cruising 70 mph: 'crickets' in dash

[Terkins]

I'm always listening for sounds I shouldn't be hearing. First time I traveled in months at highway speeds using cruise control. Windows up; A/C on low; recent oil change/tire rotation. While in cruise-control at 70, a faint 'chattering' like a cricket-or-two behind my speedometer gauge/inside the dashboard seemed unrelenting on the highway. The sound disappears at lower speeds in city traffic. The chatter is persistent in loudness/somewhat rhythmical, no silent stretches. Seems unrelated to acceleration/braking/road vibration.
Opinions? [Updated: 11/02/19. Sound is coming from the engine compartment...]
[Updated: 11/17/19. Let's call it the 'chirping' sound (now that the tensioner is new)...'camshaft positioner bearing'? (If so: 'Outside my pay-grade'...]

 

[MAS Tequila]

Check ALL of the attachment screws and bolts.

 

[974X4BLACKSPORT]

Plastics.

 

[Mr. Alligator]

Odometer wheels?

 

[MAS Tequila]

The lower dash cover and ALL that you can get to.

 

[J_C]

The problem with crickets is most have never gone that fast, and it scares them.

I too, suspect plastics rubbing. You could try undoing some fasteners, loosen them all then tighten again, possibly shoving a piece of cardboard between panels as a shim that sticks out before tightening them, then remove the cardboard, or for a permanent spacer you can put masking tape in a gap where it isn't visible, though over the long term it will leave behind a crusty residue, particularly the typical cheap tape with an acrylic adhesive.

You could spray armor-all/etc silicone all over the place in gaps, trying to keep it away from the gauges window and the windshield as it can be a pain to clean off. In some cases that can make rubbing noises worse... or make one noise go away only to cause another.

It might not be the plastics, you can try pushing on them when you get the noise to see if you can identify any pieces rubbing.

 

[974X4BLACKSPORT]

FYI, the rubber hood bumpers on the inside of the front fenders get dry with age and can make a "cricket" noise when driving down the road, had this problem with two different cars of mine, one was a DODGE RAMCHARGER, the other was my 1986 Monte Carlo SS. The sound "appears" to come from inside the dash board. A little lube on the rubber clears it up. HeHE.

 

[koda2000]

It might have nothing to do with your noise, but it's worth checking... Do you use and reset your odometer? If so check to see if it's currently working. I once had a vehicle whose fuel gauge didn't work. I used the odometer to judge when I needed to get fuel. Sometimes after resetting the odo it wouldn't fully engage and would start making a clicking sound. I'd then have to hit reset again to get it working and to stop clicking.

 

[Mr. Alligator]

^Agree.

These trucks seem to have little to no interior dash area rattling. Something is not going right. I do not really think mine would consistently rattle even if I loosened up all of the dash area plastic panels.

The one thing I would suspect would be the plastic odometer, which is electronically spun around by design. Seems logical. Especially since it increases with speed.

If the reset does not resolve this, try JC’s hood bumper idea (that is an easy one). Then I would start taking interior plastics apart heading toward the odometer. There is a good Youtube video on the process. If you do not find anything by the time you get there, disconnect the odometer/speedometer harness and see if that solves it...

I hate rattling plastic in vehicles. Hope you get this fixed.

 

[Terkins]

Thx for all the ideas folks. Sorry I haven't replied--been busy getting evaluated for possible kidney transplant, AARP drivers' safety class, storage bay rent increases, apartment lease review (HUD), etc. "Too many bigger crickets" right now.
I do reset my odometer each gas fill-up; I couldn't say that was the source of the sound. I'll try some silicone spray on the hood bumpers. Will update after...I travel short jaunts close to home 99% of the time. I hate I-81 traffic: It feels like 'a Black Friday crowd elbowing to the front of the line' so I avoid the interstate as much as possible. Doing '55' to the safety class (Thu.) on a divided, country highway I didn't hear the sound. [I was shocked to learn that schools have dropped teaching drivers' ed courses. "Answer 20 questions" and you've got your VA operators license. Told the "new way" is to drive automatics is with BOTH FEET on the pedals (to keep oldsters from plowing into storefronts (hitting the gas-vs.-brake...).)]

 

[Terkins]

These trucks seem to have little to no interior dash area rattling. Something is not going right. I do not really think mine would consistently rattle even if I loosened up all of the dash area plastic panels....Hope you get this fixed.

Well...(5 mos. later...after upper front ball joint replacements; an idler pulley replacement; new thermostat/coolant flush; shop-recharge of A/C system; multi-4x4 (component) fluid changes...etc.) the 'crickets' are still with me but now seem to be 'hiding' in a drive-belt component.
(With/without the A/C clutch engaged) I can't tell if the chirping is R or L side of the engine compartment?
Can someone provide a breakdown of the likelihood of the 'candidate' being: [the] alternator vs. water pump vs. tensioner pulley vs. ?_?_?

 

[Mr. Alligator]

Just another idea: Take the serpentine belt off, then spin the tensioner pulley, the idler pulley, and the alternator pulley. If any of them are that far off, you should be able to feel/ hear bad bearing. I am not sure if you will be able to spin the water pump to check that.

Make sure you reinstall the belt along the current track... there might be a diagram sticker somewhere in the engine compartment.

Good luck.

 

[Mountinheer]

Cam angle sensor bushing is dry. Remove sensor and drip some oil down there.

 

[koda2000]

Cam angle sensor bushing is dry. Remove sensor and drip some oil down there.

