Clicking started after cleaning.

After having some seemingly random issues, I decided it was time to take the extruder I was using apart and clean it. Removal and disassembly went well, but upon trying to load filament, I'm greeted with a clicking. Now I know this is the extruder motor, but I can't find the cause. I even took the PTFE tube and nozzle off of the other side to make sure that wasn't the issue. I've taken the part attached to the motor (with one with the idler pulley) and cleaned it as well. I've completely disassembled the entire extruder carriage , and reassembled but to no avail. It almost feels like it doesn't want to load, just before it hits the gear.

Any ideas?

Update: Now when I try to unload the filament, it feels like the motor is going in the wrong direction. Keeps clicking, and I can't pull it out.

Is the temperature set too low?

Or one most people I dont think realise, when you screw the filament feeder back onto the extruder motor, you can actually screw it on in the wrong place.
If it's too far in one direction the filament will not be pushed on to the gear so will just slide through.
It is in the other direction, the bearing is too close to the gear that the filament will not feed through at all and you get the clicking sound, and I think this is what may have happened to yours.

Open up the extruder again, and adjust the feeder by pushing it slightly in one direction, then tighten it back up on the motor.
Before fully reassembling, get a few inches of filament and pass it through, making sure requires a little bit of force but not too much.

Ok, I've got the feeder sorted. Now it hits the hot-end starts to extrude and begins clicking. Like it can't push the filament through fast enough. The temp sensor is reading 230c, but the amount of filament that comes out is trivial.

Simple stuff first, have you got a bit of burnt filament wedged in the hot end? My first thought would be a blocked nozzle.

Maybe check the PTFE liner is correctly positioned and has not been crushed or misshapen. This can happen, particularly if you have pushed the heat break tube in too far and caught the end.

Not only have I changed the nozzle, but I also changed the liner.
On the liner, how far in should it be? should it be seated inside the nozzle? Or further up the tube? Also, the nozzle and the (steel) tube seem to be butted against each other, is this normal? Theres lots of contradicting information out there on whats right and wrong in these cases.

I had a very similar issue over the weekend, what I found was there is a little bit of play in the screw holes and you have to get it in the exact right spot, not too close or too far away, too close and the stepper will click, too far away and it will slip when grabbing the filament and you will end up with under extrusion.

A bit delayed, but I appreciate your response. I've failed to get it working thus far. The motor runs fine, the PTFE tubing has been replaced, the metal parts of the hot end have been swapped/cleaned and replaced multiple times. Even the gear/guide/housing have been swapped from right to left and so on.

I'm thinking it's something to do with the extruder setup, which is what I believe you're referring to with the screws?

EDIT: I just ordered an all metal bowden setup. I think it should fix the issue. I hope so.

I had symptoms similar to yours, TJ. Cleaned out the nozzle (even redrilled it), replace the PTFE tube, you name it, I did it. The clicking continued. Turns I was was using bad filament. Switched brands and the clicking stopped.

At this point you probably already know that you either have a heat issue (not enough heat getting to the nozzle) or your filament is bad.

The filament I'm using I've been running for months, it is getting toward the tail end of the roll though. As far as heat is concerned I have no accurate way to measure it. I'll go pick up a laser thermometer in the next day or two. It gets very hot, and the temp on the printer itself read 227c, when loading/unloading filament.

Using Octave ABS if anyone has experience with them.

Thank you for everything, I'll try a different roll (Same brand) Might just try PLA and see if it will work for now.

Update: Tried a new roll of green ABS. Must be heat.

Would you suggest replacing the heater? Or the temperature probe? Or both?