99' SOHV Exp. ....No Check Engine light on...rattle or tick on warm up (comes and goes)

[Kaylee]

I have a 1999 it starts, runs, drives fine & doesn't seem to have loss of power. But once it's warmed up it'll start to have a tapping or knocking noise. but it doesn't do it all the time and it's inconsistent. Had to get emissions done and it did have a check engine light on..... engine code said it was running lean. Ended up cleaning the MAF sensor as well as the throttlebody and airflow system. The check engine light went off and it passed emmissions. Resolved a little rough idle it was having but still have tapping or knocking.
was told the knocking could be from a faulty pulley tensioner and belt. The pulley tensioner was bad and was replaced but still hear here knocking or tapping once it's warmed up. Have crawled underneath and look to see if there was any rattling from exhaustion or heat shields everything looks fine. when you have the hood open, it's warmed up and does start the knocking noise, it seems to be coming the passenger side.
Any ideas as to what it could be? Other than the noise, it runs fine.

 

[239]

I have a 1999 it starts, runs, drives fine & doesn't seem to have loss of power. But once it's warmed up it'll start to have a tapping or knocking noise. but it doesn't do it all the time and it's inconsistent. Had to get emissions done and it did have a check engine light on..... engine code said it was running lean. Ended up cleaning the MAF sensor as well as the throttlebody and airflow system. The check engine light went off and it passed emmissions. Resolved a little rough idle it was having but still have tapping or knocking.
was told the knocking could be from a faulty pulley tensioner and belt. The pulley tensioner was bad and was replaced but still hear here knocking or tapping once it's warmed up. Have crawled underneath and look to see if there was any rattling from exhaustion or heat shields everything looks fine. when you have the hood open, it's warmed up and does start the knocking noise, it seems to be coming the passenger side.
Any ideas as to what it could be? Other than the noise, it runs fine.

Does it sound like marbles in a tin can? Mine does it too, especially after an oil change. It gets loud. People have fixed it by cleaning the ground plate on the coil pack, but I didn't have luck with that. I've cleaned or replaced all of the electrical sensors that may be related to it, but it's still there. I'm convinced at this point that the headers have a slight leak and that's causing the sound. It's gotten to the point where it always makes the sound even long after I've changed the oil, but not as loud as it is immediately after I've changed it. I'm pretty sure it's a leak in the header gaskets as the sound increases when I step on the gas, but it goes away as soon as the throttle evens out. Good luck eliminating the rattling sound. It's very elusive.

 

[Kaylee]

It has a marble in a can sound but as if the marble was being rolled in the can, occasionally clanking the edges of the can. It started in between oil changes. I added some Lucas oil stabilizer and that seemed to slow the noise showing up not long after warm up. Some days it won't do it at all other days it's very prevalent and quite a concerning noise. The noise is worse at idle and then goes away when driving.

Does it sound like marbles in a tin can? Mine does it too, especially after an oil change. It gets loud. People have fixed it by cleaning the ground plate on the coil pack, but I didn't have luck with that. I've cleaned or replaced all of the electrical sensors that may be related to it, but it's still there. I'm convinced at this point that the headers have a slight leak and that's causing the sound. It's gotten to the point where it always makes the sound even long after I've changed the oil, but not as loud as it is immediately after I've changed it. I'm pretty sure it's a leak in the header gaskets as the sound increases when I step on the gas, but it goes away as soon as the throttle evens out. Good luck eliminating the rattling sound. It's very elusive.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Is it the 4.0 SOHC or the 5.0 V8?

 

[Kaylee]

Is it the 4.0 SOHC or the 5.0 V8?

4.0 SOHC

 

[swshawaii]

There are sounds that may come from the engine compartment area that are erroneously mistaken for timing chain related issues. It is possible to isolate engine sounds from those generated by the accessories by removing the serpentine belt and running the engine briefly (one minute or less). If the noise is no longer present then it was from the accessories (belt tensioner, idler, alternator, PS pump, A/C compressor or water pump). If you still hear the noise then you know it's from the engine.

Timing chain rattle resolution process - SOHC V6 | Ford Explorer and Ford Ranger Forums - Serious Explorations

 

[Kaylee]

Thanks for the info....This is looking like the next step we are going to have to take.
We went through the bottom of the vehicle and located a few rattles, with the exhaust and heat shields. We secured a few little things up and that eliminated some noise. But not "The" noise.
It does coming from the passenger side....part of why the tensioner was the hopeful culprit....not the case. After replacing, it did sound like the noise is further back than the accessorys.

