[rl968]

I have a ticking noise coming from the engine., mostly until car warms up and it's only heard at idle. I have two trains of thought: Lifters or something going on with the vario-cam. My mechanic did some research and seems that if it is related to the vario cam system, could be the pads or possibly the chain. Anyone have any experience with this? Removing engine cover would tell for sure, but before doing that, wanted to see what I might find here on the forum.



Car has 136k miles on it.



Thanks

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[JWahlsten]

Could be the fuel injectors. The lifters will typically only clickity-clack for a short time. Then once they fill they quiet down. I don't know what noise wearing chain pads make if any. I replaced mine shortly after purchasing the car. That being said, I wouldn't say this is an extremely quiet engine under normal conditions. Add headers and the symphony goes up another notch...

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[earossi]

A ticking noise that goes away when the car heats up is usually from a valve lifter that is dirty. Not uncommon for a car with as many miles as yours. Personally, as long as the ticking goes away, I would not worry about it. When it comes time to do a valve job on the head, then replace the lifters. The Vari Cam system is inoperative at idle, so don't know how it could cause a ticking sound. Issues with that system usually involve a worn chain and/or sprocket teeth missing on one or both cams (bad news).



Hope this helps.

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[flash]

while the variocam is not technically "inoperative" at idle, it is not engaged either - the chain still ride across the pads - that being said, i find it unlikely that it has anything to do with a ticking noise and certainly not one that goes away - the only way i see that happening is if the cylinder is jammed up, and rests below the pad height, and then warms up and makes contact - the pads would have to be pretty warn to allow that to happen though, and you would certainly be able to see it if you pulled the valve cover



i agree that it is likely a lifter - mine do it when the engine sits for a while - takes a few minutes to go away, and sometimes i even have to drive it to get it to go away

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[rl968]

So I changed the oil from 15w-50 to 0w-40. It was 30 degrees out this morning and car had been sitting a few days, fired it up and absolutely no ticking noise, quiet as a kitten. Anyone care to tell me what has happened here? That is why I hear ticking w/15-50 and not with 0 weight.

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[flash]

sounds like you might have a couple of somewhat clogged oil inlets in the lifters



i would run some run-rite oil treatment in the oil, drive it for a few hundred miles, and then change the oil out again

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[madridcab]

Had sudden ticking in my cab some months ago, and as I was on borrowed time for a variocam service, decided to flatbet it to get looked at. Turned out lifters were gone on the exhaust side. Had the variocam pads and chain changed, plus a full re-seal of the engine (including bottom end) so ended up costing a bit, but now the car is silent and dry.. (according to the mechanic, all internals looked like new at 100K, although I am wondering what happened to the lifters..?)

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[rxter]

Sounds like money well spent

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