Ticking Motor Noise

[hblackmon]

While on a road trip last weekend, going down the interstate @ 75 mph and hear a ticking coming from the engine compartment, loud enough to be heard over the radio. It seems to be correspondant to the RPM, as when I let off the gass it slows down. I parked and listened, revved up, and heard it speeding up with the engine noise. Popped the hood and can hear it coming from the top of the engine, on the driver side, but behind the alternator/belts/etc, like possibly from the valve cover or spark plugs. We got to where we were going, the car sat and cooled for 4 hours, left, and was fine for the first 10-15 min, then when car was up to speed/heated up, it started again. I also have the infamous "oil pressure gauge drops when @ stop light but doesnt stall or anything", and not sure if this could be part of that? Checked the oil, levels are fine. 130k miles by the way.

[JimW]

What brand oil and filter.. ?

Weight of oil .. ?

How man miles on the oil and filter?

[1badtrlblzr]

Possibly the exhaust manifold they are known to crack its not a ticking noise but a pop and would change with engine rpm and loud enough to hear inside the cab with the radio on and is located on the left side of the engine not sure but just a thought

[hblackmon]

Originally Posted by JimW

What brand oil and filter.. ?

Weight of oil .. ?

How man miles on the oil and filter?

Not sure the brand and weight. I have a service contract @ the dealer I got it from and they service it there. I do know it hit 4 over the weekend, so prob around 3800 when it started. I have an appt Wed to have it changed already.

Originally Posted by 1badtrlblzr

Possibly the exhaust manifold they are known to crack its not a ticking noise but a pop and would change with engine rpm and loud enough to hear inside the cab with the radio on and is located on the left side of the engine not sure but just a thought

I read something on that also. This is def more of a ticking, a higher pitch? i guess than a pop. I listened to one on YouTube also, and didnt sound like that. I'm going to check the spark plugs as well, as I did hear one similar that turned out to be a plug that had backed out a little. I'm gonna try some fuel injector cleaner @ next fill up also as I have read a mention (and heard from a mechanic friend) it could be a clogged injector.

[FrizB]

This tick used to happen to me too. Almost always on the interstate and at high(er) speeds. The faster I went, the faster the tick.

I'm not sure if your issue is the same as mine, but I used to add a quart of oil and all was well. I since had to have my gasket and head cover replaced due to heavy oil consumption. All is well now. Do you also have excessive smoke blowing out the taipipe on a cold start?