Front end ticking..

[78SierraGrandeTX]

Can anyone help me identify what this ticking noise is? It sounds likes it is coming from the serpentine setup, and when it “ticks” the belt seems to wobble.

I just replaced the belt tensioner and the idler pulley, thinking it was one of those two. The power steering pump pulley has some play to it, but if I tighten it in anymore it wouldn’t be in line with the rest of the pulleys.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance

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[Rusty Nail]

Sounds like valve tap to me..check the oil lately?

 

[Bextreme04]

Yeah, I agree with rusty... or like something is getting hit by the fan blades intermittently.

 

[79dentside]

Check your accessories. I had a very close sound on my 350 that would fade in and out. It was a power steering pump bearing in my case.

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[78SierraGrandeTX]

My power steering pump doesn’t even have 300 miles on it. So hopefully it didn’t fail already.

I just now pulled my valve covers and am tightening up the loose rocker arms. I didn’t originally think it was the rocker arms because the noise doesn’t get faster with higher rpms. However still gonna tightening up whatever ones are loose.

 

[82sbshortbed]

Ac clutch?

 

[78SierraGrandeTX]

Wasn’t the rocker arms. Truck doesn’t make the noise at startup. But once I give it some gas, then let it go back to idle the tick starts again and stays.

I look into the AC clutch.

 

[79dentside]

My power steering pump doesn’t even have 300 miles on it. So hopefully it didn’t fail already.

I just now pulled my valve covers and am tightening up the loose rocker arms. I didn’t originally think it was the rocker arms because the noise doesn’t get faster with higher rpms. However still gonna tightening up whatever ones are loose.

It could very easily be another accessory though is what I was implying. If you don’t have a mechanics stethoscope, they are fantastic tools to have. They can help zero in on the noise, just have to be careful to not put it on anything that’s moving!

 

[Rusty Nail]

Yeah...i'd take the belt off and see if it still makes that tick. Eliminate the accessories from the equation.

 

[79dentside]

Yeah...i'd take the belt off and see if it still makes that tick. Eliminate the accessories from the equation.

Bingo. I have done the same.

 

[78SierraGrandeTX]

Great idea, I don’t think I’ll be able to get to it today. But I’ll get it done tomorrow, and will give an updated.

 

[Bextreme04]

I didn’t originally think it was the rocker arms because the noise doesn’t get faster with higher rpms.

That kind of rules out almost everything on the engine then.... even an accessory would be getting faster with engine RPM, right? It's definitely an odd noise. I agree you should take the belt off and see what happens. Don't run it too long like that though, since your water pump wont be running.

 

[Knight84]

Bearings going bad are consistent due to the race being damaged. You can see the belt smacking around when the noise is happening. I'd start by checking the belt for damage.

 

[78SierraGrandeTX]

Well I took off the belt today, and the noise was gone. So it surely has to be something on the serpentine setup. I do believe it may be the AC since the noise seems to be loudest over there.

The Pervious owner had put this “93 motor in the truck, with all of the pulleys and so on. So the AC unit tubing is cut and isn’t connected to anything.

So I don’t really wanna buy a new AC since it isn’t even going to blow cold air. ( Or could I rig this unit up to the trucks original AC without much difficulty?) Any ideas on how I can get around this?

 

[79dentside]

I’d say do yourself a favor and find out what’s making the noise, then go from there. Mechanics stethoscope will really help you if you don’t already have one. I bought mine from harbor freight and it has paid dividends.