Clicking sound from under vehicle (97 5.0 AWD)

[97BlackX5.0]

same noise here on a 97 awd....at first i thought it was the back side of the rotors and then thought it was the wheel bearings... but now i think its the cv joint nearest the transfer case on the front driveshaft..... i think it gets a little loose in their and then when you are going slowly.... enough that it doesnt spin fast enough to keep it centered in the joint that it clicks.... i had a rear driveshaft go on my bronco II that had 2 cv joints... it ran perfectly fine cept at low speeds or when you really gassed it then it would either grind or just spin..... cv joints can be rebuilt if you can find parts for them but mine isnt loose enough or annoying enough to warrant tearing it apart yet.... maybe someday when the tranny goes.... lots of v-8's in this crowd..... how long has your 4r70w lasted..... and how hard is the t-case to rebuild.... i just oredered a atsg manual for my tranny

 

[5.0 Mountaineer]

I have the same clicking noise from under my truck. A couple of nights ago I pulled the front driveshaft and the noise was gone. The cv joint that bolts up to t-case is binding up a little. Does anyone know if you can get the joint or do you have to buy the whole driveshaft.

 

[O2Thief]

I just replaced my front driveshaft w/ a new one from ford. Got in the X and drove it and I'm still getting the clicking/clunking (metal on metal) noise. A little history. This has been a progressive noise over the last month and a half. It started off as a slight single clunk only under forward straight roll. I suspected it was the inner part of my drivers CV shaft. It got progressively worse where it will now click/clunk all the way to 60mph w/o even accelerating hard. I could feel slack in the CV part of the driveshaft so today I replaced and still have the noise (as stated above). When I pulled the old driveshaft, it appeared pretty tore up. The CV protion had a descent amoung of play. This is getting really irritating. I hate throwing money at a vehicle and I thought I had the problem narrowed down. I now believe the Transfer case is the culprit. I am going to remove the new driveshaft tomorrow so I won't tear it up anymore (and until I can afford a new one). Anyone know what's involved in replacing one?

 

[kyle94ex]

It never ceases to amaze me. The amount of expertise you guys put forward is really great. my ex does the same thing and reading these threads has given me new hope and ideas. I am so glad I found this site.
-thank you everyone.

 

[tersian]

Okay, I replaced both of my short shafts(they were crunching and popping). Test drive afterward still had the ticking, clicking, crunching noise. Put it up on the lift again and it is coming from the front of the front shaft at the u-joint. I am going to replace the u-joint on Monday and report back. I definately sounds like a dry bearing when you get close to it.

 

[97BlackX5.0]

good it sounds like we almost got this problem figureed out... i hope it goes well for you.... will be replacing mine soon too if it fixes it...

 

[Majisto]

Originally posted by Derek
can the famous 5.0 ticking noise happen to a 4.0 also? when i put the truck in park and the radio off i hear a fast ticking noise maybe its normal engine noise just really only noticed it yesterday

No...the "famous" 4.0 tick is the timing chain tensioners weakening and causing the chain to make a ticking or bicycle chain noise. This is assuming you have the SOHC of course.

The OHV just ticks. It comes factory pre-set to be a weak, noisy motor. *hides* No, really, the wrist pins used in the later models for emissions sake cause some annoying noises, but they are not a problem. It sounds like marbles in a tin can rolling around.

 

[97splorer]

Add me to the list, 97' AWD has a crunchy sound too. I only hear it when I go slow. There is also a clunk sound every now and then after I take of or slow down. I hope we can figure this out!

