Are you concerned about the ticking noise your Jeep is making while accelerating? There could be multiple causes, from negligible to severe ones; therefore, educating yourself about the causes and possible DIY fixes is vital.
Here, in this article, we will guide you through all the information needed to deal with the ticking noise your Jeep is making, so stay hooked and scroll down.
Also Read: 7 Symptoms of Bad Throttle Position Sensor on Jeep Cherokee
Symptoms of ticking noise:
When we troubleshoot the cause of the ticking or clicking noise, it is usually accompanied by the following factors:
- Ticking in synchronization with the engine RPM.
- Ticking similarly to the sound of a ball pen.
- Ticking in synchronization as the accelerator pedal is depressed.
- Audible at lower speeds.
- Echoes while you are driving in a tunnel or any enclosed space.
Causes
Now we will dive right into the causes to find out what is making behind the scene of this ticking sound.
1: Stones hitting the under the car.
You will hear your Jeep clicking while driving on a rough road. Small pebbles or stones get trapped between the rubber lugs causing this ticking sound.
Similarly, you will get to hear this ticking sound when a nail is in your tire tube. With every bump or curvy turn, these pebbles hit the car’s underbody, causing a ticking sound.
DIY FIX:
Inspect all the tires and remove any stone or pebble trapped within the underbody or between the lugs. Also, observe all the tires for any probable punctures. As if any nail resides in the tube, pluck it out as well.
2: Low-engine oil
Engine oil keeps your Jeep’s engine lubricated. If the engine oil level goes down, it will not only produce a knocking or ticking sound in your engine but also create severe wear and tear on engine parts resulting in decreased performance.
DIY FIX:
Suppose you hear a Jeep clicking noise while starting. In that case, it might be due to the low level of engine oil that can easily be fixed by topping up the level with the suggested viscosity by the manufacturer.
3: CV Joint
Jeeps are the off-roaders’ favorite vehicles due to their exceptional customization ability. Most off-roaders alter their suspension heights to prepare their Jeep to encounter hilly areas more efficiently. Unfortunately, everything comes with its aftereffects.
Altering the suspension’s height makes the Jeep’s frame and body size farther from the differential, posing extra due pressure on the CV joint, which ultimately leads to premature wear and tear, causing the ticking sound to come up.
DIY FIX:
It is better to inspect all the repercussions when raising the height of your Jeep’s suspension. Still, if you persist with this alteration, keep the wear and tear under eye and do immediate parts changeovers in case of any ticking noise.
4: U-Joint
There are four U-joints in a Jeep Wrangler. Two U-joints are located at each end of the front axle, while the other is at the front drive shaft. The 4th U-joint is located on the connection between the rear drive shaft and the rear differential.
These U-Joints create ticking noise in the case of a lack of lubrication. When the joining pins of the U-joints dry out, a ticking noise is heard.
DIY FIX:
When you hear the ticking sound coming from the drive shaft or axle, inspect the U-joints. Check whether the pins or the C-clips are correctly in place or lubricated. If the pins or clips are loose, tighten them and lubricate them with good machine oil.
5: Worn-out hydraulic lifters
The ticking noise of hydraulic lifters and injectors is a common cause among all Jeeps, specifically Wranglers. It is observed when a gap between the camshaft and the touching position of lifters is created. This gap increases as the Jeep grows old.
Therefore, the rattling and ticking noise is a common issue with all the Jeeps and can only be solved if the old hydraulic lifters are replaced by new ones or by rebuilding the cylinder head, which is quite an expensive solution.
DIY FIX:
There is no DIY solution to fix the worn-out cylinders, so it is better to ignore the sound as it will not damage your engine or car. But if you need a permanent solution, you must change these hydraulic lifters or rebuild the cylinder heads.
6: Worn-out hubs
Clicking, ticking, or snapping sound is also heard when the hubs have completely turned dry or worn out. This will lead to a ticking sound emerging from the wheel hubs.
DIY FIX:
If this is the case behind the ticking noise, then opt for lubricating the dry parts of the wheel hub, or if certain parts have worn out, choose to replace them.
7: Ticking exhaust manifold
Sometimes the ticking sound also occurs when the exhaust bolts become loose or break over time. Moreover, a ticking sound is also heard when the exhaust gasket has a leakage. This ticking sound comes with complete synchronization of the engine RPM and is mainly heard when the engine is given a cold start.
It leads to gasses escaping around the exhaust, continuously producing a ticking sound.
DIY FIX:
Take soapy water and place it all over the exhaust. Bubbles will start forming as soon as gasses start relieving from the exhaust area. After inspecting the issue, examine whether all the bolts or gaskets are in position and check for their condition. In case of loose bolts, snug them tightly, or if any of them is missing, replace them with a new one.
8: Oil pump drive assembly
This one is the worst of all the reasons behind the ticking sound. In any case, if your Jeep engine is running low on oil or is unable to get the due oil pressure, then you must encounter this issue urgently as it will create severe wear and tear in your engine, also leaving a long-lasting harmful impact on its efficiency.
DIY FIX:
Top-up the oil level as suggested by the manufacturer with the correct oil. Avoid riding your Jeep in this condition.
Also Read: How to Identify and Fix TIPM Failure on Your Jeep
Wrap up
Engine ticking or clicking is synonymous with the brand name Jeep. Thankfully, this issue is not that critical to be attended to urgently. Still, to troubleshoot the residing reasons start from the # 1 cause in this blog and try ruling them out in the descending order.
You will easily do it by yourself. Still, if unable to do so, immediately take your Jeep to a mechanic.
Till then, have a safe drive!