Clicking sound coming from engine- please help (long)

[Canecreekfreak]

Hi All- Yesterday I noticed that my car is making a clicking sound that seems to be coming from the drivers side of the engine. I did a search, and it seems like it might be the VTCS screw thing, but I wanted to check w/ya'll to confirm.
It started yesterday on my way to work. It started out pretty faint, and only when I hit the gas- not at idle when I wasn't moving. The car was fully warmed up at that point. It was just a constant-pace clicking that didn't seem to get faster when I hit the gas, and it went away at idle.
On the way home, though, it switched around. Now the clicking was at idle, and the car was warmed up. NOT when I was on the gas. And if I was stopped and the clicking started up, I could hit the gas a little bit and the clicking would go away. And the clicking seems to get louder as the engine gets warmer. It doesn't click when cold. I checked the oil, and it's not low at all, it's about 3/4 up to the full mark on the dip stick, using 5w30 Mobil 1. It's been about 5k miles since my last oil change.
The engine isn't running rough, nor is it hiccuping or anything like that. It's nice and smooth and still pulls hard without any other drama except for the clicking. I'll also mention that I've only got a short-ram intake on my engine- no other performace mods. And the clicking noise didn't start until after I installed my new HID lighting system. I don't think that's related, but I thought I should mention it.
Any thoughts or suggestions?

EDIT*** Took the intake off, and the clicking stopped. Now it just stumbles at idle. As if it's going to stall, but then catches itself and keeps running. Taking the car in on 1/31 to have the shutter valve replace under recall anyways.

Edit 2 *** After the dealer checked the intake shutter valve they also checked the CEL that came on. It seems that a vacuum line from the evap canister came loose, and was causing the stumbling/CEL. They put it back on and it worked fine. They also reprogrammed the PCM with the latest update, replaced a intake gasket, checked the battery, tires, belts and topped off the fluids free of charge. Not that any of that stuff needed to be done, but it was nice of them to validate what I already knew. I'm very pleased with my experience from the Mazda Gallery in Norwood.

 

[altspace]

Maybe a relay switch going bad?

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

Maybe something the alternator doesn't like about the new lights? I guess maybe that might tie into the relay answer .....

 

[aMaff]

rod knock?

 

[Canecreekfreak]

Would the clicking still happen even when the lights aren't on? I'll try disconnecting the lights today at lunch while it's running to see what happens.

 

[Prodigy]

If the clicking is not too loud, it could just be the fuel injectors..

 

[RaiderMS3]

aren't you part of the recall?

 

[cheapmiata1600]

Alternators don't click when they're unhappy, they make a whine noise.

If your sound varies with engine temp it may just be a loose exhaust heatshield or maybe a rod knock, but it should vary with RPM. I'd bet on something loose in the engine compartment.

If it were the vcts screw your car would be running like total crap.

 

[pasadena_commut]

And the clicking noise didn't start until after I installed my new HID lighting system.

If you can get it to click while in neutral have a helper hold it at the offending RPM and listen around in the engine compartment to try to track it down. Putting your finger on various parts (away from the moving bits!) may stop the noise and help you find the problem.

My guess though would be that you moved something or didn't tighten something down fully when you did the lights and now that something is bouncing around at various resonances. That it seems to move from inside the car isn't very informative as the sound could be bouncing off the car next to you, and so seem to move when it isn't really.

 

[Protege52003]

i always make sure my oil is 100% full.........
sounds like something could be loose in your engine-bay or sonething.

our engine's like to make lots of noise and rattles!

-R

 

[Canecreekfreak]

Thanks for all of your responses. I tried to tighten crap down again last night, but it didn't seem to help. Unless I just totally missed it (not unlikely) or something loosened up again. I'm gonna check my VIN against the recalled #'s, to see if it needs to be taken in anyway. If it does, I'll have them check it out.
"Alternators don't click when they're unhappy, they make a whine noise." That's good to know. It's not a while, definetly a click. It isn't too loud usually, but it does start off at a low volume, then get louder at the engine gets hotter. I'll fiddle with it at lunch time and see what happens.
I did put a little more oil in the car, but that didn't fix the click. I've noticed that the P5 doesn't have the quietest engine. When I had my Miata, I knew when it was time to change the oil 'cause the valves would start clicking right around 3k miles.

 

[peepsalot]

Could be the evap purge solenoid. I once relocated mine from intake pipe to a part of the frame and made a lot of noise until I put it back. It seems to do most of the work at idle, coming on every now and then.

 

[Canecreekfreak]

Ok, took my car out on the highway at lunch, and after getting off and sitting at a light, the clicking came back. It didn't happen while on the highway. Then it started stumbling a little bit. Like it wanted to stall, but didn't. It was made in March 2003, and falls in the middle of the VIN recall range, so I'll be taking it to the dealer. I'll let you all know what they say.
thanks.

 

[RaiderMS3]

Be sure to print out the recall forms, and take them with you. Dealers are scum, so they may try to claim ignorance to the recall.

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

Be sure to print out the recall forms, and take them with you. Dealers are scum, so they may try to claim ignorance to the recall.

The scum part is correct but since when has a dealer ever claimed ignorance? They know everything, right? They lie about being ignorant. If they don't know about it then well, it must be bulls***. But I know whatcha mean. The other day when I went to order the intake manifold gasket so I can do they recall/vtcs removal myself, I asked something recall related just testing & the parts guy told me the service mgr guy knows all about that so on the way out I asked him & he was just as clueless as the parts guy. Wastoids........

 

[uclap5]

Could be the evap purge solenoid. I once relocated mine from intake pipe to a part of the frame and made a lot of noise until I put it back. It seems to do most of the work at idle, coming on every now and then.

^^ seems pretty common if the ticks arent in tune with the rpms.

 

[Canecreekfreak]

Could be the evap purge solenoid. I once relocated mine from intake pipe to a part of the frame and made a lot of noise until I put it back. It seems to do most of the work at idle, coming on every now and then.

I did do that, since I had it on a little bracket clinched under one of the clamps for my intake. It took it off of that, for fear of it loosening up prematurely, and zip-tied it to the strut bar. I'll move it back and see if that helps.

I called the dealer and made an appt. for the shutter valve thing for next week. I printed out the recall forms to bring along w/me, just in case. I'm gonna put the stock intake back on tonight, just in case. If the clicking is still happening I'll ask 'em about it. Thanks again everyone!

 

[peepsalot]

I did do that, since I had it on a little bracket clinched under one of the clamps for my intake. It took it off of that, for fear of it loosening up prematurely, and zip-tied it to the strut bar. I'll move it back and see if that helps.

I called the dealer and made an appt. for the shutter valve thing for next week. I printed out the recall forms to bring along w/me, just in case. I'm gonna put the stock intake back on tonight, just in case. If the clicking is still happening I'll ask 'em about it. Thanks again everyone!

Hah, I knew it, bet you $10 that fixes the clicking noises!

 

[Canecreekfreak]

Yeah, I put the stock intake back in for the visit to the dealer, and there's no more clicking.

The engine still stumbles at idle, though. It wants to stall but doesn't. Think that's due to the shutter valve? Will a weak battery cause this to happen?

 

[RaiderMS3]

That said, I think I know the problem. The intake may have been hitting the master cylinder. Loom at the elbow of the intake going to the intake mani. Might see some wear marks. Mine did that whole knocking/ticking thing for a long time, then I figured it out. Careful adjustments to the brackets supporting the MAF fixed that. Others have actually removed an inch of the intake that goes to the intake mani (not the coupler, the metal tubing) and that helped the clearance problems.