Ticking sound just started

jtredd · 11-29-2005, 07:48 PM

I have a 98 Trans AM v8/auto with just over 40,000 miles. It had no ticking when I got it. I was cleaning the throttle body with some spray cleaner to get the black goop off the plate from the EGR and all was going well. I revved the engine a little (no high rev) to assist in cleaning and then drove it around the block. In the second cleaning I was spraying the throttle body cleaner when the engine died, I sprayed too much and did not rev enough. No problem, I just crank it again and finish. Well, the engine took several tries but finally cranked with a ticking sound coming from the area around the #2 cylinder (the loudest) and other cylinders but not as loud. I have changed the oil, ran fuel injection cleaner, cleaned the MAF, reset the computer....nothing will stop it. It is the loudest when cold. By the time I leave the sub-division (and everyone hears the ticking..it's so loud) it quiets down a little but is still there. I have checked the plug wires, even replaced the PCV valve.
How can I make it stop??
Thanks.

**foff667** · 11-30-2005, 08:15 AM

Does the car run differently? Or is it just an obnoxious ticking sound with no other symptoms? How were you spraying the TB with cleaner with the maf/ductwork in place? Or did you just remove the maf & start it without that in place?

jtredd · 11-30-2005, 08:55 AM

No noticable difference in engine performance. I removed the MAF to get inside and not affect any MAF sensor functionality.

**foff667** · 11-30-2005, 09:25 AM

so no codes are showing then I assume? The only things that come to mind are the a.i.r. check balls or a lifter tick at this point.

jtredd · 11-30-2005, 10:43 AM

How do you inspect the a.i.r. check balls? Thanks.

**rotwiler** · 12-01-2005, 02:20 PM

Sounds odd...how long have you had the car? Did you change the oil at the same time? Did you put anything into the oil...etc.. Just spraying the TB cleaner into the TB shouldn't do that. I run a 1/2 bottle of GM top engine cleaner through the breather going into the TB twice a year. Reason I ask about did you change the oil, is ticking is common on many Ls1 cars and worse when it is cold out. Different oil can make the ticking worse or better and as car warms up, normally the ticking is less or not noticable. Once a year I run marvelous mystery oil with my oil for about a day and then get the oil changed(comes out very black). By doing the Marvelous mystery oil, running Mobile 1 10w30 and doing the GM top engine cleaner I have less ticking than when the car was new and actually is almost totally gone. The TB cleaner should only affect the fuel system, so can't see why any would cause ticking which is normally in the areas that contact oil or pistons.

jtredd · 12-05-2005, 02:41 PM

Good point rotwiler, we did get a cold snap here when it started. I changed the oil and added a quart of Lucas High Performance Oil Stabilizer and changed the gunked up PCV valve. It seems to help but the previously non-existent tick persists, definate boost in oil pressure. Adding a PCV oil can soon.