Hearing rapid 'Clicks' from engine bay...
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Hearing rapid 'Clicks' from engine bay...
Sorry - I know this is vague.
I am about 300miles away from home celebrating my second year anniversary with my wife. Right before we arrived at our destination, I was cruising on the highway at about 70mph and all was well. However, I started to climb a rather long and steep hill when all of a sudden I heard rapid 'clicks' coming from the engine bay. As soon as this started the CHECK ENGINE light started to rapidly blink. It seemed to only do this when I applied the gas pedal. When I released the pedal and coasted, there were no clicks or engine lights. I slowed down quickly to take the next exit so I can pull over and check things out but realized that if I took the exit that I would not be able to return on to the same interstate (no on-ramp) so I kept going but babying the truck of course. I drove a few more miles without any problems and even tried to get it to do it again but I couldn't and it actually never came back. I still had about 50 miles left of the drive so I just kept going and never stopped without any problems.
To me it sounded like the A/C compressor was clicking on and off or maybe the relay which controls it (if any) was malfunctioning because usually applying engine load up a hill at high speeds causes the AC compressor to kick off.
What's really weird is while I was hearing the clicks and seeing the CEL, there was no loss in performance, bucking, or anything. The truck was still running smooth.
Any suggestions? I am going to check for a local Autozone tomorrow to see if they can pull any codes but the light is off now and hasn't come back on since.
Thanks.
I am about 300miles away from home celebrating my second year anniversary with my wife. Right before we arrived at our destination, I was cruising on the highway at about 70mph and all was well. However, I started to climb a rather long and steep hill when all of a sudden I heard rapid 'clicks' coming from the engine bay. As soon as this started the CHECK ENGINE light started to rapidly blink. It seemed to only do this when I applied the gas pedal. When I released the pedal and coasted, there were no clicks or engine lights. I slowed down quickly to take the next exit so I can pull over and check things out but realized that if I took the exit that I would not be able to return on to the same interstate (no on-ramp) so I kept going but babying the truck of course. I drove a few more miles without any problems and even tried to get it to do it again but I couldn't and it actually never came back. I still had about 50 miles left of the drive so I just kept going and never stopped without any problems.
To me it sounded like the A/C compressor was clicking on and off or maybe the relay which controls it (if any) was malfunctioning because usually applying engine load up a hill at high speeds causes the AC compressor to kick off.
What's really weird is while I was hearing the clicks and seeing the CEL, there was no loss in performance, bucking, or anything. The truck was still running smooth.
Any suggestions? I am going to check for a local Autozone tomorrow to see if they can pull any codes but the light is off now and hasn't come back on since.
Thanks.
Captain
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RE: Hearing rapid 'Clicks' from engine bay...
Hard to say for sure, usually that kind of problem gets worse, not better. COuld've got some bad fuel in the lines that caused detonation, though that should have happened shortly after fill-up and continued until the next tank.
Check engine light flashing indicates a severe, catalyst-damaging misfire. Very strange that you didn't fel anything.
When I first started reading the post, I figured it would end in "and then the engine just stopped and won't turn over", but obviously that isn't the case.
Definitely get it scanned. No CEL does not mean no codes. They'll be in memory for the next 30-50 key cycles, depending on what they were.
Keep us posted.
Check engine light flashing indicates a severe, catalyst-damaging misfire. Very strange that you didn't fel anything.
When I first started reading the post, I figured it would end in "and then the engine just stopped and won't turn over", but obviously that isn't the case.
Definitely get it scanned. No CEL does not mean no codes. They'll be in memory for the next 30-50 key cycles, depending on what they were.
Keep us posted.
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RE: Hearing rapid 'Clicks' from engine bay...
Hmmm. Now that I think about it. I did just get a fill up about 15 minutes prior to it happening. I was in NJ so it was a full service station. I said fill it up with 87 but who knows, he could have put something else (diesel maybe?) in it.
Hopefully it was just something quick that fixed itself as I'm 300 miles away from my tools!!!!
Hopefully it was just something quick that fixed itself as I'm 300 miles away from my tools!!!!
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RE: Hearing rapid 'Clicks' from engine bay...
Went to autozone and tried turning the key three times. However, there are no codes. The autozone reader came up with zero codes and when I turned the key three times, I heard three clicks from the odometer but all the odometer read was the mileage.
I called Dodge and they said when the CEL blinks, it will not store the code meaning the code can only be read while it's blinking. They called it a soft code. Something like that doesn't make sense however. Why design something like that?
Anyways, the truck has been running smooth all day. I've driven about another 75 miles since this morning without any problems. I really hope it was bad gas or something.
I called Dodge and they said when the CEL blinks, it will not store the code meaning the code can only be read while it's blinking. They called it a soft code. Something like that doesn't make sense however. Why design something like that?
Anyways, the truck has been running smooth all day. I've driven about another 75 miles since this morning without any problems. I really hope it was bad gas or something.
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RE: Hearing rapid 'Clicks' from engine bay...
ORIGINAL: mattd860
Sorry - I know this is vague.
I am about 300miles away from home celebrating my second year anniversary with my wife. Right before we arrived at our destination, I was cruising on the highway at about 70mph and all was well. However, I started to climb a rather long and steep hill when all of a sudden I heard rapid 'clicks' coming from the engine bay. As soon as this started the CHECK ENGINE light started to rapidly blink. It seemed to only do this when I applied the gas pedal. When I released the pedal and coasted, there were no clicks or engine lights. I slowed down quickly to take the next exit so I can pull over and check things out but realized that if I took the exit that I would not be able to return on to the same interstate (no on-ramp) so I kept going but babying the truck of course. I drove a few more miles without any problems and even tried to get it to do it again but I couldn't and it actually never came back. I still had about 50 miles left of the drive so I just kept going and never stopped without any problems.
