Fix for tick on passenger side area?

MikeZ · Oct 24, 2004

Hi All,
I spent close to a hour searching and reading to find answer before posting. There was a wealth of info but I couldnt find any definite answers so here I go:
I have the tick/rattle coming from passenger side glove box/firewall area. It only does it when:
1) after a couple minutes of warmup
2) only when gas is applied, always stops if foot is taken off gas
3) ticking matches rpms (more gas I give, the faster it ticks.

I had my wife drive around while I was laying underneath dash with glove box off with me trying to locate source. I think I came to conclusion that source of tick isnt coming from inside cab.

I know many has had the same problem (identical situations) but has anyone found the cure? Maybe I missed it in the searches but I never found a common cure.
Thanks for any help

Mike

acontisr · Oct 26, 2004

Rattle

i have a rattle ever since it started to get cold on the passenger side have not had time for someone to drive the truck while i get under the dash.Any idea's

MikeZ · Oct 26, 2004

Justino said:
How did you reach down by the engine block to attach the cable? Did you go in from above or below?

I came in from top. But I also got long arms :teethmast . It is a stretch.

MikeZ · Oct 26, 2004

acontisr said:
i have a rattle ever since it started to get cold on the passenger side have not had time for someone to drive the truck while i get under the dash.Any idea's

First off, does your rattle match rpms at all???? Remember I first thought this was a rattle and finally after I got into dash while wife drove I realized it was coming from otherside of firewall and matched rpms and more of a tick then a rattle.

arkman0 · Oct 27, 2004

if its a tick that goes with rpm on the pass side, do the engine grounding solution

if its a tick that goes with the bumps on the road on the pass side, loosen and retighten the 17mm bolt that bolts the frame to the body. also lube up the area when the bolt is off

that fixed both of my ticks on the passenger side!

Noah

MikeZ said:
First off, does your rattle match rpms at all???? Remember I first thought this was a rattle and finally after I got into dash while wife drove I realized it was coming from otherside of firewall and matched rpms and more of a tick then a rattle.

dragkaw · Oct 27, 2004

My sister used to have a older Grand Am and it developed all kinds of wierd noises and engine problems missing and sputtering, crazy stuff. After the dealership tried to fix for what seemed like forever she talked with a friend and he recommended her to a mechanic friend and after towing the car in to him he put ground wires all over that thing 5 or 6 and it was cured $ 200.00 Bucks cash and two hours compared to several hundreds at Pontiac and no good fix car still runs great too. So go figure!

kc1711 · Oct 27, 2004

For those of us with short arms, does anyone know if the engine block grounding screw can be reached from the bottom? I just finished driving my truck and the engine is too hot for me to crawl under there. I had my exhaust pipe replaced to try and fix this problem today with no luck. Thanks.

arkman0 · Oct 27, 2004

yea i think you can... or you can stand on a stool... or, have the person who put your exhaust pipe in do it.

kc1711 said:
For those of us with short arms, does anyone know if the engine block grounding screw can be reached from the bottom? I just finished driving my truck and the engine is too hot for me to crawl under there. I had my exhaust pipe replaced to try and fix this problem today with no luck. Thanks.

Nuckle · Oct 27, 2004

I have had this tick from day one. I always thought it was the fan in the AC but didnt know why it changed with engine RPM's. I will try this fix over the weekend and report back.

Nuck

kc1711 · Oct 27, 2004

Thanks Arkman0. I had the dealership do the exhaust system work and I'm not sure if they would be willing to try this, so I'll probably try this myself first.

MikeZ · Oct 27, 2004

kc1711 said:
Thanks Arkman0. I had the dealership do the exhaust system work and I'm not sure if they would be willing to try this, so I'll probably try this myself first.

