Slight Ticking/Chattering sound?

Over the last couple of days I've noticed a weird noise from my VX. It is kind of a random ticking or chattering sound, kind of like what a small fan makes when it's lost a ball-bearing - or the sound a hard disk makes when it is doing a lot of seeking.

Some characteristics:

1) Only seems to occur after the engine has warmed up.
2) Does not happen when VX is at a stop - I even put it in neutral and revved it with no result.
3) Not really affected by acceleration or coasting.
4) Can't hear it if the stereo is on medium-loud.
5) Seems to chatter consistently as long as engine is warm and vehicle is in motion.
6) Not the heater fan (I've turned fan off and played with just about all of the temp/ac controls without making a difference).

Any ideas as to what this might be? I don't have my S/C installed yet, so it isn't that infamous ticking sound either...

Any ideas where it may be coming from... underneath, engine compartment?

I swear I typed that - it sounds like it is generally from the "front" of the vehicle - in the dash or in the engine compartment. Hard to tell since it only happens at speed and it isn't very loud. It also seems to be coming from either the center or the right because I mostly hear it out of my right ear.

Somebody posted a while back that their heatshield was rattling against the transmission when the engine got warm.

Worth looking into!

-Fred

Yeah, someone also mentioned that a rivot from the metal plate on the firewall behind the master cylinder had fallen off and the plate was tapping against the firewall at speed.

I also noticed the other day that I have a leaf in the air ducts and since the VX seems to have a constant flow of air thru the vents, the leaf will fall and rise with various speeds and blow from one vent register to the other. I've yet to catch that little bogger with my tweezers and/or needle nose pliers. It's been driving me crazy the past couple of days since I've had the A/C on.

check the gaskets around the headlights when mine came lose it made that sound !;Db;

I had a rattle that turned out to be the vin plate on the firewall next to the master cylinder. But since yours seems to be engine temp dependent, that probably isn't it. Maybe worth checking though.

I seem to have developed another rattle/tick that I can't find, however, so the hunt goes on . . . for now, the stereo kills all rattles :D

Ron

Sometimes wheel bearings make a ticking noise... but I've only heard it when the window is down, and while I am cruising.. not during accelleration. Usually the sound is gone after you repack them.

I never hear any noises...the stereo is usually too loud!;Dy;

I had a sound much like this on a Dodge Daytona I used to have and it turned out to be the pulley on the automatic tensioner for the serpentine belt. drove me nuts until I found it and sprayed lube behind and into bearing area. Probably should have replaced it as it came back over time. Just a shot in the dark!

Water pumps can make a sort of ticking sound when they are going bad too.

Haven't found it yet, but I do have one update -- this morning the sound started before the engine was fully warmed. Also, with my hand on the 4-lo lever, I can feel vibration (nothing excessive) that might be in sync with the ticking, not sure though.

The headlight gaskets have recent come unglued, I have some of that black sealant in a tube that someone mentioned a while back, I will try to put that on this weekend if it is dry.