Ticking Noise

[JonCheun]

Hi everyone,
Hopefully you guys can help b/c I am stumped.

I am hearing a ticking noise from the driver side of the engine compartment when the engine is running.
I don't know where it is coming from. I am thinking its maybe the belt or the alternator but I can't tell for certain.
I thought maybe a misfire but I just changed the plugs and plug wires. I was having so many issue b/c the headers were burning the wires but I got some heat shields to solve the issue.

Any Ideas?

[1968k10blue]

i know on my truck the pass side furthest rear spark plug was sparking to the engine, but i changed the spark plug and it solved the other issue I was having but now I can hear a ticking through the radio. I also havent checked to see if it still is sparking, so that would be a good place to start. the best way to check this is when it is dark out look for the light of the spark, it may be hard to see if you have a street light near your house though.

[marvgarr68]

adjust the valves

[68gmsee]

My favorite to isolate where noises are coming from is a 2½ ft. piece of old garden hose. Put one end on the ear and the other end in various parts of the engine to isolate or at least try to determine the location.

If it's mostly when you first start it, a sticky or defective lifter could be the problem.

[big mike71]

Exhaust leak maybe?

[BADPURPLE70CHEVY]

You didnt say if you had headers or not but bad header gasket leaks can cause a ticking noise.

[ole dollor]

headers are hard on plug wires. boots could help with that, also an exhaust leak , or lifter can give a ticking sound...the garden house or long screwdriver can help find it, I have a mechanic stethoscope that works on most noises .

[Don Quixote]

I do agree with the bad header gasket but my alternator is a 100 amp 1 wire conversion and is pretty noisy, I just let it do it's thing.

[cdowns]

i'd look into the header exhaust pipe cause they r notorious for that problem

to check alt for noise take off the belt and run the engine if noise remains it is not altenator or belt

if you have auto tranny check the dust shield thingy on the bottom of the tranny it is not uncommen for it to hit the flexplater teeth

a sagging motor mount can cause the fan to hit the fan shroud

[GOPAPA]

Points and Condenser.. thinking of noise thru radio for this to make the ticking ..other than that go out at night
and run the engine in the dark and look for a wire jumping fire

[WIDESIDE72]

I had a similar issue with ticking through the radio once and my dad showed me how to put a loose loop in the coil wire. Fixed it!

[JonCheun]

Thanks Guys.

I had an exhaust leak from the header gaskets. They turned out to be a pain b/c they were stuck so I had to chip them off and clean it with a razor blade before putting the new one on.

[ole dollor]

Originally Posted by JonCheun

Thanks Guys.

I had an exhaust leak from the header gaskets. They turned out to be a pain b/c they were stuck so I had to chip them off and clean it with a razor blade before putting the new one on.

good to hear you found it, glad it was not something major ....

[Don Quixote]

I love the sound of something fixed right!