V10 Ticking
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 42,561
Likes: 420
From: Long Island USA
Exhaust leaks get loud when you accelerate, and go away (or almost go away) when you decelerate.
If the tick is there all the time no matter where the go-pedal is, it's a mechanical issue, most likely in the top-end, but can also (possibly, but not as likely) be a wrist-pin or piston issue.
If the tick is there all the time no matter where the go-pedal is, it's a mechanical issue, most likely in the top-end, but can also (possibly, but not as likely) be a wrist-pin or piston issue.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 805
Likes: 1
From: South Bend, IN
The only thing I did really that was different this time at oil change time was use a K&N oil filter. Usually I use a Mobil 1. This motor has been cared for pretty well. Only 127.5k miles. The tick is loudest at idle. It seems to quiet down depending on motor temp when accelerating. On deceleration you can't hear it in the cab but when I had the hood open revving it today you could hear it as the revs dropped.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 805
Likes: 1
From: South Bend, IN
It usually gets a pretty decent beating. I do have to admit I get scared at the idea of taking it past 4k rpm though lol. So what are the repercussions of driving it like it is for the foreseeable future if it is indeed in the top end?
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 805
Likes: 1
From: South Bend, IN
Lol I guess thats fair enough. The plan for the time being is it will probably be about a month before I get the headers in. Once that happens, if the ticking doesn't stop and boy I hope it does, I'll get the valve cover off and have a look around.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 42,561
Likes: 420
From: Long Island USA
Lets put it this way, as you seem to infer that the sound does change volume depending on acceleration or deceleration.
Hold the tranny in 2nd gear by putting it in "2".
Accelerate up to, say, 4000RPMs. Do you hear the tick as you accelerate?
Let off and coast, the tick goes away (or at least, you can't hear it in the cab) ???
If the volume of the tick changes when you hit or let off the gas, that's NOT valve-train.
It COULD be wrist-pin or something like that.
Now, get a piece of garden hose, or fuel hose, about 3 feet long, put one end to your ear, and hunt around for where the tick is loudest. I bet it's right at the exhaust manifold somewhere.
Hold the tranny in 2nd gear by putting it in "2".
Accelerate up to, say, 4000RPMs. Do you hear the tick as you accelerate?
Let off and coast, the tick goes away (or at least, you can't hear it in the cab) ???
If the volume of the tick changes when you hit or let off the gas, that's NOT valve-train.
It COULD be wrist-pin or something like that.
Now, get a piece of garden hose, or fuel hose, about 3 feet long, put one end to your ear, and hunt around for where the tick is loudest. I bet it's right at the exhaust manifold somewhere.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 805
Likes: 1
From: South Bend, IN
Just keeping my head above the motor and moving it near the exhaust amplifies the volume of the tick ALOT.
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Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 10,101
Likes: 40
From: Pa
Leaks at the manifolds can sound different depending how bad they are. A had a good hard tick on my 74' which you could hear change a tad when accelerating. I tightened the header bolts and the tick went away.
When I got my Thorleys on I had a leak at the header. The mechanic busted the gasket corner very slightly and it leaked. The leak didn't sound like my 74' did probably because it wasn't as bad. A tick with an air rushing sound that changed slightly with rpm but not a lot. If the leak is bad enough you can feel the exhaust squeezing out, I could feel it on mine slightly. Make shure the plugs are torqued and get them headers on.
I only use a MC oil filter. I wasted my money on a K&N and didn't like it at all. MC from then on, Purolator Pure One filters are good too but more money than the MC.
When I got my Thorleys on I had a leak at the header. The mechanic busted the gasket corner very slightly and it leaked. The leak didn't sound like my 74' did probably because it wasn't as bad. A tick with an air rushing sound that changed slightly with rpm but not a lot. If the leak is bad enough you can feel the exhaust squeezing out, I could feel it on mine slightly. Make shure the plugs are torqued and get them headers on.
I only use a MC oil filter. I wasted my money on a K&N and didn't like it at all. MC from then on, Purolator Pure One filters are good too but more money than the MC.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 805
Likes: 1
From: South Bend, IN
Well the headers are expected to be here on 3/4... and installation will be dependent on good weather. Maybe I'll pull the oil filter and put a good ol MC filter on soon.
I did think about fuel injectors but they all sounded the same as they always do judging by a quick listen.
I did think about fuel injectors but they all sounded the same as they always do judging by a quick listen.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: California
Dude if i were you i'd take it some place and have them diagnos it.. I could not stand just guessing on something like that. especially if it is the valve train or something as all it's going to do is make things worse in a hurry. Just myu 2 Cents!
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 805
Likes: 1
From: South Bend, IN
Welp... took it to the dealer today to get pending codes read since I didn't have a check engine light and it felt like it was missing a little bit. Nothing came back on the scan but I told them to look into the tick as well. They found that the Number 7 plug was loose and the threads were on their way out. They tightened it down and I'm planning on replacing the threads when I do my headers.
Thread Starter
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New User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Update. I have found what was causing my ticking noise. Back when I originally starting this thread I re torqued all the plugs on the drivers side bank, no plug issues found. However, I did not remove them or inspect them or the plug holes. Last Tuesday, #9 plug came out while idling in a parking lot. The plug had a helicoil insert on it, the lower part of which was deformed and looked like it had been hitting something (source of my tick). A timesert has now been installed in #9 and all is good, no more ticking. Now to pull the rest of the plugs and check those...
Thanks for the the input.
Stacy
Thanks for the the input.
Stacy