GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I've been chasing this damn ping for a very long time and it's really getting to me. I've changed the belt and tensioner pulley. The damper is fine. The car pings when the engine is cold. It's nothing I've heard before on any car. It sounds a little like detonation, but I'm sure it's not. I get no codes and the car runs fine. The only way I can describe it is: It sounds like an electric arc. Exactly like an Arc welder. I can't seem to locate it. It's a very fast ping. I think it may be there all the time but very pronounced when cold and appears right off of idle through the RPM band. It does not sound like a valve lash issue. It's way to fast and not solid enough. It really just sounds like an electric arc as mentioned.

How long after it starts does it go away?

Goes away once temp comes up. ABout 10 mins. Sound is always there but very faint under relatively hard acceleration but always there when cold and under any kind of acceleration. Happens when car is in gear (auto). Cant duplicate it with a brake stand, but I can duplicate it when in neutral and I step on the gas and really bring the revs up.

Is the noise right behind the intake filter box & Is it more like a ticking noise that increases as you rev the rpm's? If so, it's probably the VSV valve noise which is normal for these cars.

I'm unable to locate the sound as it's something I really only here when the car is cold and moving. It is a tick but a very fast tick. It really does sound like an electrical arc. Is the VSV filter the VVTi thing I've seen mentioned here or is that something different? Is the VSV something that is temp related?

After paying more attention to the area you mentioned, I think it may indeed be that valve. I can here it modulate when I use a stethoscope and it makes a sound quite similar to what I here. It does come and go with different RPM. This is not something that was always there. I've owned the car since new. Does this valve just wear out? Wondering if it may need a change.