Hi all,

I haven't been on the forums in forever! Just got back to college a few weeks ago. Took the XJ with me. Its been running perfectly ever since I got there, but for the last week or so whenever I started it I could hear a repetitive clicking noise coming from the passenger-side of the engine bay. I was only able to hear it however when I rolled down the driver-side window. If I had all of the windows up, you couldn't hear it. After the third or so time of this happening, I popped the hood and listened for where the noise was coming from. It sounded like it was somewhere between the alternator and mechanical fan. The odd thing is, is that the noise would disappear after the engine got to running temperature (after I had driven it). I recently replaced my water pump this summer, but everything went back together on the front of the engine smoothly. The engine still idles as smoothly as before, its just the clicking noise that bothers me.

Any ideas of what could be causing this? Is this a recurring problem? She's got just under 147,000 miles.

Thanks!

Are you sure it's not coming from a canister in the rear of the engine bay?

^^ this. Related to the emissions system for fuel vapor, there is an electric valve up on the firewall by the heater hoses and A/C lines that clicks.

If it's that evap solenoid canister doohickey on the firewall, it's not a problem. It's supposed to make that noise. It will click when you first start up and stop after a little while. Sometimes they get louder as they age, making you think you've developed a problem.

If it's not coming from that canister, I couldn't tell you what it is. You might want to get a mechanic's stethoscope from Harbor Freight and track it down.

not sure if you got your answer since this was posted a few months ago but I have the same problem. I think it's a sticky lifter. the fix is quite a hassle though.

Are you sure its not the evap purge solenoid? Here is a vid of a loud evap solenoid clicking. It can sound like a lifter at times.

Could even be distributor cap (on the inside)

Hey all thanks for the help!

Turns out my mechanical fan was loose , couldn't see that the bolts were backed out 1/4" because of the fan shroud lol... Good thing I caught it in time. Re-tightened it last week with some loctite

Must have slowly began to loosen after I put it back on back from when I replaced my water pump!

Holy crap, he's alive! Haha in all seriousness though: glad you found the problem man! Awesome

Haha sorry man been busy at college! Ended up fixing it in the parking lot outside my dorm room lol. Yep as cool as it would've been to see my fan shoot through my hood that probably wouldn't have been good

Why resurrect a 4 year old thread when you can just Google and discover on your own?