2011 Fiesta 1.25 Weird tick in engine bay

[LuukLucky]

My 2011 Fiesta with the 1.25L (i Duratec?) engine with around 55k miles has been making some weird noises in the engine bay.

There is this random ticking noise that ticks every 10 or so seconds from the left side of the engine bay, but it's hard to locate.
It does so on a cold start and after a drive. I believe it's also ticking while in motion, but it's hard to hear from the cabin.
I couldn't find anything about this noise so I came here to see if anyone has any experience with this.
Car starts and runs fine. It's also had a small service in the last few hunderd miles.

Edit: I may have isolated it to the AC. Everyime the AC clicks on it makes this noise. I don't think it's supposed to be that loud, right?

In the video it clicks at 0:09 and at around 0:32. Clicks sound mechanical in nature to the naked ear.

 

[Handy Andy]

Ok, this is a 2011 in 2022 - so it's 11 years old easily.

Are you the original owner - if so congratulations! You and your vehicle made it this far.

What you have not mentioned, in your post, is the mileage and if any service to the timing belt has been done?

Ok, this comes up due to an experience I had with Suzuki 3 cylinder - only it sounded more like a tap clank - which usually means non oiled part striking another metal piece - only a matter of time before it breaks.

So, this tap, or tic sound can be from the slack in the timing belt to tensioner - usually tells me it's time to change the belt for the slack is also affecting the gears and they along with the tensioner - are "jumping" in time. So far? It seems the belt and it's aspect has stayed in place, but idling jumps and erratic acceleration are clues as to the time for changing the belt.

I also hear something at or around the 0:22 seconds mark - like a "delay" - can be from timing - how is the car doing as far as performance? Doesn't affect speed of the idle - just one "tic".

Another? Is the loading of the AC unit - on my 3 cylinder - it was when the headlighting came on and or the startup and rear window defogger - any electrical load - the alternator would place the belt in a load - and even the timing belt was affected - it was a single cam design but enough load placed on the harmonic balancer pulley to torque and generate this noise during idle moments from no-load to load - that jump affected the belts that much.

It sounds like a rocking back and forth. Tells me something is coming loose - what? IT's hard to tell even the AC compressor hub bearing can develop free-play slop and make this noise from the slack in the system it places on it.

Wait too long - you'll have bigger problems you don't need.

Make sure your harmonic balancer pulley - the one that runs the serpentine belt - that bolt is tight to the hub.

Make sure all hub to pulley bolts is tight. Still taps? Get it serviced - unless you have records of it to prove otherwise to try and rule out several other events taking place.

To help you, make a sincere effort to try and isolate this noise, there is another noise you'll hear from inside the passenger compartment that is a 10-second tic-toc sound - from the climate actuator temperature regulator and or the body control module is actuating a fuel pump relay - that regulates the fuel pressure at idle. Pressing on the Body control module during this noise you'll feel the vibration of a relay making this noise inside the module - that's a fuel pump relay clicking on and off during idle.

 

[LuukLucky]

Ok, this is a 2011 in 2022 - so it's 11 years old easily.

What you have not mentioned, in your post, is the mileage and if any service to the timing belt has been done?


Make sure all hub to pulley bolts is tight. Still taps? Get it serviced - unless you have records of it to prove otherwise to try and rule out several other events taking place.

Thanks for the reply!
Far from the original owner hahaha, mileage is at 55k miles (90k KM) and the belt has been replaced in 2021 at 80k KM's according to the service book.
I'm having it inspected on monday by a professional, but so far I've not heard the noise with the AC off, so my guess is it's related to that.
The car sounds alright when the AC is off and it hasn't developed any other problems so far.

 

[Handy Andy]

Ok, but if it's the compressor, it may cost a few bucks to have it replaced - not sure if they can service the bearings inside the clutch - but what I do not see in the vid is how the compressor is doing - if you have AC now, this may be from that clutch bearing - which will fail soon enough and cause a few issues with the serpentine belt - and at the age this thing is in - the concern becomes that the life of the compressor is done - you'll need a new one - or rebuilt - which mostly is the very bearings and slop they fix in these things.

So you've rolled over the odometer 80km then now at 55km - you've gone over 75,000km on this belt then too?

While they're in there - they may want to change that and the water pump too.

 

[LuukLucky]

Ok, but if it's the compressor, it may cost a few bucks to have it replaced - not sure if they can service the bearings inside the clutch - but what I do not see in the vid is how the compressor is doing - if you have AC now, this may be from that clutch bearing - which will fail soon enough and cause a few issues with the serpentine belt - and at the age this thing is in - the concern becomes that the life of the compressor is done - you'll need a new one - or rebuilt - which mostly is the very bearings and slop they fix in these things.

So you've rolled over the odometer 80km then now at 55km - you've gone over 75,000km on this belt then too?

While they're in there - they may want to change that and the water pump too.

Sorry if the mileages are a bit confusing as I'm talking about miles and kilometers in the same post.
There has been no rollover.

Timing Belt change at 80,000 Kilometers (50,000 miles)
Now at 90,000 kilometers. (55,000 miles).

Not sure about the serpentine belt though.

I hope it won't be that bad, otherwise I'll just go without AC, but it still works for now, thankfully the weather doesn't call for AC right now anyways.
I'll see what the damage is on monday.

Thanks again for the reply!