mine is more rhythmic, there was a rubbing noise but that was cause I had a cracked timing cover. The rub is gone and now it's just a tick. Can't hear at idle but it gets louder as I rev higher. Gonna do a compression test and change out the plugs. It could be something else altogether but it is coming from the timing/cylinder 1 area. Really having a love/hate relationship with my car, first time that it's given me problems in 3 years.

 

Ruled out bad compression. Getting a solid 150-155 compression across all 4 cylinders. Changed the plugs but still no change. Really listened to the noise and confirmed its not coming from the head, so that eliminates the lifters and valves being faulty. It is louder towards the lower part of the engine, around the alternator/crank/water pump area. Are there any places that something may go loose and start vibrating? Or maybe it could be a bad oil pump? How do i check if the oil pump is indeed bad? Not getting any CEL's so i doubt it could be that. I have a tatrix cable and evoscan, What irregulaties should i look for when i log it?

 

This is super extreme but it could be your CPS. Back in my DSM days one of the more notable signs of crankwalk was a tick coming from the area you think you are hearing your sound from. It's basically the crankshaft eating apart the crank position sensor.

I really doubt you have crankwalk (it is unlikely but it can happen in any motor after all) but just my 2 cents for a possibility.

 

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I did inspect the cps after the noise started happening. It looked to be in one piece with no signs of rubbing. I'll take it off and inspect it again. I'll report back with results. I'll also check for any play in the crank. Though I highly doubt it's crankwalk. The engine has low miles and If it was crankwalk, wouldn't pressing the clutch either make the sound be louder or make the engine almost die? It really sounds as if the noise is outside the engine, not inside. Could it be something to do with the balance shaft?

 

And another update. I took of the serpentine and started it with that off, still get a ticking sound though. So that rules out any of the accessories (alt, PS pump, AC, water pump)

 

JIt could be anything honestly. And if I remember correctly, if you have the clutch pedal down the ticking would be louder. Do you have a stethoscope? Can really help in pinpointing sounds. The balance shaft is a possibility. It may even be something as simple as a bolt is loose, or something is sitting in the bottom of your timing cover bouncing around.

Also on the age of the engine thing there were guys on dsmtuners with cars under 5K miles getting crankwalk. Seemed less common the older the engine got.

 

 

Mine is also near the cyl 1. I've taken it in an paid to have the work redone and noise is still there. These were all brand new OE parts too

 

Yeah that's why I wanna look through everything I can before paying someone else to do the same thing. Buying a stethoscope today, we'll see how that goes.

 

An 8 or 9?

 

2003 Evo 8

 

Mines a 9 with the new bracket Mitsubishi made

 

That's why I asked 8 or 9 - the 9's have a replacement motor mount since the original would sometimes rub the belt.

 

I didn't know that the balance shaft had different "rest" spots in different orbits. Mine might not be set right. I'll check the rear balance shaft too. Well this is sure an adventure.

Edit: Took the belt off and retimed everything, nothing changed. Back to square one.

 

Still looking for more places to look, anyone have any ideas?