KC, I think if you use a stool or similar you should be able to access from top fairly easy if you cant get to it from bottom.

smoketitan · Oct 27, 2004

arkman0 said:
theres another pic...

too all that have done this may i ask one question, I know where the first grounding point is right near the battery--but I cant seem to figure where you all are connecting it to the block--im looking in this picture and it seems that this point is behind the oil stick right?? so that bolt is ther already a wire connected ( for a reference point) to it at this point or is it just an attachnment bolt?? or do I attach the ring terminal on top of the exsiting wire ring terminal

thxs

Sportzfan · Oct 27, 2004

smoketitan said:
too all that have done this may i ask one question, I know where the first grounding point is right near the battery--but I cant seem to figure where you all are connecting it to the block--I'm looking in this picture and it seems that this point is behind the oil stick right?? so that bolt is there already a wire connected ( for a reference point) to it at this point or is it just an attachment bolt?? or do I attach the ring terminal on top of the existing wire ring terminal

thxs

Smoketitan,

Find the spark plug closest to the firewall, look about 3 or 4 inches below that and you will see the bolt in question. It has a thin black wire connected to it already. As soon as my engine cools off I am going to install mine

smoketitan · Oct 27, 2004

thx thats the clarification I needed

should I be using 4ga or 1/ga wire??

probaly doenst matter one way or the other I assume

MikeZ · Oct 27, 2004

smoketitan said:
thx thats the clarification I needed

should I be using 4ga or 1/ga wire??

probaly doenst matter one way or the other I assume

4 gauge is plenty. I dont think you want to mess with the 1 gauge. These size wires get pretty stiff.

92SE-R · Oct 27, 2004

Makes sense arkman. I was just curious because I've never heard the sound before, and from what I've read, it sounded like an exhaust rattle. I dind't know some people felt that it sounded like arcing. SR20DET eh? Been there and done that.

Working on a new SR20DET project now but it won't be going in a Silvia.

Terrin
92 SE-R <---now stock and neutered
old time: 13.2@104

Titanoholic · Oct 27, 2004

It would be cool to actually locate the arc and take a picture or video of it and send it to Nissan!

tahoetitan · Oct 28, 2004

I performed the ground fix today and voila...no more ticking. Thanks so much for finding this fix. I went to napa, spent about $7 for the wire and it took me about 15 minutes to apply. The back nut is a stretch...I had to stand on a milk crate and go in from the top. I went in from the bottom to get in to rethread with the new cable. I am so psyched that such a simple fix can solve this problem which seems to have gotten so much attention on titantalk. Thanks again...this website rocks!!

Thanks again arkman.

KenedyTXTitan · Oct 29, 2004

Yesterday I followed the Arkman0 method as he described on my truck. It has now been tick free for 60 miles. Before then my truck gradually started to tick all the time. I had tried the spark plug retourque and had even considered having the dealer replace the left manifold.

Arkman0's method of adding the ground cable is really easy and so far it's working for me.

Titan_TX · Oct 29, 2004

I am real impressed with the determination that you guys have to fix that problem and you found it. I currently do not have this problem on my 04 Titan I just got one week ago, with only 600 miles now. But if I do, I will do this fix as well.

Keep up the good work guys.

MikeZ · Oct 29, 2004

Titan_TX said:
I am real impressed with the determination that you guys have to fix that problem and you found it. I currently do not have this problem on my 04 Titan I just got one week ago, with only 600 miles now. But if I do, I will do this fix as well.

Keep up the good work guys.

I started noticing mine at about 1k but cant say for sure it wasnt there before and I didnt notice it. I think I would have noticed it if it was. But no worries, if it starts, do this mod and your done.

SupraTitan · Oct 29, 2004

I found that it was much easier to do from underneath. from underneath you can put one had thru the wheel well and the other from directly beneath and get 2 hands in on the action.

Sportzfan · Oct 29, 2004

It definitely works!

My ticking wasn't constant. But one sure way to get it to tick, was to hook up my boat. Today was the first time I towed it without hearing the tick.

It made for a great day.
(That and the 4.5 lb Bass)

Awesome find Arkman0

arkman0 · Oct 30, 2004

Glad its workin for everybody!!!
btw, mine started ticking at 1000 miles, right after i changed my oil...

Sportzfan said:
It definitely works!

My ticking wasn't constant. But one sure way to get it to tick, was to hook up my boat. Today was the first time I towed it without hearing the tick.

It made for a great day.
(That and the 4.5 lb Bass)

Awesome find Arkman0

MLV · Oct 30, 2004

Arkman0, Did you hook up to the engine block first or ground to the battery first? Is there any chance of a short to the electrical system? Thanks.

arkman0 · Oct 31, 2004

first off, i never hooked it to the battery, and second, since there is alredy ground wires connected to the engine, i would be inclined to say "no" there will not be a short.....

MLV said:
Arkman0, Did you hook up to the engine block first or ground to the battery first? Is there any chance of a short to the electrical system? Thanks.

Fix for tick on passenger side area?

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