ticking on ideling, no tick over 1300rpm (listen youtube clip...)

[squirrel9]

Somewhere from engine area comes quite loud ticking and it is there only until ~1300rpm.
Listen on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXGPwvUcbkA

Over 1300rpm ticking is gone. If engine is compleatly cold no ticking as well, if 3-4 min warms up a bit ticking comes in.
Pair valve, reed valve etc can't make this because my Valk does not have these.
Vacuums have checked, seems ok. Intake o-rings not changed, plan to do it on this week.
Exhaust gaskets I have not checked. Valves checked and adjusted. New spark plugs.

Can exhaust gaskets make this clear ticking sound and only on low ideling rpm?
Can timing belt tensioners make that? It does not sound as bad bearing sound for me at least...
Vacuum leak? But why it is only on ideling then?

Thanks if can give me ideas how to find the source of tick.

Toomas

[Daniel Meyer]

Check out all 6 of the vacuum lines or caps at the manifolds (they crack right at the fitting on the manifold and make a very pronounced ticking noise).

You can usually stick your finger on 'em while it's running and tell what's what.

[Chrisj CMA]

a friend of mine, his interstate made a noise just like you describe.  Drove us nuts.......we tried unplugging the sparg plug wires one by one until we found the one that when unplugged the sound went away.  So we fifured it was electrical....either the plug wire or a coil.  But since it didnt affect anything he never fixed it, just ignored.

[shortleg]

  Yes, the exhaust gaskets can cause that sound.
 What I would ask is was the exhaust removed at
any time lately?
   Watch out putting your ear near the exhaust!
         Shortleg[Dave]

[squirrel9]

Answering: Exhaust has been not removed/installed lately. Just I am new owner... so for me this tick has been always. Will plan to borrow some stethoscope and try to find the origin of that sound.
So far I feel that sound is coming from top of engine or close to timing belts area, but difficut to say.
I will try to record that noise and put a link here.

Thanks.

[Ricky-D]

A length of garden hose makes a great stethoscope.

You can remove the front cover for the timing belt area with no ill affects and run the motor to identify or eliminate that particular item of question.

***

[rangernight]

I just went thru a loud tick situation and found that after ajusting valves, changing timing belts, plugs, etc. I still had the tick, would check and double check valves still had the tick----actualy took the valve cover off and fired it up-- discovered that the tick was from the valve train, I could shake the rocker arm and it made the exact tick, however when cold, it checked perfect.  I checked all the valves while hot and set the trouble valve to this setting-----fired it up and it was very quiet.

[lucky_1_chris]

Mine does the exact same thing. No tick when cold, once it's warmed up a little it ticks from the front left (seems to be the front left, anyway), and the ticking goes away at about 13-1400 rpm's. I've always assumed it was the pair valve(s), but now I'm not so sure. I'm interested to see what you find.

[squirrel9]

I added soundtrack with that ticking...
Any ideas what can make that?

Thanks!

[Ricky-D]

Have you not tried the stethoscope yet?

***

[squirrel9]

I have not had time to buy bit of tube... but tomorrow will find it and check.

[rangernight]

I would pull off the valve cover on the left side, place a pan under the fat girls valve cover and fire her up---you will find that the tick is coming from the #2 valve rocker----That is the exact same noise mine made.

[Chrisj CMA]

is the idle low.........should be around 1,000

[squirrel9]

Ideling is on 900 approx, this should be ok by manual. Also when I open throttle a bit rpm reaches to 1400.

[Chrisj CMA]

try starting the engine then remove one spark plug wire, replace it and go to the next one.  See if one makes the sound go away as soon as you disconnect it. We found the center plug on the left side when disconnected, the sound went away

[R J]

From your sound video, I'm guessing it is an exhaust gasket.

If you pull that exhaust down by chance, have a new set of gaskets on hand before ya take a bolt out.   They break off real easy so don't play Hercules or Superman on them.  I think the spec is 5ft/in.    That is INCH, not pounds.

Some of them are a bitch to get at, so I have a 1/4" drive ratchet, stub handle, a 6" extension, and a wiggle low profile socket.     Bought all of this at a Pawn Shop years ago.

When you do pull the exhaust off, have a nice pointed 90 degree angle tip.    Go up in the port and catch the gasket.   Some stick pretty good so make sure ya get one out of every hole.    If ya don't get one out of every hole, make sure all the holes look the same.   Use a flashlight to look and  see.

I changed out an exhaust for a fellow VRCC'er.    Asked if the exhaust had ever been off, he said not that he knew of, then he remembered they took one off to remove a rear tire and said that one hole didn't have a gasket.   Determined which one it was and it had 2 gaskets in it.   Replaced the pipes and sent him home happy as a pig in a mud hole. 

[squirrel9]

OK, thanks for all ideas. Will change exhaust gaskets also as I have one set ordered!
Will sleep a bit now... as we have midnight here... and tomorrow will investigate on that.