Slight clicking sound

[Medicstrong222]

I'm in desperate need of some help. Have a problem that I cannot figure out. Two days ago started to hear a slight clicking while driving on the highway. When I got home I found that I was approximately 1 quart low of antifreeze. Filled it up and then drove the next day. While driving the sound started to get louder and the funny thing is my heat was iblowing about 50% hot when I had it on full blast hot. I have a new thermostat & water pump place a couple months ago. Today I changed out all my pushrods and lifters. Still no luck can't figure it out. Checked all my bolts and everything's tight. It's hard to tell where it's coming from on the engine. It sounds like it's on the passenger side around the distributor cap. It's the same whether the vehicles hot or cold. It also gives the sound when in neutral . The Oddball is when you start to push the gas it gets loud and then as the engine revs up it starts to die out. It's only when I touch the gas I can hear the clicking get louder . Any help from you great tj owners will be greatly appreciated.

 

[CherokeeKid]

I'm assuming the heat/coolant issue is unrelated?

Ticking could be an electrical short. I'd start by checking plug wires for abrasions. If they look okay, it make be helpful to run the engine in the dark and look for arc flashing. If no issues, I'd check the cap/rotor for condition. If oxidation/carbon buildup or a crack in the cap is observed, replace. May want to check the movement of the rotor bug, I don't have specs but there should be a maximum tolerance for the rotor drive to move, thinking a bushing could be bad. Is it running normally other than the clicking sound?

 

[Medicstrong222]

Unfortunately it does sound mechanical not electrical. I've been trying for about an hour now to post a video of the sound and it tells me that the video uploaded was not as expected. I don't know what that means.

 

[Medicstrong222]

Sing that I can't upload a video I will share link to it

https://1drv.ms/v/s!Aj0Oa6gL5_NogcIwkB4m8xuyJRSSVg

 

[Chris]

Have you done a leak down and compression test? You could be dealing with rod knock.

 

[Medicstrong222]

The only change is my heat is pushing out 50% hot as it use to. No power drop.

 

[WSS]

A diagnostic stethoscope might help. I’ve used a screwdriver to locate strange noises with good results but you gotta be careful not to get wrapped up in something. Touch the screwdriver to a suspected area and “listen” to the handle end of the screwdriver, move it around till you home in in the noise.

it does sound louder at the front. It’s possible the water pump is bad or broke a piece off, etc.. if you have a IR thermometer, you can check areas to see if you are over/under heated indifferent areas.

 

[Flivver250]

Lots of things cause noise and we all describe them differently. Even recorded sound is no substitute for first hand observation. The exhaust manifold and gasket has fooled many a 4.0 owner in the past. Keep digging. A fault you can hear can be found. Perform a full sweep and the automotive stethoscope is not a bad idea. I can spout ticks and clicks all day, but I'd be guessing. BTW, a bad blend door solenoid can click as well. Just thinking inside the box. Heater box that is. That does not however change with RPMs.

 

[Medicstrong222]

Thank you so much for all the suggestions. I know it's not the blend door because I had to replace that as well not to long ago and you can feel the temperature change when you change it on the dash. I was wondering about the water pump. Does anybody think that it would make that type of noise. The other thing I noticed is my radiator hoses now seem to be more pressured than before as well. I know this that last night.

 

[Medicstrong222]

I'm assuming the heat/coolant issue is unrelated?

Ticking could be an electrical short. I'd start by checking plug wires for abrasions. If they look okay, it make be helpful to run the engine in the dark and look for arc flashing. If no issues, I'd check the cap/rotor for condition. If oxidation/carbon buildup or a crack in the cap is observed, replace. May want to check the movement of the rotor bug, I don't have specs but there should be a maximum tolerance for the rotor drive to move, thinking a bushing could be bad. Is it running normally other than the clicking sound?

Yes it is running normal except for the sound. It has a new radiator cap. I did check for any type of arcing or anything, none was found. The things I noticed are the heater is not pushing out as hot air, the radiator hoses seem to be more pressured, the ticking sound that sounds like will used to put playing cards in the spokes of our bicycles.

 

[Medicstrong222]

Have you done a leak down and compression test? You could be dealing with rod knock.

I have not done that yet.

 

[Chris]

I have not done that yet.

I would definitely do that just to rule it out.

