help I'm a girl - ticking noise

I just bought a 2003 buick century with 10,000 miles and when it starts up and stops there is a ticking noise under the car and under the hood. actually i think it ticks while it runs too. it is a ticking noise like when something is cooling down. the mechanic at the dealership says it is the exhaust system and to give it a couple of months. does this make sense? any help would be greatly appreciated.

if the car is not running, and it is making a ticking noise like something metallic cooling down, then it is probably something metallic cooling down. Kind of a "ting" sound.

If that is the case, yes, give it some time to expand and contract a bit, and the sound will diminish. As long as the car is not ticking like mad when it is running, you should be ok.

Either that, or I mis-read your post, and you need help because you're a girl with a ticking sound???? :icon16:

pind is right, but I'll add to what was said.

The exhaust manifold is made of cast iron, the cylender heads they bolt to are aluminum. These two metals expand and contract at different rates, causing them to slide next to each other so to speak, making a ping as they move. The noise should be less pronounced once the engine is at operating temperature though.

there is a service bulletin for piston slap ask your dealer about this.

piston slap won't occur when the engine isn't running.

Is that true that Piston Slap noise doesn't occur when the car is not running?
How loud is Piston Slap noise?

This is a great forum. Thanks guys for responding.

I'm a girl too, but it doesn't mean I'm an idiot.
"Oh help me, kind MAN"????

The pistons only move when the engine is running, that is when piston slap can occur. I'll give an example, If you have an empty coke can, and you had a hole that was slightly larger than it, and you dropped the can through the hole, if wouldn't go straight through, at would wobble, making quite a racket, Piston Slap is heard when the piston is moving, and impossible to hear when it is shut off.

For great information on how car engines work, http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine.htm