 

[danielcool23]

put me down also 96 awd v8 slow speed cruching sound
shop had it on the stand with vehicle running in drive no sound...only does it on the ground

 

[DougS]

If you still have that crackling sound and it isn't the cv's, check your transfer case. I had a similar sound coming from under my '97 AWD/V8. I put in on jack stands and turned the wheels...no sound. I then turned the drive shaft and the noise was there which I localized to the t.c. Took it to a tranny shop and they gave me the bad news that it was probably the chain getting ready to break lose and started giving prices on a new one. I asked them to check the fluid first to see if there was any metal in there. It was dark, but no metal. I asked them to just replace the fluid to see if it would help and they put in an additive (don't know the name) that is supposed to lubricate everything AND remove any glaze build-up that can happen with worn fluid. I drove around for 1/2 an hour and everything is fine. No noise, no new t.c. Cost me $10. Can't beat that when we were initially talking $1500! Check this before they talk you into major repairs.



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[expobronc]

hey check the simple stuff first if its a "tinny" noise I'd be willing to bet one of the welds on your heat shield broke and the tin heat sheild is just pinging on your pipes.... my 98 was driving me nuts so i just got a BFH and broke the whole damn thing off

 

[smiley1]

I have a 98 V-8 AWD and have had my X in the shop 5 times now for this metalic pinging noise.

The following has been replaced/rebuilt with no change:

rear dif
front dif
steering rack
hub seals
T-case has been removed, serviced and inspected
transmission has been inspected and serviced

I had a suspition that the viscous coupling had frozen causing binding that could result in excessive wear leading to the noise we hear. No proof of this as there is no real way to check the vc.

I think you guys are getting close to finding this problem. When the dealer rebuilt the front diff, the noise was gone for about 4 weeks. I thought it was fixed. At least it tells me that the part was closely related to the work that had been done. I personally believe it could be the u-joints or the cv-joints.

 

[smiley1]

Strange,

no more noise. darn ford

 

[chasespop]

Another V8 clik

I've been reading this post and have the exact same problem. I've gone as far as to put the vehicle on a lift and isolated it to the tcase. I was looking into rebuilding the case but I might try the fluid idea.

Any body ever rebuilt one?

 

[sgarcia89lx]

i have a similer sound and removed the front shaft and the noise went away,could it still be the transfercase or do i just need to replace the front shaft?

 

[smiley1]

i have a similer sound and removed the front shaft and the noise went away,could it still be the transfercase or do i just need to replace the front shaft?

Well, my noise is back. I am leaning to the viscous coupling being frozen. This can case binding and wear. I would think that the noise is coming from the front end. Not sure about the front shaft and there is no way I can tell if a viscous coupler is frozen for sure. This just bugs the crap out of me.

I would sell this thing if it didnt run so good.

 

[sgarcia89lx]

i changed the front shaft with a new one from Ford ($192) and the noise went away. i been driving it all day today i even took it on the hwy up to 90MPH and it runs and drives like new again.

 

[smiley1]

Sorry to bring this back up again...but I just had my x lifted off the ground today. When I turned the tire there was a certain amount of play and made a noise form the transfer case, like a clicking sound that resonates through the drive shaft like a ping sound. This sound is what I am hearing when the vehicle is driven.

I checked all the bolts and all are present and tight. I will be taking it to the dealer to have them place a new transfer case in there to see if this cures my problem. If so, I will have a new transfer case!

Anyone have a similar experience??

 

[bigdaddykarl]

Alright, I'm getting nervous. 97 v8 awd 103K, and I have the same clickity-clack, and a sort of fricticious noise, and on a quicker stop, a clunk. I thought it was just a cv, which I've been told I can remove, take to a cv shop and exchange it for a rebuilt unit for like $65. But all this chat about t-case and drive shafts and whatnot is really giving me the willies. First up though, after reading this thread, which has been really helpful, is to change out the t-case fluid, and I'll probably do the transmission while I'm at it. We'll go from there, I'll keep y'all posted.

 

[O2Thief]

I removed my front driveshaft back in October awaiting the chance to rebuild the transfer case. Isnt' there a rebuild kit out there for a reasonable price? I also noticed the X doesn't bind up like it use to when you turn. When I rebuild the TC, I'm going to make sure it works properly and then go ahead and remove the front driveshaft again. It's not like I need AWD everyday, but I do enjoy it in the rain.