My bonnie has a little tick, consistant with the engine rpm, which rules out exaust leak. it sounds like an electrical arch, but is noticed from a good distance. this thing has fairly new wires, but the problem preceeded the wires. what the heck is it/ any ideas?

sticky lifter? :?

but it does it with every crankshaft rotation, instead of camshaft rotation. thats the biggie. same reason i ruled out exaust leaks of sorts.

How about a bent (damaged) fin by the crank sensor? The fins are behind the ballancer....Can you pin point where the "tick" is coming from any better? :?

not that either. had the balencer off twice since we had the car.if i have my head under the hood, i cant hear it because of the monsterous v6 thats by my head. could this just be that stupid "sound effect" pontiac put into this era, it is best heard when the car is driving away. am i just beuing nieve?

Probably isn't the same problem.... but I hear a ticking coming from my engine once. 45mins after I first heard the ticking, my engine was dead. And it was just like you described. First thing I noticed was I couldn't rev the engine high, 20mins before the end, she wouldn't do above 2000rpm. Don't want to scare you... but you should probably have it checked out.

I usually separate problems by letting the engine cool down all the way, pull the serpentine belt, a/c off, and starting. If the noise is comeing from an accessory it will be gone and if not most of the other noise is absent so I can hear the engine well - you'd be amazed how quiet a good engine/exhaust is.

how much runtime could i get away with, or will the gauge read the water temp from the engine. i think the noise is eminating from the exhaust anyway. by the way, Merlin1, what happened anyway. this ticking has been going on the whole time i have had the car, since february of 2002. doesnt seem to alter performance any though, but yet i have nothing to compare it to either

If your engine has over 120,000 on it then you should get your timing chain replaced (88-1990 3800'*.) They used too small of a timing chain tensioner that eventually wore down and the chain woudl gain too much slack. My 88 lesabre had this same engine tick which was loudest between 800 and 1,300 RPM. A timing chain/tensioner job will cost you around $200 parts/labor.

btw, here is a service bulletin for this problem:

engineRATTLE TYPE NOISE FROM REAR OF ENGINE - NEW DAMPENER P/N #90-6-6
MODELS AFFECTED: 1988-90 - 3800 V-6 ENGINE - CENTURY, ELECTRA/PARK AVENUE, RIVIERA, REATTA AND LESABRE

A "tinny" rattling noise may be heard at the rear of the engine (hot engine) between idle and 1500 rpm'*. This type of noise can sometimes be corrected by installing a larger timing chain dampener.

The dampener, part number 25535668, went into production engines used in LeSabre and Electra/Park Avenues on January 2, 1990 and into production engines used in Riviera/Reattas on January 22, 1990. The date the engine was built can be found on a sticker on the rear valve cover and can be viewed by looking past the brake master cylinder from the driver'* side of the car.

Parts are currently available from GMSPO.

not it, we just replaced the chain when we changed the timing set when we replaced the cam sensor interrupt magnet. its fine now, but, the noise is still there, the same as ever. anyway, i only hear it once every crankshaft rotation, between 1 and 3 thousand rpm, while accelerating. and i hear it while the car is driving away, now towrds me.