Hello all new member here, 6 months ago i got my first Subaru,
Its a 97 wrx import totaly standard,in white,56,000 on the clock Since i have had the car its been fine its up to 60,000 now cambelt done,Oil changed and all the rest.
My only probblem is that when i drive it from cold it makes a ticking noise all the way from about 500/1000revs to 2000/2500 revs with the tick noise getting faster.It sounds like its coming from under the bonnet As i put my foot down .It stops after 2500 revs the performance of the car is not effected it dose this even if it is up to temp.It dose it in second gear at the same reves same with 3,4,5 gear,Its gets quite loud with the windows open,But after 2500 revs you can not hear it.As i said before the car is totaly factory speck so it is very quiet exhaust not the loud **** you get when you have a bad boy exhaust.
I dont think its piston slap.
I have change the oil and added stuff to keep tappets quiet but that has not worked.
Pls help other than that its a ****in beast and i love it

 

Funnily enough, I was just going to suggest piston slap.

Mine has always done it from cold.

 

Exhaust gas leak from headers/up-pipe ??

 

will have a look 2 morrow for leaks,
It is rarther loud when it happens,its funny cauz it goes after 2500 revs but it sounds like a tick/click getting faster as i accelerate in every gear at those revs.
It dose not make the noise when it is sat reving only when driven. Hot or cold.
I tend to have to drive it very gentley to about 3000revs so it dont make the click/tick cause it sounds rather bad from on the out side with window open after 3000 its fine then gear chance and revs drop down to that 1500/2500 band accelerate out of that band with foot down it happens again.
The car runs fine though good gear change comes on boost fine hold boost fine its just those low revs and the dreaded tick/click.

 

My 97 turbo often makes a similar ticking noise at low revs when the accelerator is lightly pressed. I seem to remember a post on here sometime back suggesting this could be due to the boost solenoid moving. I will try to find the thread...

 

my 95 WRX does it too - I posted on here somewhere about it
I dont think mine is piston slap, but never having piston slap before I dont really know how it sounds!......kinda sounds loud tappety to me

anyhoo....if I switch the engine off, as I drive (on private road, obviously) then restart or bump start it after 2-3 seconds, the noise disappears for the rest of the drive!
doesnt always do it either ...though if it does its always when cold (I think)

 

Sounds like the valve lash adjuster.

it was a common problem on the Legacy Turbo, I had one that did exactly the same. I am led to believe it is something to do with the oil not quite getting to part of the engine, turning the engine off and then back on almost always solves the problem.

I am not sure what the implications are of a permanent fix though, never bothered with the Legacy.

Jason

 

Thanks for the comments,
Because this is my first scooby and all that and after reading about the boost solenoid thing moving would it be at all possable if somebody could post a pic of what it looks like and location same with the gass exhaust leak pipe comment from earler post.need to stop that tick its driving me insaine

 

i had the same problem with mine and it was the boost solenoid had taken it off got sum break cleaner and gave it a good clean and it was fine was shocked how much dirt was in it

 

Not butting in, but when I was doing my ECU reset that does tick. Have a look under the steering wheel and see if the connectors are connected, if they are disconnect them. Green and black.

 

that would be the boost solinoid clicking chips

 

AHA!.....my engine is apparently a Legacy!

 

my sti import dose the exact, when in traffic and crawling along it makes this ticking noise

 

Still sounds like a exhaust gas leak from the up-pipe to me.
Pretty sure the MY'97 had Shimmed (outer) buckets and not hydraulic lifters - unless the engine has been changed for an earlier MY'94-96 engine.

Mick