DB9 engine ticking noise - help please

[MaverickAM9]

Hello again fellow Astoners’,

I am hoping you can help me, I have a ticking coming from my engine (or it might be the drive shaft tunnel), I need to find the noise before I can take it to a garage to have it sorted. I have a warranty on the car and they will NOT pay for diagnostics, only sorting the problem.

At cold the ticking noise is not too bad and even hard to hear some times, as the engine heats up and gets to normal temp, that is when the noise really comes into it’s own.

I know its hard to track down noises because sound travels, but its noisiest under the drivers door. I have taken it to a couple of places and we have lifted the bonnet (which makes the noise disappear because the engine noise takes over). One mechanic recons it’s coming from the drivers side head of the engine. Another mechanic recons it’s coming from the drive shaft tunnel. One mechanic said he wants to lift the car and take the under fairing off. One chap said that the ticking noise is running at half engine speed, I thought it might be at engine speed, but he is much more knowledgeable then me. So it sounds like it’s half engine speed.

I know people say its injectors, but this is defo not. I’ve taken the engine cover off and felt the injectors and they felt good (heart beat etc) and the noise was defo not from them.

If you sit in traffic with the radio off, you can hear a clear ticking noise, having said that I’m a fuss-pot, my parents laugh as they can’t hear anything, but I know its wrong. If you lift the bonnet the noise goes because the general engine noise takes over, it’s most easily heard if you get out of the drivers side through the front bonnet vent and clearly under the car.

I’m slightly mechanically minded, but I make no claim to being a mechanic, and I’m damned stumped. I’m desperate for your ideas ……….

Thanks in anticipation.

[brakedwell]

Buy a cheap stethoscope on Fleabay and listen in different places. You should be able to identify the area it is coming from.

[F1 NDW]

It may be an exhaust manifold leak developing.

[MaverickAM9]

Stethascope sounds so obvious, dahhhhh, good idea.

F1, interesting about an exhaust manifold, didn;t think of that, couldn't expand a little could you ? I didn't think that could make a ticking sound, but you obviously have an idea of something........

[897sma]

Screwdriver with the handle to your ear works the same. Touch the pointy end on things to listen.

[GTDB7]

There are a growing number of V12 engines developing a ticking noise, mostly at idle during shorter journeys.

Long motorway cruises don't seem to summon the noise.


So far after 18 months of detective work it's pointing to the Oil Pump assembly.

However, We also had assumed that post V12 Vanquish engines were fitted with a different pump.

The Vanquish S has a new pump. What year is your DB9, if it's an early one then is could possibly be the same pump as DB7 / Vanquish models.

[MaverickAM9]

Interesting, it is an early 9, one of the first ones for the public. Is the oil pump at the bottom of the engine? Because that seems to be where the noise (I think) is coming from. How would the oil pump make a ticking noise?

Would a wonkey oil pump put the engine at risk?

I find this most interesting .....thanks in antisipation

[F1 NDW]

MaverickAM9 said:

Stethascope sounds so obvious, dahhhhh, good idea.

F1, interesting about an exhaust manifold, didn;t think of that, couldn't expand a little could you ? I didn't think that could make a ticking sound, but you obviously have an idea of something........

From experience, a very small exhaust leak sounds exactly like a ticking noise. Just give it time to develope into a fully blown gasket and you will then find it easilly. The noise will have change by then and it will sound like a motorbike without a silencer.

[SLacKer]

MaverickAM9 said:

Stethascope sounds so obvious, dahhhhh, good idea.

F1, interesting about an exhaust manifold, didn't think of that, couldn't expand a little could you ? I didn't think that could make a ticking sound, but you obviously have an idea of something........

I have one of these and you will be amazed at how much you can hear with the probe. The major advantage over a screwdriver to the ear is that it is flexible so can get to those awkward places. Also because your ears full of stethoscope it dulls out ambient sound.

[v8woollie]

MaverickAM9 said:

Hello again fellow Astoners’,

I am hoping you can help me, I have a ticking coming from my engine (or it might be the drive shaft tunnel), I need to find the noise before I can take it to a garage to have it sorted. I have a warranty on the car and they will NOT pay for diagnostics, only sorting the problem.

At cold the ticking noise is not too bad and even hard to hear some times, as the engine heats up and gets to normal temp, that is when the noise really comes into it’s own.

I know its hard to track down noises because sound travels, but its noisiest under the drivers door. I have taken it to a couple of places and we have lifted the bonnet (which makes the noise disappear because the engine noise takes over). One mechanic recons it’s coming from the drivers side head of the engine. Another mechanic recons it’s coming from the drive shaft tunnel. One mechanic said he wants to lift the car and take the under fairing off. One chap said that the ticking noise is running at half engine speed, I thought it might be at engine speed, but he is much more knowledgeable then me. So it sounds like it’s half engine speed.

I know people say its injectors, but this is defo not. I’ve taken the engine cover off and felt the injectors and they felt good (heart beat etc) and the noise was defo not from them.

If you sit in traffic with the radio off, you can hear a clear ticking noise, having said that I’m a fuss-pot, my parents laugh as they can’t hear anything, but I know its wrong. If you lift the bonnet the noise goes because the general engine noise takes over, it’s most easily heard if you get out of the drivers side through the front bonnet vent and clearly under the car.

I’m slightly mechanically minded, but I make no claim to being a mechanic, and I’m damned stumped. I’m desperate for your ideas ……….

Thanks in anticipation.

