Engine noise....

[Ike]

Not really a gearhead or anything, but wanted to see if anyone could give me some feedback. I'm having a loud "ticking" noise coming from the driver's side front of the engine, around #4, and I believe it to be a rocker, but not sure. It only makes this noise under acceleration on the road. It does not make it if just sitting still in park or neutral or drive, but it does not come from the tranny. A friend suggeste I add Lucas synthetic treatment and I did so just a small way past the fill mark on the stick. It seemed to make a very light difference, but not enough to stop me from worrying. Suggestions are welcome, but I may find myself taking it to the dealership.

Also, just added this past Monday BBK headers and Magnaflow duals and they sound great. Went back Friday for final adjustments to the exhaust and a recheck of the bolts that they were secure and tight everywhere. The ticking was not present before the upgrades except for a couple of seconds at startup of the engine.

NOTE: update: was told it could be a leak at the header gasket, maybe at #4 cylinder. Having it checked out and will update.

NEW UPDATE: took the car in today and it was checked, resulting in the plug wire not seated well on #4. Engine still making a ticking noice under load. Suggested that I get an SCT handheld tuner, as the car has had upgrades to it without computer changes and this is in conflict and should smooth things out.

SUGGESTIONS??? Thanks! :)

[Ninty7AZGT]

What all have you had done to the car?

[Ike]

"Also, just added this past Monday BBK headers and Magnaflow duals and they sound great. Went back Friday for final adjustments to the exhaust and a recheck of the bolts that they were secure and tight everywhere. The ticking was not present before the upgrades except for a couple of seconds at startup of the engine."

A gearhead I know is saying it is a header leak and I should see carbon discharge from #4 or which ever cylinder. I've looked and do not see anything and I've taken a rag to the headers without anything significant showing near the head. He suggests, as well, getting a new gasket installed on that side. Hard for me to do anything right now due to empty pockets.

[USMMike]

Ike,
I have been down this road before. It is most definitely the headers. BBK & Mac headers have very thin wall tubes and a ton of people notice the infamous tick. Although there are some that dont.

I bought BBK headers for my 1995 GT years ago ( shorties ) and they ticked like crazy. I changed header gaskets 4 times trying to seal what everyone was saying was a LEAK. After finally realizing that they use cheap materials to make the headers and the walls of the tubes are so thin that they make noise. What you are hearing is the lifters ticking and being amplified through the tubes of the headers.

Although I dont think it will make any difference, what type gasket are you running ?

I hate to bring this news to you, and hoped that they would have fixed this problem by now.
There may be a chance still that it could be a gasket leak, but IMHO ...doubtful.

Keep me posted.



ps... here is the results of a quick google search.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=bbk+headers+ticking&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

[Ike]

Stock Ford header gaskets were used, as they were thicker than the BBK gaskets.

Yep... it is the ominus amplified tick from thin headers! Unable to find a leak at all. Sucks! Should have got the JBA headers in the first place, as I know a few folks with them and they have no problems at all.

Thanks for the info. and positive waves, Mike!!!! ;)

SO... folks thinking of investing in adding BBK headers on the 6-shooter may want to spend a little more for a better made product. :(

[USMMike]

Sorry bro,
I know you are like me and cant be buying headers every week. The JBA headers are great. Im not sure if they are making them now, but SLP makes great exhaust products. I have the Ford Stainless shorties on my Sal and they dont make any ticks either.

I hate that companies like this still produce crappy parts. I know a buddy of mine wanted Hedman headers and spent extra for stainless steel. Well the headers came and were gorgeous. He installed them and two weeks later they started to rust!!!
He was furious, called them up and they said not to worry, that is only surface rust that will form on the cheaper stainless products, they will not rust into the metal.
Now he paid for stainless headers and had a show camaro, but wound up selling them two months later. He took a loss and was furious at Hedman. I never realized that there are several type grades of stainless, but if you dont get the highest, they will form surface rust.

I hope someone files a complaint with the bbb someday to stop companies from selling crap products to hard working people like us.

Let me know if I can do anything to help you man.

[Ike]

Appreciate it, Bro!

Looks like I'll put up with the noise, as it only makes it under load, and save my pennies. Maybe in the next year I'll be able to do something about it and instead of $400 in headers and then the $$$ in install, I'll buy the best I can find. I've only had people share positives with me about BBK, so I figured I was doing right. I know that when I do get these off my car I'm hanging them on a suspended rope between two poles at the firing range and blowing the crap out of them! Redneck REVENGE! >;-)

[Ike]

I contacted BBK with my concern. I have found that they took my concern as more of an insult to them, of which I was given no offer to replace the header or the removal/installation costs. It was suggested I buy header wrap to quiet things down, of which they say it will damage the header's finish. I did let them know that I do car shows, which they pointed out that the finish will rust if I follow their suggestion. How nice. I let them know that I would be writing a review on the internet and would share about this issue with others, too.

Bottom line, my opinion is that I'll never buy from BBK Performance again. If this is how they back up their products, I do not want anything else from them.

READ FOR YOURSELF:

"-----Original Message-----
From: Customer Service [mailto:customerservice@bbkperf ormance.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 2009 7:15 AM
To: 'BBK Tech'
Subject: FW: BBK Performance Parts - Contact Form

Over the last 21 years we have made our headers from that same tubing with only one instance that I can recall in my 5 years in the tech dept. of failure due to the material being "weak". That one instance was on an off road truck where the exhaust hangers broke and the weight of the entire exhaust system was put onto the collectors on the headers. Those headers did crack because they were not able to withstand the added weight that was applied inadvertently.

The material in used in the construction of BBK headers is definitely thinner than that of a stock exhaust manifold no doubt, but the thickness of our material is far from weak.

You might try some header wrap to deaden the sound of the engine as it passes through the headers, but beware that the wrap will superheat the coating on the headers and will most likely destroy the chrome and increase potential for rust.

Sarah Zeal
National Sales Assistant

p:951.296.1771*206

f: 951.296.9024

www.bbkperformance.com"