Hi guys,

When I started up the max yesterday, I noticed a weird noise, so I stopped and popped the hood. I heard clicking sound that sounded like an old-school clock. Kinda hard to describe, but it sounded like "ticka tocka"

I tried to follow the sound, and it sounded like it was either coming from underneath the throttle body, or closer to the engine.

I know this i vague, but I have no CEL (not sure about any ghost codes, haven't checked), the car doesn't seem to perform any differently (except for maybe a little lost gas mileage which may or may not be related)

Ideas?

 

It just might be a valve tick?

 

Are you sure it's not coming from the passenger side? If the noise goes away after the car is fully warmed up, it is usually associated with the timing chain tensioner. Mine needs to be changed too. After a cold start i get the noise but it goes away after a while.

Also, I think I've read before that the IACV can sometimes make a ticking sound. If you're sure that the noise came from that area, that could be the source of it.

 

Would that be a malfunction in the IACV? Or is it normal?

Also, I will definitely try tonight and see if it clicks when warm. If it is the tensioner, how hard is that to replace? Is it an expensive part?

 

im pretty sure its just the valves

 

Sounds more like a stuck lifter to me.

The typical valve ticking isn't really like a clock, much too frequent.

Take it into a mechanic and he'll be able to tell you if it's normal or not within seconds - No diagnostic fee.

 

What exactly is a lifter? also, mechanics in my area don't really do that type of thing...they always want money for any diagnosis.

So it stays on clicking even if the car is warm, so i guess its more likely that its a lifter? is that something I can do myself? Or is that really involved?

 

Well, I wouldn't go changing things if you're not even sure that's what it is. But you should be used to the regular valve tick that these cars make, and based on your description it seems that it is a little out of the ordinary - especially if you've owned your car for a while and you're only now noticing the sound. BTW the valves may still make noise after the engine is warm.

These cars don't have hydraulic lifters, so perhaps it's a sticking valve. (This is all assuming that it's not the normal valve chatter.) Either way I doubt you'd be able to really notice a loss of power if you had one stuck valve.

Lifters are in between the cam and the valve (spring).


#12:




Maybe you can find someone on the board who lives near you to listen to it.

Good luck.

 

I doubt it is a stuck lifter... The car would be running like massive ****... The cam lobe would have to be like bad too for it to get stuck, and if it was stuck the valve would not open. There is 24 valves and 24 lifters and if one is stuck the car will run crappy and could throw a code.

The clicking sound is either a belt, ur alt or the timing chain tensioner, or fuel injectors...

 

+1. i have noticed this noise as well. i havent been doing much to the car lately to have the hood up, but i recently cleaned the IACV and havent made note to listen for it. i have an oil change coming up, and if i hear it after the IACV cleaning, then that isnt it, if not, then clean the IACV. i know the exact noise the OP is talking about. i can pretty well assure you it is not in any of the valve train at all. i see no need for concern. i have noted the same symptoms as well. no decrease in performance, minus my KS being bad, creating the usual hesitation due to timing retardation and thus dropping fuel mileage…

 

Hmm, well I'm not having idle problems and I just cleaned out my TB a couple of weeks ago, so I'm really not sure what it is. I think when I get a spare weekend I will clean the IACV (i already have the gasket) and see if that stops it.

Sometime in the near future I'll take it to my buddy who knows more about nissans and see what he says.

 

Hope it isn't a big deal.

Sorry if I've misled in anyway. Haven't had the Maxima for quite a while now.

 

worked on the car today. changed oil just after getting off the interstate, did not here the clicking. worked on the car for a while, got nice and cold, started, no clicking. i would suggest cleaning the IACV. i dont hear the noise, and that was the latest thing i did to the car before today. no need for concern on the noise IMO.

 

Do you need to take off the TB and intake to clean the IACV? I'd rather not take it apart again, as it's a pain to get everything back on correctly. Also, I'm lazy

I was out of town this weekend, but I will try and see more precisely where it's coming from tomorrow night, and figure it out then.

Quick question: How do you remove relays? I'm trying to fix my cruise control and I'm checking the relay first, but I can't get the thing out of its spot. It looks like I'm supposed to use a screwdriver and push against the plastic tab thing, but it's still not moving...is there a trick or something?

 

Nope, don't have to take off the TB. Good pictures here:

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....highlight=iacv

You can always do the 'long screwdriver test'
place it on the IACV or in the area of where the ticking is coming from. Place your ear on the screwdriver handle and it'll be a lot easier to pinpoint the noise.