Loud ticking noise coming from engine!

[jblackburn]

Honestly...your idle sounds a bit low.

Look for a loose oil cap or dipstick. They will cause a vacuum leak and cause the car to be confused about idle.

[waveride333]

here is an audio visual. You will notice that the clicking noise increases with rpms http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIaxgWlDzcI

[jblackburn]

NOW I hear something else in that video when you move the camera to the back.

Hmm, that sounds like the timing chain making noise. If you can put your hand on the left side of the engine, away from the Ecotec cover, and feel for something knocking against the cover, that will help isolate the noise. Try a paper towel tube or pipe of some sort and poke around parts of the engine with it to your ear. This will help you isolate exactly where the noise is coming from.

[jdubb11]

is there any oil in it

[waveride333]

I had an oil change done at the dealer 2 days ago and I always check my oil after. I rechecked the oil for a leak. Oil is clean and full.

[steve333]

The timing chain on GM ecotec engines has always been loud, even this newer 1.4T version. Think this one is loud you should hear the old 2.2 "eco-tick" when the oil was cold, sounded like a diesel engine.

A timing chain will always make more noise than a belt, but I prefer the noise to having expensive maintenance & possible failure of a belt.

My 2.2 with 70,000 miles is pretty quiet, don't recall hearing a ticking but of course now I will!

[obermd]

My 2.2 with 70,000 miles is pretty quiet, don't recall hearing a ticking but of course now I will!

Bingo.

[sciphi]

It was 10*F when I started my Eco this morning after sitting in similar weather all night. The engine made a lot of ticking noises. Injectors, lifters, it sounded like a bunch of marbles rattling around in there. The cacophony subsided as the engine warmed up. Later when it was warmed up, it was its usual silent self.

It's not unique to this engine either. Our Fit's lifters can be heard from 30 feet away on a very cold morning. That car is also running the recommended full synthetic 0w-20, so it has enough oil pressure and flow.

My brother's minivan with the 3400 V6 sounds like death warmed over on cold startups. From the piston slapping you'd swear that engine was going to chuck a rod any second. Nope, it's a typical slap-happy 3400.

If those 20k miles were during warmer weather and the noises go away once the engine is warmed up, it's perfectly normal.

[Silver Streak]

If your car has noises that you think are not normal, find a friend with the same car or even go to the dealer and ask to start up and hear a Cruze running. If your car sounds like the others, although it may be louder than you recall, your vehicle is consistent with other vehicles. It doesn't totally mean this is right, but at least you know you sound like the others.

I had a similar situation this weekend. Started car with hood raised and heard all of the clicking and clacking. Lowered hood to the normal state, and now the car sounded "normal to me. In my case I am running 5W-30 Mobil 1. I am going to stick with a Dexos 1 approved oil for my protection.

[steve333]

Yep, I hear it.
**** it!