Hi, my check engine light has turned on and I get a clicking noise when I accelerate. It only happens when I accelerate. I put it in neutral and I don't here it when I rev the engine. I hear it near the front drivers side and it is pretty loud. Almost a clicking and zipping sound. Any ideas? It is so frustrating and embarrasing to hear when I drive.

 

Getting the vehicle scanned to learn what code turned on the CEL would be best. In the absents of that, it sounds like one of the COPs is leaking spark to the engine block.

 

Thank you sir!!

I just got a call from my mechanic and he said the clicking noise was due to a lose hose to the intake manifold. That got fixed!

The problem now is the check engine light. My mechanic tells me that we have a leaking vacuum. (WTH that is I don't know). He further states he needs to remove the intake to check if the leak is on the upper or lower manifold.

I am not sure if this is a big job or what I am looking at financially. Have you or anyone had to do this? Is this common or should I begin to look at trading this one in?

Any help or thoughts would help. Thanks!

 

To reseal the EGR at the back of the manifold is a bit of a job as 2 parts have to come off of the intake. One is an IMRC that is something like a secondary system in a 4 bbl carb and the second part is the upper half of the intake itself. After that it's pretty easy, then it all has to go back together.
Have it checked with a smoke machine before approving the repair and if your mechanic dosent have one, a local high school with a tech/automotive center may be able to determine where the leak is exactly.

 

Not sure what hose would cause a clicking noise just because it's loose. Unless he's talking about the PCV hose not having a tight seal which in turn would cause the PCV valve to move back and forth rapidly, causing a clicking sound. However, the PCV valve is on the passenger side, not the driver's side where you said the noise was.

I wouldn't be so quick to let him remove your intake manifold to look for a leak. I would first have him inspect the PCV hoses and fitting for additional leaks, as they can be the source of large vacuum leaks. There's a rubber elbow at the rear of the intake manifold that has been especially troublesome for a lot of people. It likes to crack and leak a lot of vacuum.

 

Thank you Moto Mel. I asked my mechanic to wait because he quoted like 10 hours of labor to get to the intake manifold. I want to get a second opinion from another shop. I don't want to have to spend over $1,200 on labor alone to find a vacuum leak.

Am I off base here?

 

Hi Moto Mel,

The mechanic told me that he checked the intake manifold with the smoke machine and could not find the leak. He then stated the amount of labor to take the two parts apart. Does this make sense?

 

Was that the first mechanic or the second opinion?

 

This was the first mechanic. I remembered he mentioned the smoke machine after I read your post.

 

If there's no smoke coming out then there's no leak and no reason to yank off the intake.

 

alloro's right, your problem is elsewhere.

 

I think the best thing for me to do is get that second opinion. I'm not sure I trust this shop much then.

 

Good idea.