What's that Ticking noise!?!

[211]

Scored a 2000 OBW off a local guy with 68k (never had a Soob this new ). The car is in near perfect condition and has been meticulously maintained. Infact I just dug out the service records from the glove box, the last receipt was from the local Soob dealer for the 60,000mi maintenance overhaul (basically everything but the timing belt).

 

So I'm still getting comfortable with the car's little nuances, have been driving it less than 3 days, but today I had the hood up while the engine was idling and I can hear a very distinct "Ticking" noise. It's in cadence with the firing order and you can hear the source of the noise alternate based on what cylinder is firing. It sounds like the valves or something but it's fairly loud. I'm wondering if this is normal?

 

I could probably post a sound clip later this weekend.

 

BTW- I'm happy to announce myself as a regular member to the "NEW GEN" forums now!!!

 

:headbang: WHOO-HOOOO!!!

[nipper]

The fuel injectors on soobies are rather loud.

Make sure thats it and not the timing belt tensioner or idler ticking. Remeber timing belt life is mileage or time, whichever is sooner.

May not hurt to do an oil change.

Congrats on the new toy.

 

nipper

[211]

The fuel injectors on soobies are rather loud.

Make sure thats it and not the timing belt tensioner or idler ticking. Remeber timing belt life is mileage or time, whichever is sooner.

May not hurt to do an oil change.

Congrats on the new toy.

 

nipper

 

Hmmm...

Fuel injectors make sense, because the source of the noise follows the firing order. In other words, there is a "tick" AT the cylinder as its firing.

I dont' think its the timing belt or tensioner because, like I mentioned, the noise is definately coming from four corners of the engine and not isolated near the front.

Oil was changed religiously, in fact the sticker on the upper left windshield from the oil change shop says its next due at 71,600mi and the car's only at 68,700mi.

[forester2002s]

I would echo the suggestion to do an oil change. If it is noisy tappets, then clean oil will often cure this.

 

BTW how many miles since the last oil change? Is the oil black?

[cookie]

does it quiet down when the engine is fully warmed up? Mine has had some interesting noises, the most noticeable of which is cold piston slap. This is very common I understand on the later cars. One other thing which is kind of odd is that once every couple of months when it has been sitting it rattles quite loudly for a few seconds on start up. I have taken this to be the result of all oil draining down while sitting and since it does not seem to hurt I live with it.

You could also need to adjust the mechanical lifters or the other things folks have metioned.

It might be good to listen to a similar car with similar mileage if you can find one. Most cars seem to have thier noise quirks these days.

[211]

Oil level is good, not black, still looks pretty fresh. I'm not sure what the mileage was when the oil was last checked (I'd have to dig out the service reciept), but according to the little window sticker the "jiffy lube" guys use it's not even due for its next change yet (due at 71K, current mileage is 68K).

And no, it doesn't quiet down after the engine warms up.

 

...I'm hoping its' just the injectors!

[deltasierra]

That's probably what my husband and his brother call the "puckety-puckety" noise that is distinctive of Subarus. The fuel-injector will make a ticking noise, but -- if I remember correctly -- it might be an artifact of the horizontally-opposed engine.

 

Our Toyota has a really loud fuel-injector that I fretted over, until my brother-in-law told me there was nothing that could be done about it -- it was just loud.