Loud Clicking Noise when Cold

[Gonefishin4lyfe]

I have searched everywhere on the internet for something that would help me to figure this out, but can't find anything. When I start the explorer i sometimes have a loud clicking noise, almost like 2 pieces of metal rattling together. It goes away usually when it gets warm, and sometimes it doesnt even do it. I had thought it may be some exhaust rattle, but i have had everything from the cats back replace, and it still does it. If anyone has had this problem and figured it out help would be much appreciated.

Another thing is my engine idles at 550 - 600 rpms when warm. This i normally wouldn't care about, but its not enough to keep my a/c running. When it kicks on my idle drops to below 500 and the a/c will cut back off immediatley. If anyone knows what I can do to raise my idle a little bit that would be helpful too. I know idle is computer controlled, but i was wondering if there was something else i could do to adjust this.

Thanks

97 Sport
4.0 SOHC
High Flow Cats and Flowmaster Super 40 series

 

[trucku]

Maybe your IAC needs to be cleaned or replaced. Hydrolic lifters can cause noise until they fill with oil. Is your vehicle building oil pressure? Maybe your not getting enough pressure to the heads?.. Maybe your idler arm is damaged and the spring that maintains tension is bouncing around an little. Just making some guesses...

Good luck.
V

 

[Gonefishin4lyfe]

The oil appears to be pumping fine, but then the explorer has a dummy gauge so i'm not real sure how much oil its pumping. I know its getting enough to send the gauge up to normal however. I know i have a valve tick every now and then, but this sound is more like something would be grinding together than a valve tick sounds. Don't think my start could be getting held out for a little bit???

 

[trucku]

I have read here that that damn gauge will go up with little as 5lbs...and thats not enough....hmmm...Do a search in the forum for clicking noises..I amsure you will find something on it..I have found lots of my information by doing a search.

good luck

 

[trucku]

cleaning IAC....found this..
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84220&highlight=extended+warranty

 

[trucku]

METALIC NOISE>>SOUNDS LIKE YOURS>

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87841&highlight=metalic+noise
hope this helps

 

[Gonefishin4lyfe]

Thanks guys.. Im going to check to see if the starter is hanging sometimes, and if the IAC is dirty.. I'll let everyone know if these 2 things fix it

 

[monkeydude3]

in regards to the 5 lbs of oil pressure. I know a technician who's been in the business for 30 years, he has an answer for every question you could ask him... he told me at around 5 psi you lube the whole engine.

 

[TPLYNCH]

Fishin, did you ever have the camshaft tensioners and the timing chain cassettes replaced on that SOHC engine of yours?

Possible Idle fix:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79362

 

[Gonefishin4lyfe]

I do not know if the timing chain tensioners have been replaced. I just recently bought it from a dealer who I am pretty sure got it from an auction. It had 123,000 miles on it when I got it. So im not sure if it has or not. But I have thought that it could be the problem, but I dont want to spend the money to have that done if it is something a little cheaper. It runs perfect, except for that rattle and a lil rough idle. Thanks for the tip with the idle link. I'll look in to that.

 

[explrig91]

wrist pins!!! that's wat mine wer

 

[Gonefishin4lyfe]

Whats a wrist pin? and where would that be located? easy to get to without pulling the engine or must you pull the engine to get to them, and how serious is that? Thanks.

 

[slmmer09]

Wrist pin holds the piston to rod. No that's not an easy fix, Motor teardown.

 

[Gonefishin4lyfe]

well if thats the problem i'll just let them break and give me an excuse to throw a V8 in it. It'd prolly cost about the same in labor to tear down the engine as it would to buy a v8, plus i could get rid of the sorry tranny, 5r55e, that came with it.

 

[Gonefishin4lyfe]

The clicking noise i have been talking about sounds different than a valve tick, unless all my valves are clicking when i started it. However, just today I was messing around trying to figure out how to fix the idle, and my front valves on the driver side of the engine, at least thats what it sounds like, started ticking extremely loud. It can be heard under the car, real loud on top, and in the tailpipe at the end of the exhaust. When I accelerate the tick speeds up. I have not seen a thread yet where the SOHC is doing this. Its got to be getting enough oil, because it only sounds like its coming from that one spot. Does this sound like the valve is going bad, or if its something else causing the sound?

 

[TPLYNCH]

Probably a bad tensioner or timing chain cassette. Possible a piece of the plastic broke off and is blocking the oil ports so you're not getting oil up there.