Hello, my first volvo!

I'm hearing a ticking in the engine.

what could this be?

 

The hydraulic lifters. They all do that.

 

Check under hood while you hear the ticking and see if you can locate it. If the ticking is coming from under the plastic throttle cable cover...then its your Idle control Valve. Mines been doing it now for about a month...time to change it I guess.

 

I can feel it ticking in the spark plug cables.

 

It's lifters most likely. Have your oil pressure checked- it's possible that the o- rings in the oil pan are failing, which will cause low oil pressure, and this, in turn, will cause ticking lifters.

 

If that is indeed the problem is it expensive to fix? or is something i could do myself?

 

Does it happen only on startup or even after the car has been running for a while? If it is only on startup what kind of oil filter do you use?

The Fram oil filters and most of the quick lube oil filters have a real crappy check valve and they will cause the lifters to clack like crazy on startup. A Mann or Volvo filter will get rid of most of that.

You may actually be hearing the fuel injectors if you are listening to the engine with it idling and the hood up.

...Lee

 

it happens on start up, then i'll drive around. open the hood again and it still is clicking. when i rev it up, the clicking gets faster.

 

i think you hydraulic lifters are clogged up a bit maybe because the oil is due so i reccomeand change your motor oil. if it continues doing so, do an engine flush to clean it out,(put the engine flush for about 5 minutes @2000rpm and change the oil again)