"ticking" noise

[CMF_Wilzy]

hiya guys
now im not 100% sure what you call it (ive herd it being referred to as tickover) but i have this ticking noise coming from the engine every time i stop the engine and park up after have being fro a drive. i think it has something to do with the radiator but i swear it is a sign the the engine has realy heated up, and that on most cars it only happens when outside temperatures are really hot (its very cold in england atm!)
but just last night i could hear it ticking when i got home with the engine still running! is this normal?? could the radiator need a top up or something?
please put me on the right track lads!
cheers
wilzy

 

[CMF_asdame]

most normal cars i seen do that after stopping a warm engine.
probably cos the hot exhaust components are cooling & contracting once combustion has stopped.

other surrounding parts like the headers, exhaust shield, etc cool at a different rate therefore the metallic tinny tinking sound is the metal parts sliding past each other while the exhaust shielding acts like speakers and reverbing the noise.

my original exhaust use to stopp tinking after i removed the rusted shields