motors with mechanical valvetrain sound. Its is possible however for there to be a problem in the timing set but it is unlikely. take it in if it is really loud seeing as you've had the car for a long time this is a little late to be noticing how loud it is, if they say its normal live with it til it breaks these timing chains never go unless an adjuster fails. __________________ ANSWER PRICE LIST Answers - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - $0.75 Answers (requiring thought) - - - - $1.25 Answers (correct) - - - - - - - - - - $12.50

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