 

[Goatman]

Did the water pump have plastic impeller? If that were to crack it could certainly make a click sound. And it could also reduce heater output by pushing less water through the restrictions of the heater core/hoses.
Was the coolant drop a 1 time event or has it been ongoing?
Is this click in time with the engine? Half time? Unrelated? Any plastic pulley on the front accessory belt could also cause a clicking noise. What was done just before the noise started? And done after?

 

[Medicstrong222]

Did the water pump have plastic impeller? If that were to crack it could certainly make a click sound. And it could also reduce heater output by pushing less water through the restrictions of the heater core/hoses.
Was the coolant drop a 1 time event or has it been ongoing?
Is this click in time with the engine? Half time? Unrelated? Any plastic pulley on the front accessory belt could also cause a clicking noise. What was done just before the noise started? And done after?

I believe the water pump had a metal impeller. It was from O'Reilly Auto Parts. I know I shouldn't have used it but I couldn't find another one locally. Nothing was done right prior to the sound starting. This was only a one-time thing with the fluid level dropping. Now I noticed that the heater hoses are definitely more pressured. Also the bottom hose is noticeably cooler than a top hose. The sound started then I noticed the coolant level low. I topped it off and also reburped the engine thinking that it got air in the system because my heater was noticeably cooler and only pushing out 50% of the heat it use to. The sound went away for short time, like 5 miles driving, then came back and now you can hear it all the time no matter what the temperature is on the engine. It does not overheat and the temperature gauge is running around 190 ish. So no noticeable change in the gauge or engine temperature. I changed all my lifters and pushrods yesterday. Everything I took out look excellent but I changed it anyways. The sound is going at engine RPMs. A strange thing is at idle the sound is there when I just start to touch the gas the sound gets louder then the engine starts rev up and the sound quiets down.

 

[WSS]

I bought my Jeep about 2yrs ago. While it was getting "built", I put a Oriellys water pump in. 3 months and about 3 miles later, the pump failed. No ticking but the bearing to shaft wear was bad enough to cause the seal to leak.

Pull the serp belt and check the water pump for play. As the RPM's rise, centrifugal force will straighten things out.

Too many markers pointing to the water pump. Sound, brand, low heat, over pressured hoses and low heat out to your heater core.

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

HOLY COW!!! I don't think I hear any clicking, that sounds more like some serious sewing machine action!

Revving up to quiet it down has me thinking about oil pressure but if that was the issue you'd probably have way worse troubles by now.

I don't think the water pump would make a noise like that and if it was because of something spinning around inside there, that something would probably either break apart or wear something down and stop the sound fairly soon. I may be crazy but I'd pull the belt off and start it up to see if the "clicking" goes away. Just don't run it more than a minute.

 

[WesTex TJ]

I had a similar problem on a GMC Yukon, Not ticking when cold but as it warmed up the tick started. Not loud or deep enough for a knock, just irritating tick. I took it by a mechanic friend, he told me it was a broken exhaust manifold bolt without opening the hood, said it was fairly common on V-8 GM vehicles. Might be worth looking at.

 

[Medicstrong222]

I bought my Jeep about 2yrs ago. While it was getting "built", I put a Oriellys water pump in. 3 months and about 3 miles later, the pump failed. No ticking but the bearing to shaft wear was bad enough to cause the seal to leak.

Pull the serp belt and check the water pump for play. As the RPM's rise, centrifugal force will straighten things out.

Too many markers pointing to the water pump. Sound, brand, low heat, over pressured hoses and low heat out to your heater core.

I bought my Jeep about 2yrs ago. While it was getting "built", I put a Oriellys water pump in. 3 months and about 3 miles later, the pump failed. No ticking but the bearing to shaft wear was bad enough to cause the seal to leak.

Pull the serp belt and check the water pump for play. As the RPM's rise, centrifugal force will straighten things out.

Too many markers pointing to the water pump. Sound, brand, low heat, over pressured hoses and low heat out to your heater core.

Okay I took the serpentine belt off and bad news is the knocking / clicking is still there.

 

[Medicstrong222]

Did a couple things today. I took the serpentine belt off of the Jeep and ran the engine. The knocking / clicking is still there. I also took each spark cable off one at a time with no change in the clicking sound

 

[WSS]

Stick a small magnet to your drain pan bolt. Run for a little bit and the inspect the bolt for metal. Lead, aluminum and other non mag material will not show but any magnetic debri may be a indicator.