Ticking Noise in The Engine

Q: I have a ticking noise in the engine of my Jeep. What could be the cause of this?

A: There could be several reasons that could be causing a ticking noise in the engine. The most common one is that the engine is not being completely lubricated.

This would be caused by either the engine lacking oil, or the engine not having sufficient oil pressure. Let’s take a look at these two possible problems.

Let’s start by checking the oil level in your vehicle. If you are unsure of how to do this, start by locating the oil dipstick under the hood of your vehicle. Pull the dipstick all of the ways out and clean the oil off of the end of the dipstick.

Now reinstall the dipstick and pull it back out again checking the oil level at the end of the dipstick. If the oil level is low then your engine does not have proper engine lubrication and this could be the cause of the noise.

If the oil level is good then we need to take a look and see if your vehicle has proper oil pressure. This can be done in two ways depending on your vehicle.

If your vehicle has an oil light, does it come on when you are hearing the ticking noise in the engine?

If the answer to this is yes, then the improper lubrication of the engine is the most likely cause of the ticking noise.

If your engine light doesn’t come on while hearing the ticking noise then the cause could be either loose valves or a leak in your exhaust manifold.

If your vehicle has gages instead of lights check your oil gage to see if you have good oil pressure. The oil pressure of a vehicle typically runs around 40 psi.

I have found that in my Jeep and the Jeep Wranglers of friends, you often hear a slight ticking noise in the engine, even when everything else is in good shape.