OP - Which engine do you have? This is a common problem with the 5.0L V8 and maybe the 4.0L OHV engine (IDK). It's easy to oil the cam sync bushing on the V8, Not easy at all on the 4.0L OHV. I'm thinking an XLS might have the OHV 4.0l V6. On the 5.0L's this creates a chirping sound like a bird. When I first encountered this I thought it had to be belt related, but removing the belt had no effect.

 

[Terkins]

OP - Which engine do you have? This is a common problem with the 5.0L V8 and maybe the 4.0L OHV engine (IDK). It's easy to oil the cam sync bushing on the V8, Not easy at all on the 4.0L OHV. On the 5.0L's this creates a chirping sound like a bird. When I first encountered this I thought it had to be belt related, but removing the belt had no effect.

4.0L OHV.
Yea...not simple (Per Bishko Ford Repair Manual).
I'm curious: Why jump to this 'cause' vs. a failing bearing on the alternator/tensioner pulley/etc.?
If it is the cam sync bushing: Is this 'lubrication' going to matter if I neglect it? (Seems really neglectful for (engineering) engine oil design to have 'missed' this point!)

 

[Mountinheer]

4.0L OHV.
Yea...not simple (Per Bishko Ford Repair Manual).
I'm curious: Why jump to this 'cause' vs. a failing bearing on the alternator/tensioner pulley/etc.?

"the 'crickets' are still with me but now seem to be 'hiding' in a drive-belt component."

This.

 

[fast_dave]

@Terkins

I've read your posts, and one thing stands out to me.

Now just sayin - but when you replaced the Idler Pulley, you probably should have also replaced the Tensioner Pulley.

I realize that we all have budgets, but replacing one pulley without replacing the other is akin to buying just one shoe rather than two. For the most part, they both wear close to the same rate.

NOTE: You don't need to replace the entire Tensioner Assembly, you ONLY need to replace the Tensioner Pulley itself.

If you have any experience removing the Serpentine Belt, it's about a 10 minute job start to finish.

About $10 at Rock Auto = CLICK ON BLUE LINK BELOW:
2000 FORD EXPLORER 4.0L V6 OHV Tensioner Pulley | RockAuto

Here's a 5% off Rock Auto Discount Code.

At checkout, insert it in the box that asks "how did you hear about us?"

Hope that helps -

 

[Terkins]

@Terkins
...one thing stands out to me...when you replaced the Idler Pulley, you probably should have also replaced the Tensioner Pulley...For the most part, they both wear close to the same rate.
NOTE: You don't need to replace the entire Tensioner Assembly, you ONLY need to replace the Tensioner Pulley itself.
If you have any experience removing the Serpentine Belt, it's about a 10 minute job start to finish.

Duh..."I tried to think that far...and 'nothing happened'!"
[Sad but true! Hey: I'm 65 in poor health...not 'firing on all cylinders' like I used to...(the kids know it).]
Good suggestion. Thanks!
While we're on the subject of 'preventive maintenance' (with bitter weather coming soon)...I'm thinking I should replace the starter relay (@144K; 'easy')? Then there's the starter solenoid(?; harder)...and the alternator voltage regulator/brush assembly(?)...and the...(you get the idea.) Further ('interceptive maintenance') ideas?
[I'm in love with my new thermostat--temperature gauge doesn't even reach mid-range anymore! (My ScanGauge II tells me it's opening around 197-deg. immediately cooling down below 190.) (Hey! I can't afford a wife/kids/or a dog anymore; I gotta love something I can (still) 'see'!)]

 

[fast_dave]

@Terkins

As far as your questions regarding winter preventative maintenance RE: starter relay, starter solenoid, voltage regulator - I offer up the following advice;
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

* The starter relay is $10, and if it goes bad in a parking lot, swap over your A/C Relay to get home and then buy a new replacement.

* The starter solenoid is part of/connected to the starter motor, and if you have 4WD, you "don't want to go there" unless you really have to. It's a SOB to swap out the 1st time...

* The voltage regulator is integral to the alternator. If the alternator goes bad, buy a NEW one from Rock Auto. Other than that, just leave it be...

Hope that helps

 

[Terkins]

@Terkins Now just sayin - but when you replaced the Idler Pulley, you probably should have also replaced the Tensioner Pulley.

[You were right!]
First, I went to see my local mechanic, Alfonso. Naturally, the crickets were silent. He dismissed the tensioner as cause, saying it would chirp continuously if at-fault. He opined that noisy lifters was likely at-fault (Taking him at his word...I investigated the 'additives'.)
(I was going to replace the tensioner anyway, since RockAuto had one version on clearance at only $18. But I had to first remove mine to see 'which version' I needed.)
Meanwhile, I added some Seafoam to the engine oil, and some Marvel Mystery Oil to the fuel.
Bingo! Chirping gone! (Fake reprieve!)
On removing the tensioner to see which style I had, I immediately noted the casing was coming apart at the seam! I tried squeezing the halves back together--only making them looser than before! Hoping I could make it from my storage bay to an auto parts store with my obviously-defective part, I left in the cold and dark, squealing loudly continuously!
Autozone only had their own brand (flat spring). Gates propaganda had convinced me I needed a round spring design. Fortunately, a newly-built outlet of O'Reilly was open at 7:30 PM and had the Gates tensioner. Squeeking and squealing with my alternator only charging at 10.4 V/ headlights dim, I managed the 4-mi. trip to O'Reilly's. Installing the new tensioner in their parking lot, I drove home tired and satisfied: My Ford purring like a kitten.
The clerk at O'Reilly's thought the old tensioner (Canada) was a Ford part. (I'm suspecting it was the original, lasting to 144.4K!) It had the 'round spring' and was made in Canada, just like the new Gates replacement.