I have a 2002 4 door with 122k miles on it. I recently changed 5 spark plugs along with all 6 wires and put on a new cap and rotor. I had to get a different tool to replace the #3 plug and I haven't gotten a change to do that yet. After I did the plugs it started to develop a tick while accelerating. At constant throttle it doesn't tick hardly at all. However, the harder I accelerate, the more it ticks. And its been getting worse. From what I've been reading it seems like its a lifter tick. Is this a big problem? I don't really have the money to replace the lifters right now. Is there a quick fix I can do that will let me use it until I can get it fixed or am I going to cause more damage by driving it?

I've read about seafoaming it but I just replaced the plugs so I'd rather not do that.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

lol...#3 is a pain,but a few 3" extension and a knuckle u can do it in 5 min.

this tick,is most likely a loose plug wire. did you feel all 5 "click" into place? Tonight when its dark go out side and start it up. use no light at all. you'll see arching if its a wire. i doubt its a randomly all of a sudden lifter since u did plugs.


When its ticking is engine stumbling at all?

 

+1 to Chris as always, but I'd like to add checking the oil level.

 

Thank you for the quick replys. I am going to do #3 tomorrow sometime. While I'm doing that I will check the other wires and the oil.

It does stumble a little during acceleration but its nothing that I would normally worry about.

 

I'll go with an ign short to ground. Cruising throttle lowers resistance across the plug gap. Push the throttle down and cylender pressure goes up, increasing gap resistance . If the gap resistance is greater than wire insulation resistance the spark will ground there.

 

Finally got a chance to go over the plug wires. I replaced #3 and made sure all the wires were tight. I think #3 wire was loose but it still clicks sometimes while accelerating. It only does this under load. Not sure what else to try. It also feels like its low on power especially during acceleration. I dont have the time or money to really tear into the engine right now. I can live with it the way it is now i just want to figure out whats going on so i can fix it in the future.

Thank you for any suggestions

 

I've done this twice before to diagnosis ignition problems. Once on my sis in laws van when I cracked a spark plug putting it in, and once on my blazer when I had a bad coil.

Although I doubt it, it could be an exhaust leak right at the manifold causing the tick. I have a tick as well, for at least a year. I was afraid it was a lifter, but it hasn't gotten worse, and I'm too lazy to change exhaust manifold gaskets!

 

were the plugs properly gapped? firing order correct? I would suggest ohm testing the wires as well. You didn't tamper with #3 when the problem started so I would assume it's not the problem. It's gotta be something that was tampered with during the change

 

I checked the gap on all the plugs before I installed them. I can ohm test the wires and go over them to see if there is a problem with the insulation. The ticking seems to have decreased a little but it is also irregular. Sometimes it will tick while accelerating and sometimes it wont. It only ticks while accelerating under load. I cant replicate it while sitting in the driveway.

 

Sure its not the pcv valve ticking? which is normal.