Ticking noise

I have noticed a ticking noise in my 2000 V6 since I purchased it a year and half ago. Mentioned it to several shops. They said 'don't worry',
'injector noise', etc.

Had it in for 30K service today. Got a call from the shop. "The ticking noise is a cracked exhaust header." Parts on order for free replacement.

PS: The dealership (Beaverton Nissan - Oregon) had a used white Xterra for sale with a cool license plate = XTERRA

Toy Man -

I wish I would have seen one of your previous posts mentioning the ticking noise. My X girlfriend had the same noise you mention resulting from the same problem, a crack exhause header.

Glad your dealer found it and is taking care of it.:)

Huh? The vehicle already had tags before sale? Doesn't seem right.

Brent

Used vehicle. Plates follow the car.

Toy Man,

Actually that has been a problem with Nissan V-6s for a long time. Pathfinder_1988 has gone through two manifolds on his (300,000 or so miles). We got a Pathfinder in the dealership (1995) that had the same thing. The most common side I have seen have been right side manifolds. I don't know whether that is the only side causing problems, but it is primarily the side I have seen based on limited experience with the problem.

Yep - right side exhaust manifold.

Maybe by the time mine goes bad someone will have released a set of headers for it! :D

Originally posted by Toy Man
Used vehicle. Plates follow the car.

Weird laws they have on Oregon. Tags don't follow the vehicle 'round here, and back home in TN.

Then again, the UK is really weird, there's a rather lucrative market for certain tags over there. I can't even begin to understand how they do it, not that I've ever really looked into it.

Brent

Originally posted by Toy Man
PS: The dealership (Beaverton Nissan - Oregon) had a used white Xterra for sale with a cool license plate = XTERRA

Hey MOSI wasn't that truck part of PNWX? (was it Max's)

Ben

Originally posted by Antitree_hugger


Hey MOSI wasn't that truck part of PNWX? (was it Max's)

Ben

I do remember a guy at Sand Lake with a white X that said Xterra. He almost drove into that tree well.

Originally posted by Schludwiller


I do remember a guy at Sand Lake with a white X that said Xterra. He almost drove into that tree well.

hehehe ya that was Max I was almost positive he had XTERRA plates.

Hey guys this ticking sound does it tick all the time or just sometimes?

Mine ticks all the time. Very noticeable when next to a wall and the sound bounces off.

Originally posted by Toy Man
Mine ticks all the time. Very noticeable when next to a wall and the sound bounces off.


Thanks Toy Man

My rig has a small ticking noise. Is there anyway to test for this problem (or look for it) at home? The Nissan dealerships around me folded, so I don't have any place easy to drop the X off at....

Originally posted by ToeJam
My rig has a small ticking noise. Is there anyway to test for this problem (or look for it) at home? The Nissan dealerships around me folded, so I don't have any place easy to drop the X off at....

The dealerships near location "sitting on my ass at my desk" folded? Interesting:p

An easy way to tell if you have the problem is to drive somewhere that you get an echo, like a bridge or tunnel. It will magnify the sound.

I have been reading alot of posts about this problem. I have'nt noticed any exhaust leaks on my X, but it kind of concerns me that this is such a prevalent problem. I'm almost out of warranty. Anyone have any idea what the exhaust manifold costs?

Took my X into the dealership yesterday to have the cracked right side exhaust header replaced.

Took all day - actually longer because the wrong studs were sent. It should be done Monday.

The crack was in the top middle of the header.

For all of you that are hoping for aftermarket headers, you might want to factor in the time/effort/money involved to replace them. Not a simple job.

Originally posted by OffroadX

Then again, the UK is really weird, there's a rather lucrative market for certain tags over there. I can't even begin to understand how they do it, not that I've ever really looked into it.

Brent

The "PEN1S" style number plate market is indeed weird, but regular plates are far from weird. If you want a ponsey number plate, I don't see why you shouldn't pay for it.

The plate stays with the car because it describes what age the car was made and where its from. My Dad's old Renault was FDV 681 V - V registration means it was made in 1979 I think, and the DV means it was originally sold in the county of Devon.

Another thing the ticking noise could be...... I had a rattle sound coming from the back of the engine compartment area. Took it in about 3 times to have them look at it and they could never reproduce it. It would only do it when it was at normal operating temp and didn't seem to be very consistant. It was pretty annoying and almost sound like a diesel. On a pretty warm day in October, it started doing it bad so I dropped by the dealership and had the tech ride along with me to listen. He grabbed his diag. computer and plugged it into the ECU port. It didn't take long for the computer to spit out "knock sensor failure". Anyway, they replaced the knock sensor under warranty which would normally be a very costly repair since the sensor sits underneath the intake manifold.

hey toe jam: is that a corona you're drinking? maybe the boat dealer can tell ya where a nissan dealer is. HEHE... :bonghitte

My 1991 Pathfinder with 180,000 miles has had the exhaust manifold bolts broken on both sides since 78,000. It 'ticks' loudly until it warms up then quits. I was not aware that this problem plagued the X as well.
Toy Man you mentioned the manifold was actually cracked? Have you been running in deep water with a hot manifold :D

Toy Man you mentioned the manifold was actually cracked? Have you been running in deep water with a hot manifold

Just a few shallow crossings. The noise existed before I did any water crossings.

