Ticking Coil Packs on AAN

[JP]

Been scratching my head on this one as electronics is not my forte. But a quick lowdown.

When the engine starts from cold it is silent, even on coldstart you can balance a 20p coin on its side on the rocker and rev it through to 3k without it falling over whilst in neutral.

Once the engine is warmed up it starts ticking relatively loud to the extend you can hear it whilst in the car with the window open, no missing just ticking as if it where tappets. However you can still do the 20p trick and when placing a listening mic to the engine there is no valvetrain noise the ticking is coming distinctively from the coil packs.

I've fitted the new boots I bought in the group buy and these made no change. Likewise I've double checked all the earths and looked for broken wires and again no faults there. I've inspected the coil pack housings for cracks and again no visual faults.

Has anyone had this problem before and if so what's the cause as it's doing my nut in?

[PeteRR]

You might find that it's the carbon canister valve ticking. It did that on my old Avant too, sounds all the world like a dodgy lifter.

Next time it does it, have a look around the back of the engine for a blue valve with an electrical connection, you might be able to feel it pulse in time with the tick.

[JP]

Nah not that, can only think that the coils are breaking down internally heck they've done 180K+ might do the conversion to the 1.8t coil packs as I've got the bits kicking around for that as they're a lot cheaper as replacements.

[Error404]

sure its not the injectors ticking?

[JP]

nope not injectors you can hear them quietly in the background. It sounds like the spark arcing across when you test a spark plug by lying it across the rocker cover on a dizzy motor.

Like I said before the noise is distinctively coming from the coil packs when you place a listening microphone over them. I'll have a play over the weekend and see whats what.

[Greg_S]

Is yours an ABY? If it is it could be the pressure relief valve on the brake bomb

[PeteRR]

Spark plugs properly tightened? (I'm sure they are btw!)

[mark_s2]

If your coils are ticking the spark is finding the path of least resistance to earth....in which case I would guess that it would be accompanied by a mis-fire on boost.

[Ross]

I had this when there was a slight nick in the coil pack boot, you could see a small arc from the rubber to the head, it looked pretty wierd! Nothing a bit of superglue and wrapping a little insulation tape round it didn't solve, but if they are deteriorating may be a good idea to replace the rubber boots.

[JP]

If your coils are ticking the spark is finding the path of least resistance to earth....in which case I would guess that it would be accompanied by a mis-fire on boost.

Which is the conclusion I have come to unfortunately new engine with only a 140miles on it so far and a new clutch so it's not a test I can properly do as I'll run into other issues. So I've only been able to go part throttle to 4000rpm as the little K24 sounds like it wants to throw the blades out the side by the time it is coming on boost at 1.4bar. Took someone for a ride yesterday who was shocked at how hard the turbo had to work to get to 1.4bar until he noticed the engine was running -ve1.3bar at cruising. So not really time enough to stay under load to test for a misfire. As I can literally blip it at part throttle and got to back of.

As for whether it's an ABY I believe the title explains that one and it has new boots as mentioned in the first post. (no offense to those that suggested though)

Anyway in the interim have done a bit more playing about and consulted someone with very good I5 knowledge and have confirmed that indeed the coils can start to break down internally giving the same symptoms as split boots causing the arc to short through the path of least resistance.

Once I've swapped coil packs I'll confirm the results though so people have a definite answer incase it happens in the future to anyone else.

Cheers for help in the meanwhile.

[Ross]

My boots were brand spanking new as well, one had got a nick in it somehow