To me it sounded like the A/C compressor was clicking on and off or maybe the relay which controls it (if any) was malfunctioning because usually applying engine load up a hill at high speeds causes the AC compressor to kick off.
What's really weird is while I was hearing the clicks and seeing the CEL, there was no loss in performance, bucking, or anything. The truck was still running smooth.
Any suggestions? I am going to check for a local Autozone tomorrow to see if they can pull any codes but the light is off now and hasn't come back on since.
Thanks.
Sorry - I know this is vague.
I am about 300miles away from home celebrating my second year anniversary with my wife. Right before we arrived at our destination, I was cruising on the highway at about 70mph and all was well. However, I started to climb a rather long and steep hill when all of a sudden I heard rapid 'clicks' coming from the engine bay. As soon as this started the CHECK ENGINE light started to rapidly blink. It seemed to only do this when I applied the gas pedal. When I released the pedal and coasted, there were no clicks or engine lights. I slowed down quickly to take the next exit so I can pull over and check things out but realized that if I took the exit that I would not be able to return on to the same interstate (no on-ramp) so I kept going but babying the truck of course. I drove a few more miles without any problems and even tried to get it to do it again but I couldn't and it actually never came back. I still had about 50 miles left of the drive so I just kept going and never stopped without any problems.
To me it sounded like the A/C compressor was clicking on and off or maybe the relay which controls it (if any) was malfunctioning because usually applying engine load up a hill at high speeds causes the AC compressor to kick off.
What's really weird is while I was hearing the clicks and seeing the CEL, there was no loss in performance, bucking, or anything. The truck was still running smooth.
Any suggestions? I am going to check for a local Autozone tomorrow to see if they can pull any codes but the light is off now and hasn't come back on since.
Thanks.
Captain
Joined: Nov 2007
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RE: Hearing rapid 'Clicks' from engine bay...
I called Dodge and they said when the CEL blinks, it will not store the code meaning the code can only be read while it's blinking. They called it a soft code. Something like that doesn't make sense however. Why design something like that?
Check your plug wires. Maybe one of them is shorting out on something and that was the click sound you heard.
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RE: Hearing rapid 'Clicks' from engine bay...
Well, regardless. The light was on for a good 60+ seconds but there are currently no codes to be displayed. The autozone obd2 reader said clearly 0 codes and turning the key 3 times displayed no codes either (99 D so this function should be available). So whatever happened that night remains a mystery although I'm 99% sure it was misfires.
I ran through the plugs wires and the only thing they touch in a few places are each other. The wires running down the passengerside engine bank are all in the appropriate clips and are separated from everything including each other however the wires running down the driverside are touching each other but not the head or block )because one of the clips broke).
I think I reproduced the problem today. I was again traveling at 70mph and applied that gas pretty heavily for a moment and thought I heard a miss or two but quickly backed off before I did damage. The light never came on however. So I think it only miss's under moderate to heavy engine loads or when the throttle is past a certain point.
Any ideas why it would do this? The TPS, plugs, wires, distributor, and rotor were all replaced 2 months ago and all the parts are Mopar bought from Dodge. Can the coil cause misfires under heavy load? That’s about the only ignition related item that has never been replaced.
Thanks for the responses so far.
I ran through the plugs wires and the only thing they touch in a few places are each other. The wires running down the passengerside engine bank are all in the appropriate clips and are separated from everything including each other however the wires running down the driverside are touching each other but not the head or block )because one of the clips broke).
I think I reproduced the problem today. I was again traveling at 70mph and applied that gas pretty heavily for a moment and thought I heard a miss or two but quickly backed off before I did damage. The light never came on however. So I think it only miss's under moderate to heavy engine loads or when the throttle is past a certain point.
Any ideas why it would do this? The TPS, plugs, wires, distributor, and rotor were all replaced 2 months ago and all the parts are Mopar bought from Dodge. Can the coil cause misfires under heavy load? That’s about the only ignition related item that has never been replaced.
Thanks for the responses so far.
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RE: Hearing rapid 'Clicks' from engine bay...
Can the coil cause misfires under heavy load? That’s about the only ignition related item that has never been replaced.
You can get a KV scale for a few dollars at the parts store. It'll be a piece of platic with a clear tube. Has a spark pluk-like contact on one end and a spring clamp on the other. The spring clamp is attached to a threaded rod with a point. The tube will be marked 10,20,30,40, etc. You unscrew the rod until it sits in line with the KV indicator you desire and then crank the engine. If spark is present, no problem. If it won't arc the gap indicating minimum KV's, check power to the coil positive termal and make sure the ground is good (coil solidly attached to bracket). If power and ground chack out, replace the coil.
I don't know off hand the minimum KV output for your Durango, but less than 20 is definitely too low.
Also check your plugs.Even if they're new, they could be improperly gapped. 20-30 KV's will jump a spark nearly 1/2" in atmosphere, but under compression that distance will be much, much lower.
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RE: Hearing rapid 'Clicks' from engine bay...
thanks for the info Sixtysix. I will try to pick one of those up as well as a new coil this week.
Iam glad to tell you that I just made it back home without any problems. Of course everytime I needed enough gas to keep the speed at 55-75mph up a hill I would hear tiny misfires but I feel much better now that I'm close to my tools.
Hopefully I can get this sorted out before it has a chance to do some real damage to the engine.
Iam glad to tell you that I just made it back home without any problems. Of course everytime I needed enough gas to keep the speed at 55-75mph up a hill I would hear tiny misfires but I feel much better now that I'm close to my tools.
Hopefully I can get this sorted out before it has a chance to do some real damage to the engine.
