Just bought an 03 cobra

[Alex27]

Hey guys im new here, just bought an 03 cobra finally :banana: long story short, traded my 04 gt for an 03 89k miles cobra (well taken care of) for $13,740 that aside i was researching the infamous "tick" well i can hear it but its not loud...yet. what is the best way to go about preventing it from getting worse.. i kinda don't feel like buying new heads etc... i heard about a cooling mod but don't really understand how it works if someone could shed some light please. thanks, and glad to be part of the site.:beer:

 

[M240Bravo]

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[65fastback2+2]

once the damage is done, theres no real way of keeping it from getting worse. in most cases, driving it will make it worse.

the head cooling mod provides an additional coolant supply to the back of the head to help prevent the head from overheating.

Im not overly convinced and would personally choose a electric waterpump over the head cooling mod.

 

[Alex27]

once the damage is done, theres no real way of keeping it from getting worse. in most cases, driving it will make it worse.

the head cooling mod provides an additional coolant supply to the back of the head to help prevent the head from overheating.

Im not overly convinced and would personally choose a electric waterpump over the head cooling mod.

well i can barely hear it.. maybe its just normal engine noise but would like to prevent it from happening like anyone else would, and after a bit of searching looks like the electric water pump is an easier install than the cooling mod but the cooling mod seems to be the most common one so i don't know:shrug:

 

[CobraBob]

If you can barely hear it then it is very possible you are hearing common fuel injector noise.

Here is some more info on the tick issue from my Terminator FAQs. Terminator Tick Issue

 

[nol300]

^^ Are you sure it's not just injector noise as our injectors are quite loud. I would think head tick would be a lot worse with 89k.

 

[Alex27]

If you can barely hear it then it is very possible you are hearing common fuel injector noise.

Here is some more info on the tick issue from my Terminator FAQs. Terminator Tick Issue

^^ Are you sure it's not just injector noise as our injectors are quite loud. I would think head tick would be a lot worse with 89k.

it could be injector and i sure hope it is but i do hear it near the driver side wheel around cylinder 8 i think near the exhaust port, even if its just the injector wouldn't it be wise to do the coolant mod anyway to be on the safe side? since my motor was built before 11/1/02 (my build date 06/28/02)..
saw the video on the tick, im assuming that one let the problem get worse cause mine is NO WHERE near that loud or that fast. thanks for the info on FAQ's

 

[cobrakidz]

Congrats on your new purchase, hopefully you get it sorted out soon so you can enjoy it.

 

[me32]

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I agree this topic has been talked about more times than I can count. Plenty of info with the search plus cobrabob site has tons of great info.

 

[M240Bravo]

I agree this topic has been talked about more times than I can count. Plenty of info with the search plus cobrabob site has tons of great info.

Its one of the main reasons why I don't come in here much. You can go back 1 page and see the same things asked and answered there.

 

[ctgreddy]

I would deff go with a coolant mod just so it makes you feel better about the situation, i have one and dont regret it one bit. but anyways about the noise you're hearing, post a vid of it. I'm willing to bet it's either loud injectors or just lash adjuster noise which these engines have more often than not. My car has a very slight tick, seems more audible from the drivers side like yours is, but from the 9k miles I've put on the car it's not any worse, still runs great, and when I pulled my valve covers this winter I saw nothing in the head that suggests I have an issue(a lot of times heads with this problem will spit out a follower).

 

[Alex27]

Congrats on your new purchase, hopefully you get it sorted out soon so you can enjoy it.

thanks, i love the car and im definitely enjoying it

I agree this topic has been talked about more times than I can count. Plenty of info with the search plus cobrabob site has tons of great info.

yeah sorry please excuse my newbieness im new to forums so im still figuring my way around but cobrabob definitely pointed me in the right direction.:thumbsup:

Its one of the main reasons why I don't come in here much. You can go back 1 page and see the same things asked and answered there.

i understand how someone can get annoyed and my apologies im still figuring out the website and have found a lot of great info, but you shouldn't let someones post keep you from coming back..

I would deff go with a coolant mod just so it makes you feel better about the situation, i have one and dont regret it one bit. but anyways about the noise you're hearing, post a vid of it. I'm willing to bet it's either loud injectors or just lash adjuster noise which these engines have more often than not. My car has a very slight tick, seems more audible from the drivers side like yours is, but from the 9k miles I've put on the car it's not any worse, still runs great, and when I pulled my valve covers this winter I saw nothing in the head that suggests I have an issue(a lot of times heads with this problem will spit out a follower).

ill try to post a video, i guess ill post on youtube and provide a link? but thanks i feel a little more reassurance now that im not the only one who experienced it, but i have driven the car about a thousand miles and no problem yet, i thought it was getting louder but maybe its just in my head now that i notice it lol. thanks again guys been really helpful

 

[timspony]

Cooling mod!!

Best of luck & congrats on the new Cobra! :beer:

 

[ManInABox]

Congrats on the Terminator!

 

[Nosdog2]

Congrats on the car.

And ask away and ignore the search button nazis. Questions are what fuel forums; if you don't want to be bothered with a new person's question, don't click the link. Seems simple.

 

[Alex27]

Cooling mod!!

Best of luck & congrats on the new Cobra! :beer:

thanks :thumbsup: i guess i can get the cooling mod from lethal? saw a nice write up on how to do it with out removing the blower.. still nervous about trusting my self to do it :read:

Congrats on the Terminator!

thanks, love the car!

Congrats on the car.

And ask away and ignore the search button nazis. Questions are what fuel forums; if you don't want to be bothered with a new person's question, don't click the link. Seems simple.

thanks, and yeah asking did help me out a lot

 

[Alex27]

03 cobra quiet "tick" - YouTube

well there's the video, i guess i cant really hear it in the video.. i mean you can but you got to really try to hear it.. maybe im just paranoid lol but still doing the cooling mod, sorry in advance for my newbie camera (used my cell phone)

you can hear it at like 31 sec.

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

03 cobra quiet "tick" - YouTube

well there's the video, i guess i cant really hear it in the video.. i mean you can but you got to really try to hear it.. maybe im just paranoid lol but still doing the cooling mod, sorry in advance for my newbie camera (used my cell phone)

you can hear it at like 31 sec.

Just drive it.

If it is the tick, it is simply a poor exhaust valve to seat interface,(poor initial valve job) which can also often be a result of guide wear. Not really much you do about it short of yanking the head(and engine).

Enjoy the car.:beer:

Don't over heat the engine and don't allow detonation to occur.

 

[Alex27]

Just drive it.

If it is the tick, it is simply a poor exhaust valve to seat interface,(poor initial valve job) which can also often be a result of guide wear. Not really much you do about it short of yanking the head(and engine).

Enjoy the car.:beer:

Don't over heat the engine and don't allow detonation to occur.

yeah i love the car and thanks again guys, you all have been very helpful and welcoming, proud to finally be a terminator owner :-D

 

[CobraBob]

it could be injector and i sure hope it is but i do hear it near the driver side wheel around cylinder 8 i think near the exhaust port, even if its just the injector wouldn't it be wise to do the coolant mod anyway to be on the safe side? since my motor was built before 11/1/02 (my build date 06/28/02)..
saw the video on the tick, im assuming that one let the problem get worse cause mine is NO WHERE near that loud or that fast. thanks for the info on FAQ's

That build date has nothing at all to do with the tick issue. Go HERE for more info.

But YES, doing the cooling mod is smart insurance. I won't absolutely guarantee you'll never deal with the tick issue, but it greatly reduces the odds.