FYI: Nissan parts sent the wrong studs for the manifold and the shop broke 2 catalytic converter bolts. Took an extra 2 days to get the studs/bolts.

My Xterra is waiting on a new passenger side manifold as well.. It should be here tomorrow.

Well, I noticed the other day I have the ticking in the right side manifold too. Now that I'm out of warranty, I'm wondering how much I'll have to pay for a new exhaust manifold. Did anyone ever get the price?

Next question, Is this something that needs immediate attention? Coolerman says his was broken for quite some time. Does this effect the performance of the engine?

I took a look at the damn thing, it looks like it's going to be a PITA to fix. I'm just worried that the same thing may happen to the new one. It's going to take couple hours just to take the damn heat stoves and crap off just to get to it. ARRRGGHHH! :eek:

Bummer Dude.. :(

After a closer look at my warranty, I found out that the warranty on the drivetrain is 60month/60000miles! Yea!

Guess I should have looked a little closer at the warranty booklet. duh! :bloated:

In light of this development, I'm taking the X in today. Even if it's replaced, I still worry that it could crack again in the future. :(

I sure hope Gibson comes out with those headers! :D I wonder if they have decided that they are going to make them yet?

You will have a case for Nissan to replace the exhaust manifold again after your warranty expires as long as you keep your records...if this is a known problem you can cause a big stink if they do not cover it and it might eventually cause a recall...I think they would rather keep you happy though.

Reviving an old thread for some guidance:

2003 Xterra, 7600 miles, 2 oil changes.

I have an awful ticking noise that sounds like it's coming from under the hood. It is most prominent after driving on the freeway and waiting at the bottom of the exit ramp.

The sound reminds me of a lifter tick - is this probable with only 7600 miles on the vehicle?

I Only Had 800 Miles On My Xterra And Got The Same Noise. I Now Have 15000 And Have Been To
The Dealer 3 Times Being Told It Was Normal.

I was told recently that the ticking was the fuel injectors (happens around 15k rpms). Both manifolds are solid as they've both been replaced under warranty. :rolleyes:

hey,
i took it back to the dealer,7/1/04. the differental was replaced along with a recall on the fuel injecters. i asked for the exhaust manfolds to be ck'd also. i was told they where fine,but it still ticks like it has no oil.

You might try taking to a different dealer.

I was told injectors also. Later a different service guy had it checked and it was a cracked manifold.

Toy Man

believe it or not but this dealer is in new york the last one was in tennessee. i may try vermont. thanks

hey,
i took it back to the dealer,7/1/04. the differental was replaced along with a recall on the fuel injecters. i asked for the exhaust manfolds to be ck'd also. i was told they where fine,but it still ticks like it has no oil.

What recall? We're pretty up to date on recalls around here. If you've got something new please let us know any details (unless it was the rear diff-whine repair).

recent safety recalls
6/1/04 fuel system,gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
i found this under msn autos-my car
t

recent safety recalls
6/1/04 fuel system,gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
i found this under msn autos-my car
t

That's the fuel-sending unit recall and doesn't involve fuel injectors. :)

hey,
maybe they screwed up, i got both. i have the service order that says i did. when you slow down and your stopping,does it feel like your tires are grabbing. i have bfg long trail ta's. that was the main reason i upgraded to a se,also i'm the one they bullshitted about the front end having lifters and the right one was off by two and one half inches and that was the reason it would not stay in alignment,it was sent back to the factory in tenn.,two days before i had to make a 2300 mile trip when i was transferred to new york. i've had the tires balanced since then and they look ok,no feathering like before. i had a suzuki samari that had bfg all terrains and they where great. i just didn't want that aggrestive of a tire on the xterra.
thanks,
t

There is a TSB on a "knock" noise from the engine bay, it's the evap solenoid. There's a little kit to quiet it a bit.
http://www.nissan-techinfo.com/nissan/TSB/TSB_IS923/53983.asp

Brent

thanks
i'll try that.

Nissan Manifolds are notoriously fecal in construction. My 96 kingcab sounds like its dying when u ride the gas and im waiting for my X to follow. No biggie, thats Nissan:)