I've got a ticking sound?

This is a huge subject my friend. Please describe the severity of your tick.

It sounds like an exhaust leak to me.

Yeah hard to diagnose with that description. I'd be willing to bet a steak dinner its your belt tensioner. When they start to go, the bearing makes all sorts of racket, particularly when you rev the motor. I just had the exact same thing and I was convinced it was comming from under the valve cover as well. It sounds somewhat like an exhaust leak but louder. Gates makes a belt tensioner for our cars at around $80. Its an easy fix...

I am having the same problem as you guys have described. I found this video clip of someones engine http://videos.streetfire.net/search/mustang/11/2d715f7a-5a64-487c-9750-985000e9ed93.htm

My engine sounds something like this clip. I don't know how much to trust the diagnosis of the website it is posted on so i figured I would ask you guys. BensBACobra or anyone else is this the kind of engine noise you heard? I want to know if I should try your belt tensioner theory.

do you have youe emissions bypassed?

There is a bung on the top od the header that may have fallen off/ broken....that is what happened to my 98.

I had a 94 cobra that had a noise like that. I was sure it was in the passenger side head. Even started to pull the intake cause I figured it was a bad lifter. Then I noticed the emmisions tube from the top of the header to the bottom of what I think is the EGR vavle had came loose. No matter how tight I tightened it, it always came loose again. Even after I sold it, the new owner always has to tighten this tube. One time I thought the tube had came loose, only to find out it was the header gasket itself.
Just like yours, it was really noticeable driving on roads with a concrete median or over a bridge or something like that.

Valves. Change your oil.... do a fuel system clean (not the bottle stuff, the real carbon cleaner that will make your car smoke like a bandit)... and see if it goes away. If not... at least you have clean oil and fuel/intake system.

lund477 said:

I am having the same problem as you guys have described. I found this video clip of someones engine http://videos.streetfire.net/search/mustang/11/2d715f7a-5a64-487c-9750-985000e9ed93.htm

My engine sounds something like this clip. I don't know how much to trust the diagnosis of the website it is posted on so i figured I would ask you guys. BensBACobra or anyone else is this the kind of engine noise you heard? I want to know if I should try your belt tensioner theory.

Click to expand...

Well all i can do is relate my problem to you and hopefully that will help you out. My noise was a loud ticking noise that began immediately upon a cold only start up. The fact that it was only on cold starts convinced me it was something internal in the engine. I took it to a Ford Dealership locally and I was completely blown off. I was initially told by the service shop guy when i described the problem to him that it was most likely something in the valve train "sticking." When I got the official word after I had to leave it there for 48 hours another tech told me about all the codes I was throwing due to failing catalitic converter... I have long tubes and NO CATS! The stupid lazy bastards never even looked at what the problem was. I promptly took my car out of the shop and took it to an independent whom i already had a relationship with. He diagnosed it on the spot as being a bad belt tensioner. Like I said, Gates makes one for DOHC Cobras for about $80. Thats my story hope this helps.

P.S. DON'T TRUST FORD TECHS! JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE BLUE OVAL ON THEIR OIL STAINED UNIFORM DOESN'T MEAN THEY KNOW *****! THEY ARE USED TO DOING EASY WARANTY WORK ON FOCUSES AND F150'S NOT YOUR MODIFIED MUSTANG!!! I CAN'T SAY THIS ENOUGH!

+1 on the exhaust leak. It is either from the passenger side gasket to h-pipe seal. Or it is a header leak in between the head and the header (manifold whatever you wnat to call it)