Maybe a dumb question, but are you sure you dont have any exhaust leaks...maybe around the gaskets? When the cars cold, you can start and quickly feel around for any air seeping through. Just do it quickly as they get very hot; very fast. Check the cat too...i had a crack in my old one.

 

Rock,

Why are you playing with car bombs again? Of ALL CARS....a Porsche 944? You know those new, big, Saturns have alot more quality C4 in their bodyshell. If you want an effective blasting device- think.....less shrapnel(944) and get a real decoder that has never been used...All over here in Europe!

Zach

 

I haven't heard from you in a while, how are the cars running? (other than the tick)

 

I talked to a Porsche Mechanic about the "tick" once and he said its usually caused by the lifters when they aren't quite saturated with oil yet. This is usually because the car has been sitting for a while, or maybe its a really cold morning....he said its nothing to worry about, just make sure the sound is coming from the valve cover and nowhere else. the tick usually goes away in a few minutes of driving.

 

Just take some wire cutters and clip all of those anoying little wires that go to the injectors. Do them one at a time with the car running and see if it gets better as you go.

 

Bomb inside?

 

I have never heard a lifter that sounded like a clank. Lifters tick. So how do you know it's not a lifter?

 

Lifters clank if you let them sit for a LONG time. I let my NA sit once without starting it for 45 days. It went from a clank, to a knock, to a tick then it was ok. Took about 10 min. for them to pump back up.

If you have a bad tappet you should be able to hear that it is only ticking on one valve (once every other rev)