VR6 clicking noise - Any ideas?

[VR6 Lee 0]

Since my car has come out of its winter hibernation I am getting a clicking noise from the engine. The noise seems to be coming from the area marked in black but without taking the manifold off I can't really see anything. The noise is like a switch clicking on and off.

 

There is no pattern to the clicking noises.. it will happen say at 1 seconds and then you might get 5 in a row and then off for 13 seconds and then only 1 click... very strange

 

Any idea?

 

 

[robrado974 1]

Probably sticky tappets . Mine has not been started for around 6 months due to work being done on the car .I knew it would be tapping and clicking a bit . It's now been started around 6 times and left to warm up.shes now back to her quiet self when starting. Put a vid up for people to hear the noise .

[Jim 1]

Yep stick up a video so we can have a listen.

[VR6 Lee 0]

I'll try and get a video of it tomorrow. will be hard to hear it with the engine noise

[Harrier 1]

Plug lead arcing?

[coullstar 0]

So its intermittent? Could be tappet if its not been used for a while. Did you drive it at all and did it go away?

[vagstuff 13]

Plug lead arcing?

 

 

Yeah, per Harrier earlier, ie : Plug lead arcing ?

 

a likely suspect indeed, as I had very similar symptoms recently of a variable & intermittent 'clicking' / 'spitting' noise, and an accompanying misfire that was accentuated under heavy load at low revs - issue traced straight to one HT lead that had developed a break-point at its connector housing ...

 

... my arcing 'clicking' noise & its misfire were completely sorted with new HT leads

 

 

 

I hope this helps, Lee, and that your situation proves to be a similarly easy fix

[Tigerfish 10]

Ditto the plug lead arcing.

 

Start the car up in the dark, it'll be easy to see if it is arcing.