Santa FE SM (2001-06) :: 2003 V6 Ticking Noise From Engine Bay

2003 Santa Fe with the 2.7l v6. It started making ticking noises from the engine bay about a year ago it sounds almost like when you take a spark plug out of the socket while engine is running (that’s the best way I can describe it).

It used to only do it when it was cold out and first started. Then it started doing it while at idle as well. Now it does it all the time no matter idle, or how warm the engine is or how warm it is outside. It getting so loud it sounds like I have a diesel engine.

The check engine light came on and was on a for a while before I could find the issue. The issue that caused the CEl to come on was a solenoid and an Air intake temp sensor. I fixed those but that had no effect on the noise. I have replaced all the valve gaskets, plugs, wires, pcv valve air filter. Still had no effect.

My wife took it to a mechanic who I believe ripped us off, and did no work but charged her for it. They did a timing belt and lower valve gasket job 1500$. There was no sticker to prove new timing belt, no new water pump, thermostat, and then they said it needed a new ECU (200$) which they ordered it and it had nothing to do with the ecu. They should have eaten the cost once they put it in and found it wasn’t that, but they did not!!! She has no idea about cars and paid them. but don’t get me started on that I will never return to that shop, and am thinking of taking them to small claims court dishonest thieves who took advantage of her not knowing about cars (I was out of state for work, and was out of cell phone range so she couldn’t have asked me).

It has a hard time going up steep inclines and you have to either gun it before the incline or it is very hard to make it up you can put the peddle to the floor and it only slowly climes but the engine rpms almost go to redline 5k rpms. Whenever I go to put gas in it clicks the pump off nonstop and to fill the tank you literally have to find a sweet spot or stand there and constantly hold it in when it clicks and clicks and clicks. I have changed the oil to synthetic, and I am using only OEM oil filters from the dealer ship. I changed the idler pulley, but that did not work. I changed the Oil and filter, but that did not work either.

I have had multiple people look at it and some of the answers they have said were…. “Noisy lifters”, “ticking idler pulley”, “Sticky timing chain idler”, “Change the oil and switch to oem filter”, “Its defiantly “something wrong in the fuel system”. And the best one… “I don’t know it sounds like it’s not long for this world”.

So now I am trying to decide the next step. I don’t like driving it around to much as I am worried if it is serous it may be something that ends up running the engine, but it’s the only vehicle available at the moment. I feel like hitting my head on the dash board I don’t know what to do anymore.

Link to photobucket video of noise : [URL] .....