Wouldn't a check engine light come on if I was having lifter or engine issues?

No engine lights are on, it runs fine, but that noise becomes very concerning at times.

 

[Prince_Polaris]

Considering how bad my SOHC is rattling, I can say from experience that the rattling doesn't sound like marbles in a tin can at all, it just sounds like clanking, and also it's worse at a cold start and then gets... slightly less worse when it warms up.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

The SOHC will progressively self destruct, mine this week had a slight rattle when cold, so I know what's coming, gonna drop the lower oil pan in 800ish miles when the oil change is due and clean out the broken guide, knew it was coming, it's a SOHC, with 194K on it, and has been neglected. Pulling the lower oil pan every 8-10K and removing the guide pieces, and replacing the gasket is probably the best thing you can do to a SOHC rattling without fixing it, the oil pickup will clog with plastic and you'll just speed up destruction

 

[239]

It has a marble in a can sound but as if the marble was being rolled in the can, occasionally clanking the edges of the can. It started in between oil changes. I added some Lucas oil stabilizer and that seemed to slow the noise showing up not long after warm up. Some days it won't do it at all other days it's very prevalent and quite a concerning noise. The noise is worse at idle and then goes away when driving.

That sounds like the infamous ticking sound that the second gen v6 explorers are famous for. I've read theories that it's caused by everything from the wristpins on the exhaust, to carbon build up on the pistons, but no one can seem to track it down. It was an idle only noise for me too until a few months ago. I'll update if it goes away after I change my manifold gaskets.

 

[Kaylee]

Thanks everyone for the info. We too will continue to try a few other things to resolve the noise issue.

Have others had this infamous tick noise with out any Engine Lights On?
If I was having motor issues wouldn't it trip an engine light?

We have no engine lights coming on.

What are the thoughts about cleaning the fuel and oil systems with SeaFoam?
Or additives to engine reduce noise?

The only additive we have used are the Lucas Oil Stablizer and a few tanks back some Lucas Fuel treatment.

 

[Prince_Polaris]

Thanks everyone for the info. We too will continue to try a few other things to resolve the noise issue.

Have others had this infamous tick noise with out any Engine Lights On?
If I was having motor issues wouldn't it trip an engine light?

We have no engine lights coming on.

What are the thoughts about cleaning the fuel and oil systems with SeaFoam?
Or additives to engine reduce noise?

The only additive we have used are the Lucas Oil Stablizer and a few tanks back some Lucas Fuel treatment.

For me, the entire time the timing chain was dying, it didn't throw any codes at all. I think it's just not a part that's monitored, or if it is, it doesn't realize it's lost its guides.

 

[Kaylee]

For me, the entire time the timing chain was dying, it didn't throw any codes at all. I think it's just not a part that's monitored, or if it is, it doesn't realize it's lost its guides.

That has been our worse fear :-/....It starts up without any noise and runs great with no noise for 20-30 minutes of driving (Somedays it won't at all) and then it will decided at an idle to start the ticking-clicking or tapping-type noise again. At an idle is where its concerning and when I hear it.....when I'm moving the noise goes away. On occasion at very low rpms just above an idle I can still hear it....like if Im barely moving in a traffic jam.

 

[Prince_Polaris]

That has been our worse fear :-/....It starts up without any noise and runs great with no noise for 20-30 minutes of driving (Somedays it won't at all) and then it will decided at an idle to start the ticking-clicking or tapping-type noise again. At an idle is where its concerning and when I hear it.....when I'm moving the noise goes away. On occasion at very low rpms just above an idle I can still hear it....like if Im barely moving in a traffic jam.

Well, for me the rattling was most obvious at idle. Anything above it, and engine noise drowns it out. A while ago, something got worse, and at 3k you could hear it just thrashing in there. Now, it's still not fixed, but the current solution right now is that we put something called Stabilizer in the oil, and it's gone and shut the chain up... somehow. No rattle means no risk of damage.... right?

And about the Check Engine light, I can't confirm it. I was having issues with the dumb emissions system, so like I feared, if the engine DID happen to give me a timing chain code, then I wouldn't know since some random emissions thing already had it on.