Fixing my Ticka-Ticka Sound (Funny)

[bigsquirrel]

So a few weeks back, I noticed a very distinct Ticka-Ticka sound that sounded very much like it was coming from the bottom end of my engine.

Immediately my vehicular paranoia sets in... Is it a rod? A bearing? Maybe a lifter? (Early on even though it only happened when it was warm I was convinced it was a lifter)

Oddly it never happens cold and only when it's hot and still does not happen 100% of the time.

Let the troubleshooting begin!

Me and the Lorax start going over the engine, listening with a pry bar trying to track down the noise. Nothing we can hear is indicating it's internal to the engine other than some very loud injectors.

We do notice I've got an exhaust leak on my passenger side. We could smell it a bit and upon further inspection one of my header bolts had snapped.

Brilliant! Spend the morning remove header, back out the bolt install new gasket. Start the car No Noise Much success!!!! We drive to the bar to celebrate our victory, upon arrival at the bar I'm greeted to Ticka-Ticka
NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

After a burger and a beer or two pondering what I’ve done to make my car so angry at me, back to the garage. The Lorax thinks it might be an intake leak. Do carb cleaner test, YES! I have an intake manifold leak. We re-torque all appropriate bolts (Easier said than done on the whipple) start her up go for a drive and.... Ticka-Ticka... FML.

Head back, have another beer to ponder the fate of the vehicle. We decide to jack her up and listen to the car from underneath.

It's louder here but no matter what part we check we can't find the sound, then suddenly the Lorax sees something strange.

My AC belt is split down the middle for about half the belt. We replaced the belt, which was harder than it reasonably should be. Take it for a test drive and SUCCESS!

So on the positive side I fixed a few things that needed to be fixed.