91 ford explorer xlt "grrrowling noise"

[lattitdude67]

hello all... 1st timer here... so please go easy on me...well i got a 91 ford explorer xlt 173,x.. miles on it and just recently decided to try to keep it on the road for as long as possible... so i've been doing a bunch of stuff i neglected to do for years... and just within the last couple of days ive noticed a "growling" noise immediately following starting the vehicle... by growling i mean to me it sounds like a deisel engine idling... it only lasts for like one second and usually only on my initial start up of the day... but sometimes a couple of times in a day...what in the world is this? idles fine, runs fine, turns off fine... just when i start it i get that GRRRR sound for a second immediately after the ignition switch fires the engine...thank you all in advance

p.s. this is the best forum...online bar none

 

[Mettler]

How does the oil pressure gauge read upon startup and through out normal running? Im leaning towards low oil pressure. Possibly an oil pump on the way out. How good have you been about oil changes? Is the coolant low? Does it leak? If so what does it leak?

 

[lattitdude67]

oil pressure gauge seems fine

i am really good about oil changes...oil pressure gauge seems fine... it leaks just about everything you can imagine...lol...its 20 yrs old but runs great...does have some kind of head or head gasket leak...i just used some of that k&w and it stopped leaking for now..900 miles so far...i figure its a oil pump or maybe bearings in the starter possibly? i read that on another thread... will keep an eye on the oil pressure though

 

[jmn822000]

Mine does it too and every Ford I've encountered (yes even the newer ones...LOL). I think its a Ford thing.

 

[rhauf]

if you turn the key to run (but dont start it) does it still do it? (could be ABS controller?)

 

[Mettler]

Mine does it too and every Ford I've encountered (yes even the newer ones...LOL). I think its a Ford thing.

Mine dont. :

 

[jmn822000]

^^^ Lucky you.

 

[codyfish125]

hard to belive but mine did the same thing and one day i happened to take off my exhaust and heard a weird noise so i shook the hole exhaust and there were rocks or catback composits in it and they would blow around only when i started it for a sec or two.. lol