noise doesnt start untill engine is good and warmed up. kind of sounds like it could be an exhaust tick or valvetrain tick, possibly a miss. cant find exhaust leak, not sure i think its in the valvetrain because it doesnt start untill its warmed up. i read a weak coil can cause a miss, i pulled the coil and checked the resistance and got 10.4k. haynes book says it should be 13 to 15 k. i checked a new coil at the parts store and it read 10.2. i changed the plugs, not the wires yet but did do a visual in the dark and didnt see any sparks. no engine light is coming on, im getting good gas milage 26mpg the highway, doesnt use any oil. its a 2.3L with 122k auto.
ill probobly, put some wires on next. i would have put on a new coil but at 120 bucks for a new one i would like to make sure it could be the problem. has anyone else had similar problems with a coil that was bad? or any other ideas. thanks Tom

 

changed the plug wires, didnt help. todays theory was a partially plugged CAT. stopped by the muffler shop to see if they could check it, they said the only way they could check it was by pulling it off. i told them to go ahead, and they found a unplugged o2 sonsor. he said he doughts there is anything wrong with the converters. what was odd was i had no check engine light on with the o2 sensor unplugged. i had advance auto check for any stored codes and there were none.
ive only had this truck for a month and ive come to the conclusion the sounds im hearing are probobly normal. i guess they dont call it a 4 banger for nothing. i think ill just shut up and enjoy driving it. i love the truck, strange clicking noises and all.

 

noise got a little louder and i think i determined its coming from the bell housing area. i called a reliable transmission place and asked if the problem could be a cracked flywheel or mabey torque converter going bad. he said what he usually runs into with these is the metal plate that keeps dirt out of the trans. corodes and bolts on converter starts to rub. said it shoudnt do and damage its just annoying. big relief, ive only had this truck for a month but i love it, glad it isnt something major.