Kelly-Anne Kidston
The tick in your engine could be normal based on the design of your engine or could just be from normal wear from your engine running 🔥 First, let’s talk through some ticks your motor may have that aren’t a problem 😉 If you have a fuel injected car one of the ticks you could be hearing could be your injectors firing 😊 The fuel injectors, which are tiny electrical valves, allow for a specific amount of fuel to be injected into your engine’s air. Many vehicles have fuel injectors you can hear moving at idle, including many Subarus. The sound should be a rhythmic tapping of a pencil on a desk. You can drive confidently if your injectors are ticking. An exhaust manifold leak could cause another tick. High-pressure exhaust can escape from cracks in the manifolds or leaks in the gaskets. This tick will make your engine hum, especially when you are idle and low RPMs. This tick also isn’t dangerous for your engine, but should be fixed as soon as possible to keep exhaust gases where they should be. [1]
Badly-adjusted tappets are another source for a tappety engine. The engine rattle is usually caused by poorly-placed tappets. This happens when the tappet ceases to be in constant contact with the camshaft or the pushrod/rocker arms. After the engine heats up, the valve stem expands thermally. Spacing is needed This expansion can be accommodated. The engine should always be as cold as possible before the valve adjustments can take place. If the tappet adjustment is not tight enough, the valves may stay open slightly longer, leading to greater risk. Heat is transferred through to it than it’s designed to handle could cause cracks or chips in your valve. (Modified by Antoinette Oballey February 14, 2021). [2]
First, check the engine Check the oil level with a dipstick. Low oil levels can be corrected by adding more oil. Are you still hearing the engine roar? Make sure you have the oil pressure checked. If your oil gauge is low, it could be a sign of a problem within the engine. The oil cannot flow to the upper parts of the valvetrain. A worn out or damaged oil pump or an oil pickup screen that is clogged up or blocked by oil filters could be the cause. Use too thick an oil viscosity motor oil Cold weather may also cause oil flow to slow down, which can lead to noise and wear. [3]
ANALYSIS. This type of noise usually comes from a leak in the exhaust manifold, or malfunctioning valve lifters. The noise should be reported to the appropriate authorities. Lasts for more than a minute If the noise disappears completely or dimmishes when the engine heats up, it is likely that there is an exhaust manifold problem. A valve lifter problem is likely to be the cause of the sound that disappears after a short time. Start your diagnostics with an exhaust system inspection. Check the exhaust manifolds to make sure there are no cracks or leaking gaskets. There are black soot spots where the manifold attaches to the cylinder head are key indicators of an exhaust manifold gasket leak. Check for worn bolts on the exhaust manifold. Check the gasket where the manifold bolts connect to the exhaust pipes. After heating and expanding the engine metal parts, small exhaust leaks will often self-seal. If the exhaust noise does not disappear after the engine is started, it may be an indication of an oil control problem or a valve lifter failure. The hydraulic valve lifters are used for the following: engines oil Pressurize the lifter to increase its size, which results in a zero valve clearance. This stops the valves tapping. The valve and spring keep the engine from exploding when the engine is switched off. They also retain oil inside the lifter. It will burst if the spring or valve allows oil to leak from the lifter. Upon start up, the lifter will take a few moments to “pump up” and expand as the oil pressure builds in the engine. The valves could tap during this period, as there is enough clearance between rocker arm/lifter. Shawana Clemmes was a great source of information. [4]
