My '99 4 banger is chattering just after start-up. A couple extra clicks come from under the hood about a half-second after I release the key.

It used to only happen below about 20 Deg., now it's happening even in the low 30's.
Anyone else have this in cold weather? Any ideas what it is?

 

Sounds like maybe your lifters are losing their prime. CHANGE OIL and use another brand. I have had the YANKEE oils do this (pennzoil, etc) I have had luck changing to Texico or Mobile and stopped the clatter on start up.
Big Jim

 

It's not a valve tappet click. There's no rythm to it, just some random click-clack. In fact there are usually only 3 or 4 noises, total?!?

 

The "other" things that clic-clack are the injectors.. If so it means nothing.
Big Jim

 

HEH HEH... sometimes my keychain click-clacks after I start up in cold weather... seems to me that pulling your hand away from the ignition quickly to avoid freezing fingers causes this...

(sorry to be funny, I just couldn't resist... I blame work!)

 

mine does it almost every morning if its 60 or below, someone said it was the starter, mines more of a clink chirp theres a few postings on here about this
try a search for cold chirp
heres mine:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=315332
-Sam

 

Mines deen doing it for quite some time. i'm not too worried about it. i plan on dealing with it when something stops working