Awful sound combined with tapping
 

Title says most of what my issue is. I've done a good amount of searching for the ticking/tapping and have replaced the spark plugs and spark plug wires. For this issue I'm seeking a little more input before I drop the money for coils.
Second concern is an awful sound I got the other night after driving to work. I haven't been able to find a post containing info on this issue so any input would be nice. Sound clip is included, I can get a video later tonight if needed.
2004 GT MT with 75k miles on it, only thing done to it is RB A/C and oil screens.
Thanks in advance.

http://soundcloud.com/nicksokool2002/rx8-noises

Well this is what a SSV tick sounds like,


sound like your problem?

Thanks for the reply,
The ticking/tapping does sound a lot like that. I had looked into the SSV tap before, but when I pushed on the lever there was still tapping. Suppose I assumed that it wasn't the issue. I'll check into that when it warms up a little outside. I did record a video before I went into work. It's crap, but maybe it'll help more than a sound clip.

Is it safe to assume the noise increases in frequency with the RPM's?

It sounds to me like your belt is making noise. Not uncommon when the weather gets cold (and wet.) The easiest way to tell is to give a quick squirt of WD-40 on the belt while it's running and see if the noise changes. Not too much, though, as you could risk it slipping off.

I can only hear the ticking/tapping when the car is below 1k RPMs. It sounds like it's coming from mid to driver side. I pushed on the SSV and felt to see if I could feel any tapping from that and I didn't.

That could be the case. It has been below 35 recently. I'll give that a shot and let you know how that worked out for me. Also, if it is the belt, is there a way to fix that, or just put up with it during winter seasons? I appreciate the response and idea.

when I saw your video it awfully sounded lot like mine,
if I press in on the clutch it goes away so I always thought it was my clutch.
is this the case?

The ticking/tapping occurs with and without the clutch pressed, and I can only hear it when the RPMs are below 1k. The only time I've gotten the "belt noise" is recently when driving to and from Louisville. It's about an hour's drive and as I've stated in response to Wingznut, it has been pretty cold during the drive. Also, Only CEL I've had since I owned the car was small EVAP leak due to me not tightening the gas cap well enough.
Thank you for your response.

Yeah... Replace it. :)

After a while, belts get a "glaze" on them from normal wear. I've occasionally had success in the past with a very small dab of Vaseline on the belt (NOT to apply it while it's running), but that's hard to recommend since it's impossible to describe just how much to use. And it usually doesn't fix it for long, anyway.

Lol, yeah I didn't really think on that one. Thanks for not burning me. I'll just replace if it becomes more persistent, and I have no intention of losing my fingers! Thanks so much for all the support so far. I just need to narrow down this ticking/tapping :/

I'm kind of having the same problem. No loss in performance at all, but I have a tapping/ticking at idle but also when I start it it makes a high pitched noise that kind of sounds like a vacuum cleaner, only happens when I start it cold tho and goes away a few seconds later. You guys got any input on that? Im switching out my plugs coils and wires since I got it at 52k and it's got 69k on it now and I don't know when they were last swapped

^ the high pitch noise is your air pump. Unless you post a sound clip is going to be hard to tell if it needs to be replaced, because some noise is normal.

+1

Well, you need to troubleshoot and determine if it is, in fact, the belt. Don't just take someone's online diagnosis, as a youtube video isn't exactly a lot to go on.

True, I'll try the WD-40 when I drive to work tonight and if it occurs again. However, I bought the car used and I've no idea what the previous owner has and hasn't done. When I pulled the plugs they looked rather bad, and it had the original wires on it at 70k.

I've also got a high pitch noise that occurs when I start the car, kind of reminds me of a jet engine, but it shuts off after a little while. I'd assume this is normal.

lol we have the exact same noises, coincidence?