Thread: clicking sound??? Help

I have an 06 grand prix, so nothing special, but anyways I now have a ticking sound between 1000-2000 rpm in 4th gear and only 4th gear. I never had this ticking sound before I did a little cleaning. When I say cleaning I mean taking dogbones off and wiping with a rag, putting a cai in, and blew out some dirt in little cracks with air, and changing wire covers. But before I put the cai on I did not hear the ticking sound but after I put it on I can hear it. I dont know if this is false knock or actual knock. Sorry if this is confusing but I am completely lost in solving this problem. thanks for any help.

No its not the exhaust manifold leaking. I only can hear it in 4th gear. I put it in 1st, no problem, put it in 2nd, no problem, put it in third, no problem, put it in 4th, tick tick tick tick, then it reaches higher rpm and gone, no problem. Does the cai have any thing to do with it? its not loud enough for a microphone to pick it up so i cant record it.

Originally Posted by Rico

Chock your tires and put safety break on.

Turn car on.

Put in Drive.

Open hood and see if you can hear a ticking sound.

CAI has nothing to do with this unless you really messed something up.

Any DTC's?

There is no ticking at idle. If a code was fired wouldnt it turn on the service engine light? Im getting it scanned mon. There is no ticking when i am moving and put it in nuetral then rev. Its not rod knock right? Could it be a wheel bearing? Or am I just the unlucky one and its in the tranny. Theres only 85000 on the car. thx for your help.

alrighty i did about an hour worth of testing to try and figure out what was the tick. I drove uphills, downhills, and drove in neutral. there is a correction I have to make, I can hear the ticking in every gear now 1-4. So what I did i first did the park test you told me to do and everything was normal. I then drove it around. I was going about 55 when i put it in neutral. I reved it slowly has fast, nothing. I coasted, nothing in the wheels. I put it back in drive. Drove down a hill, nothing. Drove it up a hill, tick tick tick tick tick... I noticed whenever I drive it ticks under a "load", like going up a hill. So I think I narrowed it down to the tranny or something to do with it. How can I tell if its the differential or an axle when its just sitting there? Srry if this is confusing but you are a great help. thx alot!!!!

Put the stock box back in. Hear it? If no, it's some standard noise from not having the noise baffling box. If yes..then look for other items.

Rico...I'm always here.. when Daves up ... we can be found in the c hatbox talking about nada

By chance if it is an exhaust leak how would i test for it?

Tighten the manifold bolts down and see if it changes. It could be the crossover or the downpipe as well. Those are tough to diagnose. Use your ears and while the engine is cold, start it up and feel around all of the joints for escaping exhaust.

Well heres a video i made of the engine bay. It sounds like its coming from the rear of the motor. Either a lifter/rocker or the exhaust manifold. http://youtu.be/dnYxJrAPiFE

Originally Posted by BillBoost37

Put the stock box back in. Hear it? If no, it's some standard noise from not having the noise baffling box. If yes..then look for other items.

Well I put the stock box back in and ...... nothing, no ticking when driving, but when I put the 9" cone back in and I drive ....... tick,tick,tick. So I guess its nothing big. Im thinking it might be an exhaust leak now because the cone pulls in air than stock and the exhaust manifolds can only handle stock. True? And with the cone the exhaust cant get rid of all the air so it finds a small leak in the manifold. True?

Bill suggested this earlier in the thread and he thinks it may be the lack of sound baffles that were in the original OEM filter box.
I'll be a SOB! See, it pays to have the experience level that this guy has.

Theoretically, the cone should increase the volumetric efficiency of the engine ever so slightly but not enough to exploit an exhaust leak and make the noise that you're hearing. I would try feeling around the exhaust system with your hands while the engine is cold just to make sure. You have about a minute or so before risking a burn.

Originally Posted by Rico

Bill suggested this earlier in the thread and he thinks it may be the lack of sound baffles that were in the original OEM filter box.
I'll be a SOB! See, it pays to have the experience level that this guy has.

Theoretically, the cone should increase the volumetric efficiency of the engine ever so slightly but not enough to exploit an exhaust leak and make the noise that you're hearing. I would try feeling around the exhaust system with your hands while the engine is cold just to make sure. You have about a minute or so before risking a burn.

Ok, thx alot. Should i still get it scanned even though there is no engine light or no?

If it's running good I wouldn't worry about it. Enjoy your new filter.

alrighty, sounds good. I just want thank you guys for all your help. I would have been lost without you. thx