Everyone,

This morning while I was warming up the car to head to work, I started hearing these clicking noise. Not sure it was there before today but it just happen to be a quiet day in the neighborhood so I decided to record the sound with my phone.

If you look at the video, you will hear a "click" and then the idle would change pitch as well, so everytime you see the RPM move that means there's a click right before it.

http://youtu.be/1gvKTNyKjXY

Not sure what it is... if anyone knows, or have an idea where to check or what to replace, please... any advice is great. Oh BTW just in case you want to know, I started the car about 1-2mins before this video was recorded.

I try searching the forum, found a couple of threads but I am not sure if it's the same thing... or I might be missing some posts in my search.

NOTE: There's a louder click in the video, that's me bumping the steering wheel

Thanks

Chanse

 

is your AC on?

 

Something is putting a load on the engine. Whether it's the A/C compressor cycling as Dozer mentioned. Could be something electrical operating. As in a draw/load on the alternator.
I would suggest making sure all the electrical accessories are off and try it again tomorrow morning. See if it still does it.
Another thing is, does this only do this in the morning when the car is cold? Could be an issue with the Air Pump operation. Do you have any CEL's?

 

Yes AC was on.

Easy E1: I heard it after I got to work as I let the car idle in the garage, so it's not just cold start. Not sure what a CEL is but everything in the car should be STOCK.

I will try to test again with all electric components out; AC, RADIO, etc.

Thanks for the replies... let me test this out and I will post some more info.

Chanse

 

CEL = Check Engine Light

If your A/C was on then I would presume that was the item causing this concern.

 

I'm pretty positive that is just your fans cycling. Especially since AC was on.

 

AHH, Thanks. No the CEL is not on. Is there something I can do to fix this? it doesn't harm the engine will it?

My thing is, if it doesn't harm the car from running and in this case the engine.. I might put it around last in my list to do... but if it's easy and doesn't cost too much or I REALLY NEED TO FIX IT, then I will.

Gonna test it when I leave work.

Chanse

 

Every car I have ever owned has done this when just idling with the AC on. Small dip in rpm with a click, then goes back up. It puts a load on the system when it kicks on so thats why, and its normal. Some cars get super sluggish with the AC on also, at least this one does not.

Also as someone else said the fans can also cause that click when you just sit there idling for to long. I only noticed that once when someone called me right as I was leaving my garage, stopped and talked for ~10 mins and heard a similar noise when the fans turned on constantly.