1996 Explorer v8 5.0 Ticking When Accelerating

[JoelSilva]

Hi my name is Joel, I am a new member of this forum and just purchase a used 1996 Explorer 5.0 AWD. It has low miles for the year, 105,000, and is in extreamly good condition.

My problem with the Explorer is when I start it it has a slight ticking noise that goes away when the car warms up, but when I accelerate hard it ticks. It’s almost non audible when it’s in park, has to be moving under hard acceleration. I have done some searching on this forum and have already looked at the EGR tube, and on my explorer looks like it has already been replaced with a shiny new one. My manifold gaskets look slightly warped on the passenger side, but I am not sure if that is how they are supposed to look.

My question is, are there any other known places to look for exhaust leaks?

I am taking this truck from California to Washington next month and would really appreciate any help.

I attached are some pics of my egr tube, and passenger side manifold where it looks warped.

Any help would be greatly appreciated guys, thank you!

EGR

Manifold

 

[Turdle]

You probably have a cracked exhaust manifold and or a hole in the egr tube.
Need to replace both to be sure.

Pics do not show.

 

[JoelSilva]

Sorry the pics didn’t upload. Just saw a video on youtube of a manifold leak, definently don’t think I have that, it’s a very faint noise only when accelerating heavily.

Will check the egr tube again and heat shields from the exhaust today.

 

[Turdle]

You might check to see if all the spark plugs are seated in tight.
a good seafoam treatment will make the exhaust smoke enough to help find a leak.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Mine cracked under the heat shield where you couldn't see it. It came out in two pieces it was cracked so bad. Couldn't tell until it was unbolted. You could feel exhaust leaking out from under it, though.

 

[JoelSilva]

Did your heat shield make a ticking noise?

 

[Mbrooks420]

The manifold made a loud ticking at start up that mostly sealed when it was warm.

 

[JoelSilva]

Yeah that’s strange. I can hear the ticking coming from the passenger side but there is a lot of heat shields that cover the manifold up, even though I really doubt it’s the manifold.

The only thing I have done was added a bottle of Techron to the fuel. Could this possible be why it’s ticking?

 

[Mbrooks420]

Why do you doubt the manifold? It's super common.

 

[JoelSilva]

I doubt it because it’s not loud, it’s more of a tick. I might take it in to an exhaust shop to get diagnosed. Hopefully it’s not the manifold.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Mine was not loud. Didn't sound like a typical exhaust leak. It's almost surely the manifold.

 

[JoelSilva]

So I took it to a specialized exhaust shop and they could not find anything! I know I am not crazy so it must be some kind of engine noise, like spark knock or valves. It only does it when cold and accelerating.

Will be chainring the spark plugs and oil this weekend to see if that helps.

 

[lobo411]

My 4.0 makes a kind of fluttery/ticking sound under hard acceleration at high speed. Sounds kind of like a playing card in spokes, but very light (at least, from inside the passenger compartment). Never figured out what causes it, and nothing I've tried has gotten rid of it: Techron, new plugs, new wires, new lower intake manifold gaskets.

I just learned to live with it, since I refuse to lay off the gas.

 

[Dragon90815]

Sounds like a push rod, adjust the valves (particularly the intake valves)

 

[JoelSilva]

I need to check the egr tube. On the 96 v8 it’s located to the rear by the firewall where I cannot see the tube only the egr valve. Any ideas on how to check the tube for a leak?

 

[Turdle]

Seafoam treatment will smoke enough to find a leak, as I stated above.

Take a wire cutter tool to the straps holding the heat shields in place. I guess I have to say please because under there is where you'll find the crack.

Then, slowly suck some seafoam into the intake while the engine is running, using one of the vacuum lines. when you get close to the bottom of the can, let it suck in faster to kill the engine. Turn off the key, and let it soak for a while.

Then , start the truck back up and smoke will be pouring out where the leak is.

This treatment might not only help find the leak if there is one, but it may also loosen carbon deposits which might be the source of the ticking. Could be a valve is not closing all the way due to carbon deposits. If this is the case, the slop in the valve train would cause ticking.

Ticking under load though is not usually valve train related. Ticking under load, if not due to an exhaust leak is almost certainly a worn piston rod bearing.
Cracked exhaust manifolds are hands down the most common cause of ticking in our trucks. Please, remove the heat shields and take a look for yourself. Way back in 2000 when I fought this on our first mountaineer, my exhaust shop could not find the leak. Thinking it was a loose bolt caused me to overtorque it and break it off into the head.
Once I took the manifold heat shields off the problem was right before my eyes.

 

[delexploder]

96 is internal egr

 

[Turdle]

I just thought of an instance of a tick under load on a girlfriends car when I was younger, in fact i'm surprised I remember this but it turned out to be a loose spark plug. Wasn't screwed into the head good and leaked with a ticking type sound.

 

[juggar]

I know the tick you are talking about OP, It happened in both of my 5.0 explorers. had a 1998 5.0 with 225k miles, both manifolds were replaced when my friend owned it, when I got it I replaced them with OBX headers. Tick just got louder.

My current 2000 50 has only 96k miles on it and is ticking as well, slightly less so than the 225k truck. Passenger manifold was replaced, no exhaust leaks either.

The tick is the EXACT same on both, sounds closer to drivers side. You can't hear it at idle, only when accelerating, especially under load in 3rd or 4th.

I'm told it's just lifter tick and nothing can be done. It seems almost natural for these trucks. For a 96k engine and 225k to both tick I think its just the nature of the beast.

I seafoamed both of the trucks twice and it did not help the tick. I run 10w40 and zinc additive, nothing else can be done. I like these trucks but im done after this one.

 

[Mbrooks420]

If it's lifter tick, can't the rockers be tightened?