What Causes the Ticking Sound at Idle That Disappears When the Clutch is Depressed?

[HaleyAnn]

The reasons for the ticking sound at idle that disappears when the clutch is depressed are as follows: 1. Severe engine carbon buildup: The most common cause of ticking at idle is a dirty throttle body or excessive carbon buildup in the fuel injectors. When there is too much carbon inside the engine, the gasoline sprayed by the cold start injector is largely absorbed by the carbon deposits, resulting in an overly lean air-fuel mixture during cold starts. 2. Ignition system issues: Check the condition of the spark plugs, high-voltage wires, and ignition coils. Poor performance of the ignition system or weak spark plug firing can also cause this type of issue. The solution is to check if the spark plugs have excessive carbon buildup and replace them if necessary. 3. Unstable fuel pressure: If you have already cleaned the engine carbon deposits, cleaned the throttle body, replaced the gaskets and spark plugs, but still notice the ticking sound at idle, it is recommended to check the fuel supply pressure and the intake pressure sensor for proper operation. Abnormal fuel pump pressure or incorrect readings and poor performance of the intake pressure sensor can also trigger this type of fault.