This is topic 03 Cobra Ticking noise? in forum Tech Talk at Northern California Ford Owners  .


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Posted by SL0BRA650 (Member # 10274) on :
 
I just recently started noticing this ticking noise. Can really hear it while idle, goes away when the rpms are up. Haven't heard the noise before I redlined it. Drives perfectly. The heads are done to eliminate that 03 cobra head issue. Sounds like the ticking is coming from up top near the driver side valve cover. Stock injectors by the way. Any opinions would be appriciated.

Over the driver valve cover:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMoGr0h4H2I&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Under the driver door/valve cover:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww7GcbPaHvY&feature=youtube_gdata_player
 
Posted by LXjames (Member # 10791) on :
 
Timing chain/guide?
 
Posted by SL0BRA650 (Member # 10274) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by LXjames:
Timing chain/guide?
No idea. Can only hear the ticking when idling.
 
Posted by ReekingHavoc (Member # 10372) on :
 
definitely timing chain guides. mine went out but on my 2v, started ticking at idle would go away then come back, until the chain was loose enough to break the guide completely. I would fix it asap and not get on it too hard, my guides broke and all the plastic pieces ended up in the oil pan blocking the oil pickup and car had no oil pressure, had to get it towed home.

might be something else but sound is similar to what happen to me

[ September 03, 2012, 12:05 AM: Message edited by: ReekingHavoc ]
 
Posted by SL0BRA650 (Member # 10274) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by ReekingHavoc:
definitely timing chain guides. mine went out but on my 2v, started ticking at idle would go away then come back, until the chain was loose enough to break the guide completely. I would fix it asap and not get on it too hard, my guides broke and all the plastic pieces ended up in the oil pan blocking the oil pickup and car had no oil pressure, had to get it towed home.

might be something else but sound is similar to what happen to me
I don't know, I still keep in touch with The previous Owner And he told me that when he had the motor rebuilt, he had all the timing chain guides done. The motor has 3.3k mi on it since rebuild.
 
Posted by SL0BRA650 (Member # 10274) on :
 
Better video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hki7YC6mlFI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Doesn't sound like the ticking is coming from the timing cover. The ticking sounds louder when I go above the driver side injectors
 
Posted by DSGMach (Member # 11304) on :
 
I had the same problem in my mach, ended up being a valve guide. Do you have the head cooling mod? Highly recommend, it might be too late though..
 
Posted by SL0BRA650 (Member # 10274) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by DSGMach:
I had the same problem in my mach, ended up being a valve guide. Do you have the head cooling mod? Highly recommend, it might be too late though..
Yeah it does have the cooling mod. I have no idea what else it can be, timing chain/guide was done during the rebuild. Only thing I can think of is maybe an injector tick? Sounds like the ticking is coming from above the driver side valve cover and not the timing cover
 
Posted by LXjames (Member # 10791) on :
 
Pull the clip off the injector while car is running see if it goes away
 
Posted by SLOWSN95 (Member # 8269) on :
 
Sounds too loud to be an injector. That sounds like valvetrain to me.
 
Posted by SL0BRA650 (Member # 10274) on :
 
Any good mustang shops in the bay area for this type of problem?
 
Posted by dohc90lx (Member # 11863) on :
 
sounds like a lifter or follower to me. they go out all the time. pull the valve cover and look for any spongy ones. typical to hear them only at idle because off idle the oil pressure comes up and can compensate for a bad lifter. check the followers too. sometimes the rollers will devolpe a flat spot./
 
Posted by SL0BRA650 (Member # 10274) on :
 
The lifters/followers are stock. I just got done idling it right now. The ticking continues even while/during the rpms rises. And the ticking goes faster as the rpms rise
 
Posted by SLOWSN95 (Member # 8269) on :
 
What kind of cams do u have? Do you know if the springs have been upgraded as well?
 
Posted by SL0BRA650 (Member # 10274) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by SLOWSN95:
What kind of cams do u have? Do you know if the springs have been upgraded as well?
Ford GT cams with comp valve springs and retainers.
 
Posted by dohc90lx (Member # 11863) on :
 
still think its a lifter. they arent hard to change, you will need a special tool from otc to remove the followers. you wont be able to tell without pulling the valve cover though. remove each lifter from the head if you can compress it what so ever with your fingers they are bad. dont reuse the valve cover gasket. once oil has hit it it swells and will leak if you try to re-use it. put a dime size dab of grey silicon where the timing cover meets the head too.
 
Posted by blown95svt (Member # 8893) on :
 
Google cobra valve tick. Your not the only one. Def not a lifter or timing chain guides. It's the valve guide in the early style heads. I know ford came out with the updated head but not sure if they helped. The updated head will have a blue painted stripe on the exhaust side, from my understanding.
 
Posted by Smoked50 (Member # 9592) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by blown95svt:
Google cobra valve tick. Your not the only one. Def not a lifter or timing chain guides. It's the valve guide in the early style heads. I know ford came out with the updated head but not sure if they helped. The updated head will have a blue painted stripe on the exhaust side, from my understanding.
This. I don't think it's loud enough of a tick to be a lifter.
 
Posted by SLOWSN95 (Member # 8269) on :
 
I understand you just bought the car, but you dont know for sure if the valvetrain has what you think it has. You definitely dont want to drop a valve. Pull the valve cover before you do anything else!!
 
Posted by mkhan2001 (Member # 11925) on :
 
could be small exhust leak. on my cobra it was making amost same sound i thoug was injector then thougt was lifter then after i month found the problem it it was headers gasket and small crack.
 
Posted by SL0BRA650 (Member # 10274) on :
 
So I'm starting to this it's really the 03 head tick. [Frown] any solutions to this? I already have the cooling mod but that clearly isn't working
 
Posted by SantaClara_Cobra (Member # 9488) on :
 
If you were closer we could compare my cobra has 05 revised heads put on 2000 miles ago

[ September 29, 2012, 12:03 PM: Message edited by: SantaClara_Cobra ]
 
Posted by SLOWSN95 (Member # 8269) on :
 
Did you pull the valve cover??
 
Posted by SL0BRA650 (Member # 10274) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by SantaClara_Cobra:
If you were closer we could compare my cobra has 05 revised heads put on 2000 miles ago
where did you buy them at?
 
Posted by SL0BRA650 (Member # 10274) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by SLOWSN95:
Did you pull the valve cover??
nah, i got no time with work and school. i just been reading hella write ups and been on different forums posting my vids, getting ppls feedbacks. sometime in the winter ima bring it to a shop.
 
Posted by SLOWSN95 (Member # 8269) on :
 
Doesnt take long to pull the cover off. Pull the cover and check the valve springs. Maybe theres a broken spring.
 
Posted by SLOWSN95 (Member # 8269) on :
 
Double post. Damn smart phone

[ September 30, 2012, 11:24 AM: Message edited by: SLOWSN95 ]
 




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