Engine clicking while running.

So basically whenever my engine is running it's making this clicking sound that's kind of annoying as it disrupts the otherwise quiet cabin.

I'm not sure if it's something I should be worried about and have fixed right now or if its something that's not too major and that I should eventually get around to it but not worry about it.

I took a clip so that you can hear what I'm talking about rather than try to understand it from my description.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHk54YQ22M0

Car is a 2001 Grand Am GT

since noise at 1/2 speed of crankshaft rotation that means that you can eliminate valve train and focus on the bottom part of the engine. However to me it does not sound like knocking sound at all so you could have some hope. Check that nothing is obstructing movement of all the pulleys and belt. Also remove the serpentine belt and start the engine see if noise stops. Tell me what your result is.

I suggest to look at the belt.

In your video, at 0:18 you can see a white marking on the belt, and the click happend at the same frequency as the marking.

This lead to me thinking that your belt is damaged.

However I can not be completly sure due to how you captured the video, but the 2 seconds there seems to show that...

Thanks for the responses, I was thinking this forum was dead.lol

Anyways problem has been solved. It was the belt tensioner. We replaced it over the weekend along with the serpentine belt, both of which were original. Click is gone, it's still got a bit of noise issues, but it's a high mileage engine and it probably isn't anything to worry about maybe just piston slap or something. I can live with it.lol

That serpentine belt was in horrible condition, maybe now my GM dealer will stop e-mailing me to tell me it's going to die soon.lol

Here's the engine running with the new belt and tensioner:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm2j2eHi9SY

Interestingly enough I posted the same topic over several different boards (MotorTrend, this one, and Grand Am Owners Club). Everyone at GAOC kept saying it was rod knock and that the engine was done. MotorTrend boards were a bit more optimistic. So good job you two, you both suspected the rightish area of the problem, while most others were totally off.

Thanks for letting us know that you fixed the problem and what part was causing the problem.