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Old 04-29-2019, 06:39 PM   #1
zerogarda
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Member#: 266271
Join Date: Dec 2010
Chapter/Region: SWIC
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Vehicle:
2009 Impreza WRX STI
Spark Silver Metallic

Default Driver's Side Head Ticking Noise (Video Attached)

Hi all, I need some help diagnosing a ticking noise. I've done a ton of searching as well as some diagnostic work to try and determine what this is but I can't seem to figure it out.

Vehicle is a 2009 STI with light mods (TGV delete, air pump delete, turbo back exhaust + tune)

Motor is a brand new IAG Stage 2 short block with (supposedly) freshly adjusted valves and decked heads.

I've felt around the injectors for excessive vibration/noise, changed spark plugs and tried disconnecting and reconnecting coil packs, none of these seem to be the culprit.

Checked valve clearances and they're all within spec except the #1 cyl intake buckets which are .001 over spec (too much clearance).

Listened around with a stethoscope and can't seem to narrow things down.

Did a compression check on the driver's side cylinders and #1 is at 120 psi (engine wasn't completely warm), #4 is at 105 psi.

Also checked around the exhaust manifolds for carbon deposits indicating a leak and everything looks good.

I want to believe this is normal noise, but it didn't sound like this before everything was rebuilt, and it's distinctly louder on the driver's side of the engine.

Thoughts would be appreciated, link to video below.

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Old 04-29-2019, 08:59 PM   #2
danger1138
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Location: QUEENS NY
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06 Fxt

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Im no expert but i didn't hear anything out of whack from that video clip.
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Old 04-30-2019, 12:00 AM   #3
zerogarda
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Spark Silver Metallic

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Yeah, it's hard to tell on video. It might end up being something I have to live with, I'm just pissed cause it sounds way louder than before I did the rebuild. I'm going to do some more troubleshooting tomorrow, I'll try to remember to post a reply to this thread if I figure it out.
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Old 04-30-2019, 10:11 AM   #4
danger1138
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My built motor sounded like that, maybe even a bit louder, it lasted approximately 90k miles until a head gasket gave way.

I was told it was injectors, onset of a bearing about to give way, valve tick etc.. non the less she didn't consume much oil at all and lasted a long time.
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Old 04-30-2019, 05:00 PM   #5
jigga
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WRBlue Perl

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If you can hear that clicking sound reverberating off parked cars as you drive down the road with your window down, I can say from experience that it's the sound of your cam lobe wearing out as it is chewing through a bucket.

I'd pull the engine right now and get that squared away. I was in the same boat last year and kept driving, thinking that it was normal built engine noises.. until of course the cam lobe punched through the bucket and caused a valve to kiss a piston while cruising down a highway.

You mentioned that you checked the valve clearances and found one out of spec? That might do it...

Interestingly enough, the sound came about not long after an engine refresh/install
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Old 04-30-2019, 05:14 PM   #6
Brama216
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Quote:
Originally Posted by danger1138 View Post
My built motor sounded like that, maybe even a bit louder, it lasted approximately 90k miles until a head gasket gave way.

I was told it was injectors, onset of a bearing about to give way, valve tick etc.. non the less she didn't consume much oil at all and lasted a long time.
+1
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Old 04-05-2021, 12:00 AM   #7
Whoro94
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ever figure out what this was ? been having the same noise, seems to be coming from driver side as well.. thanks
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