Engine Rattle On Start Up

[BMan5150]

My 2014 Sport (73,000 Miles) has a rattle when you first start it after sitting for more than a few hours. It’s worse overnight and when cold. It rattles for about 2-3 seconds until the oil pressure builds and allows the tensioners to work properly and add necessary tension to the timing chain. No CEL/MILs and the truck runs great.

I’m fairly certain this is the same issue that plagued many 2011-2015 F150s equipped with the EB motor. The timing chain stretches and ultimately will trip a CEL for a misfire due to the ignition timing being off. I’m oversimplifying the scenario but that’s the gist. It’s apparently a $3-4K repair to replace the timing chain and tensioners.

So....has anyone else had to replace their timing chain tensioners and/or timing chain on their Sport?

 

[blwnsmoke]

If a waterpump replacement is $1,500ish, I'm not sure why it would cost much more to do the chain/tensioner since it is all accessible when doing the pump.

 

[Odrapnew]

If a waterpump replacement is $1,500ish, I'm not sure why it would cost much more to do the chain/tensioner since it is all accessible when doing the pump.

To expand on blwnsmoke's comment, bring it in say you want the water pump replaced and while they're at it, throw in new chain and tensioners.
It's all open anyway to get to the water pump, it can't cost another $1500-$2500 to do those as well.

 

[donalds]

The timing chain tensioners
They are hydraulic oil pressure driven
Get the ford ones
They are good for 70 000 miles
But they fail all the time
Install a pre oiler


How to: - Timing chain rattle resolution process - SOHC V6

 

[BMan5150]

What I’d really like to know though is if other sport owners are experiencing the rattle noise for a few seconds on cold start ups and/or have had to replace their timing chain and/or tensioners. Perhaps it’s just a little stretch and the tensioners are just doing their job since the noise goes away after a few seconds. It’s not a sound I recall in any other car I’ve ever owned that had a motor with a timing chain. My mustang GT had almost 90k very hard miles when I got rid of it and didn’t make this noise.

I am going to have the dealer check it out sometime over the next few weeks. The other thought that crossed my mind was that the sound seemed to get louder after the last oil change. I always take it to the dealer for oil changes. I also checked the oil level-all good.

 

[donalds]

This problem happens to a lot of 4.0 shoc engines it's louder softer oil change because the filter is not full and air in the system
mine did this
Rattle on start up
Louder after oil change
I instal a pre oiler fixed the problem

 

[donalds]

Plus there are a ton of other benefits to installing a pre oiler spend some time reading on here
Took me a little reading here to understand all this mess

 

[donalds]

What engine do you have


Here is a permanent fix for the 3.5 l ecoboost

 

[BMan5150]

I’ve got the 3.5L V6 Ecoboost. Thx

 

[BMan5150]

I’ve read all about that TSB but oddly it doesn’t apply to the 2013+ Ford Explorer Sport, the Ford Flex’s with the same motor or the Ford Taurus SHOs with the same motor.

 

[donalds]

Ahhh ok hope you get it figured out
But the pre oiler will work for you in that respect
It's the best automotive investment I have made
Keep us updated

 

[Tsuga]

My 13 sport is rattling when starting cold in the morning. Took it to the dealer and they scheduled for it to come in on Tuesday for a tear down. They seem to think it is a bigger issue than the timing chain when I played them several videos clips that I took.

 

[reserved50]

variable cam gears rattling, also needs chains, guides, tensioner, water pump etc. If its a loud clacking type noise for about 3 - 5 seconds

 

[peterk9]

My 13 sport is rattling when starting cold in the morning. Took it to the dealer and they scheduled for it to come in on Tuesday for a tear down. They seem to think it is a bigger issue than the timing chain when I played them several videos clips that I took.

If it was the timing chain wouldn't it make noise every time you started the engine? If it runs/starts normally at all other times I wonder how serious it could be. Are oil and fluid levels where they should be? Any exhaust smoke?

Peter

 

[Sixonemale]

Because you own a Sport the first thing that came to mind was the wastegate arm/valve associated with the turbo. Not sure if this is your problem, but below is a thread that sheds more light on this potential issue:

2.0 eco rattle

 

[Tsuga]

variable cam gears rattling, also needs chains, guides, tensioner, water pump etc. If its a loud clacking type noise for about 3 - 5 seconds

These are the sounds it made when the vehicle has been sitting for a while or over night.

 

[Tsuga]

If it was the timing chain wouldn't it make noise every time you started the engine? If it runs/starts normally at all other times I wonder how serious it could be. Are oil and fluid levels where they should be? Any exhaust smoke?

Peter

Yes, just had the transmission fluid and oil changed in March. There is no smoke in the exhaust. It runs fine.

 

[reserved50]

that's sounds horrible like theres no oil in it , maybe its just the way the microphone picked it up. Classic worn timing components sound like this

 

[Tsuga]

that's sounds horrible like theres no oil in it , maybe its just the way the microphone picked it up. Classic worn timing components sound like this

The oil is at level and I have 800 km left until the oil change is due.

 

[323citopaz]

My 2014 Sport (73,000 Miles) has a rattle when you first start it after sitting for more than a few hours. It’s worse overnight and when cold. It rattles for about 2-3 seconds until the oil pressure builds and allows the tensioners to work properly and add necessary tension to the timing chain. No CEL/MILs and the truck runs great.

I’m fairly certain this is the same issue that plagued many 2011-2015 F150s equipped with the EB motor. The timing chain stretches and ultimately will trip a CEL for a misfire due to the ignition timing being off. I’m oversimplifying the scenario but that’s the gist. It’s apparently a $3-4K repair to replace the timing chain and tensioners.

So....has anyone else had to replace their timing chain tensioners and/or timing chain on their Sport?

2018 Explorer Sport - cold start - rattle noise. Did not go to dealer yet.