Golf&GM

iTrader: (22)

First of all I've checked the exhaust, it's not that and the load put on the engine doesn't affect the tick. Recently I seafoamed my car and installed an underdrive pulley, after that is when the ticking started. It's really noticable on cold starts and after about 40 minutes of driving the tick is completely gone.

At first I thought it might be a lifter, but after listening really carefully to my car it sounds like the tick is coming from the center front of the engine.

As for the sound, I know what an exhaust leak sounds like and this is more like a chirp type ticking than an exhaust leak if that makes any sense. The sound is also dependent on RPM, high RPM fast tick, low RPM slow tick.

I think it might be the oil pump but I've got good oil pressure everywhere so I figured I'd ask here to see what you guys think before I start pulling the crank pulley and water pump. Any ideas?

Crimsonnaire

iTrader: (1)

A worn pulley would fit this description perfectly. It's also possible that a defect on the belt is causing a momentary slippage at a particular spot along the grooves. The easiest test to perform first would be to spray the belt with a lubricant while it's running to see if the sound is effected. If possible, spray away from the pulley first to isolate the belt, and then the pulley itself if there's no change.

Zerokube

iTrader: (4)

i think i have the same similar sound, and my brother sprayed some belt dressing on mine and its made a load squeal for about 10 seconds then stopped, do i have the same problem as golf?