There is a clicking noise in the engine compartment. I have noticed this condition over the past few weeks. The sound is not present until the engine is warmed. not present when first started. sound is present at idle speeds after warm-up. Goes away or softens as gas pedal is slightly depressed.
It can not be heard from inside the van, only when standing in front, more audible when the hood is raised.
Does anyone have any ideas of just what may be causing this?
Sounds like a viscosity dependent issue. How’s the maintenance schedule been adhered to? Oil changed often enough?
I’d see if the condition evaporates with a 5w-30 oil change. This is above the visc of the spec’d 5w-20. You’ll experience no issue doing this …but it might prove the origin of the noise.
Beyond that I’d recommend the use of Auto-Rx (google it) and following the directions. That should clear out any restrictive formations that are allowing your HLA’s to drain in excess of the oil supply to the top of the engine.
What’s with the “Auto-Rx” ad with every post?
There’s a lot of things that can be clicking. Fuel injectors can be clicking. Lifters can be clicking. It could be an emission control solenoid that’s running its “duty cycle” and clicking at a certain rate. You say it softens when the gas pedal is depressed: Does it speed up with the engine RPM?
Does the rate of the clicking change with engine speed?
If not it’s probably a solenoid in the evaporative emissions system.
Thanks for your reply. This sound is not present at higher RPM.