I just installed a short ram cold air intake on my 05 TL and during heavy acceleration or suddenly stepping on the throttle you can hear a clicking sound. I was just wondering if this was a problem or not. I've had one of my friends look at it and he said it's the valve behind the cold air intake opening to let air in and the sound is always there, just usually muffled because of the whole air box. I can post pictures of the intake in a few. The intake is just a autozone pipe and filter that I got for free with maybe 100 miles on it the brand is "Spectre" on the filter.

 

Is it a short ram or a cold air intake?

The clicking is not normal. Sounds like a CV joint. Does it happen with less throttle when you're turning? Our engines make plenty of noises from various solenoids including fuel injectors and some have noisy valvetrains but if you can hear it inside the car it's not normal. The throttle valve can have a hiss or whistle but not a clicking sound. Is this a 6mt? Are you running premium fuel?

 

It never happens with less throttle, only when I really hit the gas. The car is 6mt running premium fuel. It may be the throttle valve but it sounds almost like a sucking sound like a valve opening up.

 

A sucking sound is normal. The only way to control engine output is by restricting airflow to it so that's that the throttle valve does. It should follow your gas pedal movement smoothly, no clicking or back and forth. The farther open it gets, the more induction noise you will hear except for the low throttle whistle some cars produce.

 

Awesome, thanks a lot. It wasn't bothering me I was only worried that it may be a real problem and none of us were knowledgeable enough to figure it out.