Hey guys, i have a 2002 4x4 4.0 with auto tranny. I have a sound coming from the front top drivers side valve cover or possibly a pulley in that area. It sounds like a chirping sound/ light tapping sound. When i rev it up slightly after 10-15 seconds it goes away. Then after idling briefly, it returns. It starts of quietly and gets slightly louder until you rev it back up. The truck is high milage, with 230k miles. Ive searched the forum and havent really found something with the same problem/location. It seems as if someone has the same sound, but different location or same location different sound.

If anyone has experienced this, could you please point me in the right direction? Thank you so much.

 

When engine is stone COLD remove fan belt from crank pulley and start engine
Battery light will stay on
You can run the engine no more than 90seconds(under 2 minutes) with no water pump, but you can repeat test anytime engine is COLD again

If noise goes away with accessories not turning/spinning then you will know its not an engine noise
Shut off engine

Then spin each pulley by hand to see if you can locate the one making the noise, and it can be more than one, so spin them all

If noise is still there then with no fan the engine bay will be VERY QUIET so you should be able to localize the noise better
Shut off engine

 

Awesome advice.

Going to try this method out momentarily. I will post what i find.

Thanks for the quick reply, my friend.

 

Ok, i did as advised above and believe i have 2 pulley bearings going/gone bad. #1 was the tensioner pulley bearing, and #2 was the pulley bearing that sits directly under the throttle body. It doesnt appear to operate anything. Not sure what its called, but i was going to call it the idler pulley. This pulley was in the immediate are of the sound. It also was the worst one as far as making a grinding noise by hand Both pulleys sounded like sand or broken glass in them. Lol.

Anyhow, i have replaced both pulleys with new bearings and will come back tomorrow to report how it sounds when running then. I was unable to finish buttoning up everything due to bird sized mosquitoes landing on me and going straight for bone marrow. Pretty sure i lost a pint + of blood tonight.

 

Good stuff

Yes, there is an idler pulley and a tensioner pulley, not uncommon for those to wear out

Glad its not an engine issue

Not sure where Waycross is but up in the Yukon they use chicken wire as screen doors to keep the mosquitoes out

 

Yes sir. Im keeping my fingwrs crossed that that's what it is. When belt was off it actually ran quieter amthan when belt was on. I also noticed some mild surging when belt was on. My theory is, both pulleys caused enough drag to cause the surging when acceleration was applied.

Hopefully i can report a "solved" status tomorrow. Lol

Thanks for the help man, its much appreciated.

 

Just wanted to update this thread and give a HUGE shout out to RonD for the awesome advice.

I finished up putting everything back together and fired up the truck. It ran noticeably quieter, and also noticeably smoother. Almost felt like having a new truck. Lol

Hopefully this is the end of this issue. If not, ill be back with more questions. And hopefully someone will find this thread and have the same success at fixing their issues.

RonD.... Waycros is in south Georgia. We are located at the Okefenokee Swamp. Its always hot, humid, and sunny here

 

Good work

Thanks for the kudos and THE FIX

Okefenokee Swamp, heard about that area but never been, yet............ yes I guess there would be a mosquito or two

 

Well guys, after a week of bliss the noise actually returned today. Its the same sound and location as before. Im sort of at a loss for what it could be. I replaced 2 pulleys that were a little noisy, and that seemed to solve it momentarily. As i originally stated, the noise is coming from the front top drivers side area. I believe its coming from the front of the valve cover on drivers side, but as i move around the engine bay, its hard to actually pinpoint it.

Im going to attempt to post a short video of it running in an attempt to have someone better diagnose it.

EDIT: the video i recorded by phone is mp4, and not compatible to upload. I will try again tomorrow when i am home. I work 3-11, so it definitely wont be tonight.

 

Considering noise just recently started, if it's the Left TimingChain
you "may" have caught it just in time to prevent further damage to the TimngGuide\Cassette, maybe not.
Best to open up that ValveCover & inspect; may be also drop the OilPan & look for broken plastic.
Or just install a new TimingTensioner & see if that quiets the issue; how old are your TimingTensioners?
Several possibilities.

 

Thanks Dillard000 for helping out.

The truck has 230k on it. It has been regularly serviced by Anderson Ford in South Carolina. But to he honest, im not sure if any service was done to any timing components. I have a folder with service history at home. Ill have to look at it tonight to be sure or not.

Im starting to suspthe same thing as you, and hopefully it can be fixed relatively easy/inexpensive.

Ill definitely take your advice and check for plastic in the lower oil pan.

As far as tensioners go... ive just started my research on the installation of them, and also it seems that OEM is the preferred way to go. Any advice or tips and tricks would be awesome going forward.

Of course, i guess the inspection of the oil pan would be the first course of action, and then go from there.

 

LeftFront TimingTensioner is the harder one to change; may require removing IntakeManifold+TStatHousing.
RightRear TimingTensioner is the easier one to change; remove FrontRightWheel+LowerMudSkirt for access.
Some guys have used UnsprungBolt Polaris Tensioners instead of the stock OilPressurized Ford\MotorCraft versions; I wasn't that brave.
Click here for details of my recent adventure changing both.

 

Yes sir, i am now 90% convinced its the tensioners. As i stated earlier, i cant post a vid of it running due to the file format, but i have watched several YouTube videos of it and it has the same sound and location in the videos. Of course the audio in the videos, as well as my own, is not as natural sounding as in person. I guess thats just due to the recording devices, but still fhe same sound and area.

My only concern now is, if that is ALL of my issue.

Last week the noise was intermittent and only at idle/low speed. It almost seemed to cause a drag on the motor, if you will. Now its still at idle/low speed. And still causes the slight drag on the motor, but not as intermittent. Still intermittent, but a little more prolonged now.

Ive read that Motorcraft tensioners are preferred, but ive noticed in several videos that Cloyes brand is used pretty often with good succes. Any input or advice or even objection on using Cloyes band tensioners, particularly? They are roughly $80 for both while OEM is roughly $200. There were several vendors for a LOT less, but dont seem comfortable with them, as they were extremely cheap compared ro Cloyes.... like $25-$30 for the set.

 

Google above Ford\MotorCraft part numbers to shop for price. Got OEMs both for less than $90 total.
No experience here with Cloyes\Melling\Chinese... Timing parts,
but considering how critical the spring material\pressure, I'd stick with Ford\MotorCraft & just shop around.