It may be a clock ticking telling you that you don't have much time left to get rid of that mobile bath chair, get a proper drivers car and get into a V8 for some exciting driving before you are too old

[MaverickV12]

F1 NDW said:

From experience, a very small exhaust leak sounds exactly like a ticking noise. Just give it time to develope into a fully blown gasket and you will then find it easilly. The noise will have change by then and it will sound like a motorbike without a silencer.

I have a Mechanic friend coming on Wednesday to lift the car and take all the underfairing off. He will look at the complete exhaust system.

I have a steathascope on order.

Anything else he can look for at the same time ?

[F1 NDW]

MaverickV12 said:

I have a Mechanic friend coming on Wednesday to lift the car and take all the underfairing off. He will look at the complete exhaust system.

I have a steathascope on order.

Anything else he can look for at the same time ?

If it's ticking its most likely the manifold onto the head gasket that is going.

[MaverickV12]

Right, lifted the car up, and took off the underfairing, then looked at the exhaust manifolds, thinking that I would have fair acces to the underside of the exhaust manifold.

Did I hell ....

Could not see sod all, even just looking from the top and you could, "just", see the manifolds. Tried to look as best that we could at the manifold, but could not see anything. However I must state that it was inconclusive. The Stethascope was late coming from eBay, so we will wait again and see what I can do with a Stethascope.

With no stereo in the car (my SatNav is removed and the whole system won't work) so i can hear every burp, tink, whirl, tick and bang that the car makes, so I can hear it clearer and hear it all the time as opposed to when the radio is off.

Anyone got any other idea's, I'm willing to listen, if not then I'll be pouring over the engine with the Stethascope to locate the ticking .....

[MaverickV12]

Back again.

I had a PM from GTDB7 with a link. Thanks GTDB7 I started to read it then realised that the thing was huge, i'll read it tonight, some points that seem common I'd thought I'd mention immediately.

I have changed the oil more regularly than the service history, so when the it becomes dirty, I change it. A bit of OCD I'm afraid. I only use Mobile1, the 0W-40 stuff. I am going to buy some engine oil flush and re-change the oil again.

I do quite a lot of driving, so I doubt if it is air trapped in the engine oil.

But, importantly, when the engine is stone cold, I can't hear the ticking, when the engine warms up (within minutes) it starts to make the ticking noise. If I go for a, "spirited run", then the ticking is very clear and evident.

I will put the injectors back on the list of, "possibles", which basically puts everything back on the list.

Should get the Stethascope shortly.

Here is the link that GTDB7 kindly gave me.

http://www.astonmartinlife.com/forums/engine-ticki...

[B1 ECC]

If you need access to the exhaust manifolds to use the probe, remove the front wheel arch liners, they are easier to see/access? over the front chassis rail.

[kabman]

MaverickAM9 said:

Hello again fellow Astoners’,

but its noisiest under the drivers door. I have taken it to a couple of places and we have lifted the bonnet (which makes the noise disappear because the engine noise takes over). One mechanic recons it’s coming from the drivers side head of the engine. Another mechanic recons it’s coming from the drive shaft tunnel.

One possible source of a ticking sound coming from that area is the PWM controlled solenoid that regulates flow from the fuel vapour recovery tank. It's under the floor to the right of the bellhousing. It has an isolated mount but if it's misaligned it could be transfering noise to the floor.

[MaverickV12]

kabman said:

One possible source of a ticking sound coming from that area is the PWM controlled solenoid that regulates flow from the fuel vapour recovery tank. It's under the floor to the right of the bellhousing. It has an isolated mount but if it's misaligned it could be transfering noise to the floor.

Thats very interesting, may I ask how you know this?

The reason i ask is that the vapour recovery system is not working correctly, and the airintakes are filling with oil and th eoil is bunging up the airfilters. I have put a seperate post about this on Piston Heads. I did think about resolving this matter first, then look at the ticking. But then thought that I'd do them together.

If it were to be what you are saying then resolving the oil vapour recovery issue may go a long way (or resolve totally) the ticking noise.

Can you give me any further info?

Thanks

[kabman]

Aah! You're talking about the crankcase breather system. I'm not familiar with the layout on the V12 but, generally, there are usually a couple of non-return valves involved to ensure there is always a depression in the crankcase, and a seperator to remove oil mist and drain it back into the sump. Some oil in the intake is normal but if any of this gubbins gets blocked (usually as a result of lots of short trips where the engine never warms up completely) you'll get a excessive amount. It might not be enough to cause noticable smoke in the exhaust or a significant drop in the oil level but it won't do the catalysts or lambda sensors any good. On a DB9 the breather system is located under the intake manifolds, between the two banks of cylinders, so servicing it is a nightmare

The fuel vapour recovery system ventilates the fuel tank via a tank filled with activated charcoal and then recycles the trapped fuel vapour into the intake manifold when the engine is running.

The two shouldn't be related in any way.

Edited by kabman on Saturday 8th December 16:54

Edited by kabman on Saturday 8th December 16:55

[MaverickV12]

Bugger, bugger, bugger.

Ok, What is a Pulse Width Modulator and where do I find it? Is it the PWM that is the problem or what holds it to the car?

Is it easy to find ?

Do you have a photo ?

Thanks

[kabman]

PWM just means it clicks on and off very fast.
I can't find a photo of the valve in situ but it looks like this.


With the undertray off, follow the fuel and vapour pipes from the back of the car to the front (there are about three or four grouped together on the right hand side of the floorpan) and you'll find the valve near the back of the engine. Sorry I can't be more specific - It's quite a while since I've looked under a DB9 so I'm writing this from memory.

It's usual for it to make a tapping noise but it shouldn't be noticable from inside the car. The pipes are held in rubber lined clips so they don't transmit the noise. Just check nothing's touching where it shouldn't be.