click click IS MY VIBE O K . . . ???

[philndz]

My vibe's engine doesn't sound very smooth (listening to it at idle) the rpms remain constant but it sounds very scratchy. but what worries me more is the clicking sound...if you put your ear anywhere near the airfilter housing (that general area) with the hood closed or open...you hear a click click click click sound...it is in time with the engine but seems very odd....it sounds like a loud wristwatch tick about 4 or 5 times per second.....i had a jeep that would make a knocking type sound at idle and a guy once mentioned it...he said something like the lifters were noisy or somthing.....any relation....ive got 10 K on the vibe now.....any help appreciated. thanx....-PHIL

[NSimkins]

I have the same noise. I only notice it when the engine is fully warmed up and at it's lowest normal idle. Everything I have read on this points to it being normal.Here is a thread that was previously started that I believe relates to your inquiry:http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=1478

[philndz]

thanx...thats encouraging....it just sounds so strange...while we are on the topic of noises....does anybody notice their exaust sound differs from time to time or day to day or whenever....sometimes mine sounds nice and clean and fairly throaty and overall healthy....on other days it sounds flat and airy with no "nice tone"....anyone??

[philndz]

seems like it varies w/ the tempreture....(or i could be nuts!)

[KSNeptune]

Guess what.... Sounds travel differently through air at different temperatures. Cold air is denser. Slows sound waves down.Or maybe not. Hmmmm....KSNeptune, but tired.

[Flip-Side]

I have the same clicking noise, and I am also told it is normal. The exhaust will vary with humidity, tempertature, altitude, ect. So I wouln't worry about it.

[Frosty]

I'll save you a trip to the dealer.....Turn up the stereo and enjoy the ride Seriously. Ensure your oil levels are normal, listen to a VTEC Honda sometime. Different orchestra, similar symphony.

[d_m_kolb]

I'm willing to beat the clicking noise your hearing is your four fuel injectors opening and closing several times a second. This sound is very normal and nothing to worry about if this is what is going on. If the sound is more metalic than it should be looked at by your service department.

[QUIKAG]

I noticed the exact same noise tonight!! Need some more info and encouragement that this is normal. It is not around the engine, but more in the air filter area. I just put on an AEM intake a week ago and if anyone is familiar with the installation procedure you mount up a bracket and attach a few 'things' to it. The sounds seems to be coming from there.It can't be the injectors as aren't the injectors in the engine? Can't be valve noise.....Anyone know FOR SURE what that freaking clicking noise around the air filter housing area?!?!?!?!?!!? PLEASE!!

[DABEAR95]

quote:I'm willing to beat the clicking noise your hearing is your four fuel injectors opening and closing several times a second. This sound is very normal and nothing to worry about if this is what is going on. If the sound is more metalic than it should be looked at by your service department.I agree, you can cleary hear the fuel injectors on my 2ZZ-JE. My Camaro has 8 injectors and I hear them as well.Jason

[QUIKAG]

It is not the fuel injectors. There are no fuel injectors outside of the engine in the air filter area....

[DABEAR95]

But that may be an area of high resonance in the engine compartment allowing the sound to appear as though it is emanating there.

[QUIKAG]

The only fuel injectors loud enough to hear are normally on diesels. Your TDI should make a nice racket. This is a different noise. It's a clicking sound. When I squeeze a vacuum line that goes to the squarish device making the noise, the clicking increases in intensity.

[MadBill]

OK, how about this: I haven't heard this noise myself, but I DID notice a solenoid just to the right rear of the air cleaner. It appears to relate to the evaporative emissions charcoal canister and perhaps it clicks as it cycles to control the purge air flow.

[QUIKAG]

Bill, There you go!! Now, we're getting some good info. I need to figure out the 'assessories' that are attached to the filter housing and how they work and why they would click as loud as they do. What you're describing sounds pretty good, but I would think they would have engineered it to not be as loud?!?!

[DABEAR95]

I didn't deny there was another noise, but you need to pop the hood on your car and listen to the engine. Most modern fuel injectors make noise (I think its mostly the ball and pintle design if I remember correctly). The injectors on the Golf are far from your typical fuel injectors and there is no way you can hear them with tone of the engine.Jason

[QUIKAG]

The noise that I can hear, the loud clicking, is definitely not the fuel injectors. It's away from the engine, come from the small, square metal box that a vacuum line connects to and also I believe the MAF and maybe something else. It seems to click from that box... The weather was a little bit warmer yesterday and the sound wasn't as noticeable. That or I'm getting used to it.

[DABEAR95]

I understand. I've never expressly listened to the engine in different area's. I have only listened to it as a whole standing back from the engine.

[QUIKAG]

A guy on newcelica.org said his XRS was making the same sound from the same area and took it to the dealership and they said it was normal, but the guy couldn't remember what the dealership said the device did. Oh well... I'm not too worried about it now. If the motor blows, I'm under warranty, so I don't care.

[Stang2Vibe]

I just heard this same noise last week one night when I let my car warm up before I left work. I went out and started the car and let it run for 10-15 minutes. The engine warmed up to normal operating temp and when I went to get in the car, I heard the clicking, but never heard it before. It has been rather cold here lately, so I thought the cold was causing a problem. I could hear it loud and clear from 10 feet away from the car with the hood closed. I opened the hood and determined that the clicking was coming from just behind the air intake tube (right by the air cleaner housing) and to the left of the master cylinder. Seemed to be down in the engine compartment a little, too, not right on top. I felt several of the components in the area to see if they were vibrating, but they weren't. It was dark out, so I couldn't really see down into the engine. I revved the engine up a little by pushing on the throttle arm attached to the throttle cable near the criuse control unit. When the engine picked up, the sound went away, but after it returned to idle for a few seconds, the clicking returned. It sounds like a solenoid clicking on and off quickly and at a very regular beat. I guess that it is normal. I've heard the fuel injector clicking sounds on other cars I've had, but this was much louder.As for the exhaust sounds varying, I have had this happen with other cars as well. The sound of the exhaust will change with temperature, humidity, and how warm the engine is. My Vibe sounds a bit harsh and raspy when cold on cold days then mellows out as the engine warms up. Sounds a bit softer and deeper on warmer days.

[QUIKAG]

Stang2Vibe,The sound you and I are hearing is IDENTICAL. I guess it's normal...

[Stang2Vibe]

Yes, I suppose so. I guess it just gets noticably louder when it is cold out.

[QUIKAG]

I don't know why, but that is my experience. If it's in the 30's or colder, the ticking will be louder. Today it was in the high 40's/50's here in Dallas and I didn't hear the ticking from inside the car with the volume down. Oh well.