I have a 1989 305 TPI. The most recent things I have replaced are the spark plugs, spark plug wires, and ignition coil. I just replaced the coil thinking that it was the annoying ticking I hear. It didn't seem to help. When the car is at idle, you can barely hear ticking and I believe it to be the injectors. But I am hearing a loud ticking that I used to not hear when I'm accelerating (in any gear) The coil is brand new, that can't be what I hear. The car is running rich and the idle hangs when I'm coasting in neutral. The idle used to be unsteady until I bumped the idle up to about 1000 RPMs. One other weird thing I noticed was once I put it into 5th gear, if my RPMs are below 1300, the car "stutters" and acts like i changed gears way too soon - and its obvious thats not the case since I'm normally around 55 MPH at that point. Could my injectors be a problem? there could be more than one problem.... I've replaced the MAF about 3 times in the past 5 months, can't be that. Fuel pressure, maybe? Does anyone have any idea what could be the problem? thanks.

 

The ticking could be two things, I would check is a exhaust leak and a bad lifter.

 

I dont think it would tick, but it sounds like it might be a bad EGR valve.

 

I'll check it all out, thanks for the input

 

the ticking sound you hear is the fuel pressure regulator.take a long screw driver,put one end on the fuel rail if you cant get to the regulator,put your ear on the other end,bet thats the sound you hear.later,jimmy

 

5th gear @1300rpms seems way too low. my overdrive at 45mph with converter locked is still 1500rpms.

 

Lately I'm having to wait until I hit 55 MPH to change into 5th instead of 45 MPH. Most of the time my gears will all run fine starting at 1300 RPMS, but that definantly doesn't work for 5th like it used to. I don't remember it being at 1500 RPMs at 45 MPH in 5th, but maybe I just don't remember....

I have been thinking it had to be fuel pressure judging by other abnormal things it does, so like "1fastam" said, it must be the fuel pressure regulator.

 

i'm just saying i don't know how your car operates at that low of an rpm at that high of a gear. of course it's gonna drag some.

 

so is the fuel regulator bad, fuel pressure off, or maybe a leak in the fuel system? or maybe all three? lol
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it might be a lil different than your's cuz you got a bigger engine, i dunno. hell this car hasnt been running right since i got it, maybe its just retarded lol

 

no, its not messed up.thats its normal operating sound,later jimmy

 

this is probably not your problem but, 4 main things i've noticed that ticked on my old f-bodys.......

1.) some injectors are just plain noisy no getting around it

2.)the rocker studs are push in, so i'd pop a valve cover if you can hear any sound coming through a screw driver or such, when pressed against them just in case.. May vary well have pulled 1 on a misshift or something.

3.) my favorite and least likely yet pretty possible lol..... dizzy cap lose..... had this happen numerous times, if it is the rotor is probably beating on the cap a little...... I had this happen on my old l03 after a tuneup i did lol.... Dont ask me how i didn't get it tight enough but, it wasn't for sure...

4.)noisy regulator as said above.

btw i shift my 89 iroc t5 car at 1750 rpms on my factory tach in 1-2 2-3 3-4 shifts. The 4 to 5 i wait until 2k minimum or in my case with 3.08 gears thats like 43mph or so if memory serves me correct..... Running these things up the bands for no reason is dumb, altho anything under 1300 rpms gets a little hairy just my opinion......

 

well I tried to screwdriver test on the fuel rail and it prolly the regulator ticking, BUT it has never ticked like this before and this car is definantly not running like its supposed to. I'm going to go ahead and replace that fuel regulator and hope it fixes everything. its worth a try

 

on the shifting, I made it a lil confusing...I was saying that AFTER i shift at 55 MPH into 5th gear that while it was in 5th at that speed it is around 1300 RPMs, and thats what it used to be after I shifted at 45 MPH. what i shoulda said was its at about 22 RPMs and THEN I shift into 5th at 55 MPH. (i used to be able to shift at 45 MPH, but now I have to shift later) I'm going to try replacing the regulator. I'll go ahead and check the dizzy cap but I dont think it would cause the car to run so shitty would it? if none of that works, I'll get the rocker studs checked. I really hope its just that regulator! lol

 

makes sense! i now understand your shifting, yah it seems we drive about the same under normal conditions.

btw yah the dizzy cap being lose could most definetly cause her to run rough tho. The rotor would be plinkin around not where its suppose to + if it's real lose you could pop a wire off pretty easy too. Not highly likely but, its happened to me b4....

 

I'll get it checked out tomorrow while my mechanic is working on it. thanks

 

Well did the fuel regulator fix the knocking noise?

 

end up not putting in a fuel regulator didn't seem to be the problem...we replaced the rotor instead and it helped. but now a few of my injectors are going bad so Im going to replace them all tomorrow. I know they are supposed to tick, but they sure tick louder than I think they should. One is ohming out pretty damn low...might as well fix them all since I have already replaced one... or else they will just go out one after another, ya know...timing has been far off too, but those injectors have to be replaced cuz the car about dies when you time it to zero degrees.