Grinding noise when under load, other stuff

[wdarea51]

Hey guys, I own a 2003 mercury mountaineer with 87000 miles. I have been hearing this grinding noise recently and a couple other things, ill describe them below so you can make the best educated guess.

Grinding noise occurs under load the most, you can hear it when its in park (so its not entirely dependent on load) but it does not make near as much of a fuss if you accelerate in neutral as opposed to when your accelerating under load.
This sound mostly sounds like krrk krrk krrk, almost like a pump is trying to pump without enough fluid, but i had the dealer check out the pumps and it was not them, (they also couldn't replicate the noise). If i am going up a hill it is really loud. But if i am in park and i hold the brake and lightly hit the gas it will also make it, so it is not dependent on the wheels turning. Im at a loss.

Here are a few other problems that MAY be related.
Dealer said that they hear a noise coming from the drivers side rear wheel bearing, it sounds like "mud tire" noise. I am also having clanking and clunking issues when going in reverse when i turn sharply, no play in CV joints. Dealer thinks its the transfer case "binding up". Last problem is I have a squeak and slight metal on metal grinding noise coming from the rear of the car when i brake, sounds like the pads are gone, no confirmation on that yet, this just started this week.

My plan is to sell this car before it starts costing me a **** load of money, let me know what you guys think, if i can fix all this under 500 ill be ok, if the brake thing is just pads, the grinding noise is just the alternator or something, then its all good, but if you guys think its like the transfer case or something oh man.... thanks in advance.

 

[wdarea51]

anything?

 

[fusseli]

Pads take just a couple minutes to check and just a couple minutes more to replace.

It could be that the viscous clutch in your t-case is going, I know mine is on it's way out (123k miles). That doesn't quite match your sounds you get under load though. A possibility for that is a worn drive chain in your t-case. At a stop, roll your windows down and listen with truck in gear and foot on the brake. Hear a growling sound? Put the truck in neutral or park and listen if the growl goes away.

The t-case is not a cheap part to replace. I'm not looking forward to it but I will when the time comes. It's too bad you don't enjoy your Mounty enough to do the same!

 

[Exproblems]

>>>>>>>>>>Grinding noise occurs under load the most, you can hear it when its in park (so its not entirely dependent on load) but it does not make near as much of a fuss if you accelerate in neutral as opposed to when your accelerating under load.>>>>>>>>>>>

If your vehicle is 4 wheel drive, the transfer case chain maybe bad, chain links skipping over the gear. It can cause a skipping/grinding noise that sounds like it is coming from the front wheels while in 4x4, but the problem is coming from the transfer case. I had the chain replaced in my 2005 Explorer, it made that kind of noise in 4 wheel drive. The dealership got the tranny shop to overhaul the transfer case and replace the chain for just the cost of the chain/part. Just a possibility.

>>>>>>>This sound mostly sounds like krrk krrk krrk, almost like a pump is trying to pump without enough fluid, but i had the dealer check out the pumps and it was not them, >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

A bad torque converter in your transmission will have a distinct whinning noise come from it because it has low fluid pressure in it. Does the noise sound like it is coming through the floor boards by your feet? If that is your problem, a temporary cheaper fix is to have a new "tranny actuator pump" installed and the fluid changed to raise the fluid pressure in your torque converter. My truck had that kind of torque converter issue and that is what the dealership tried at first as a cheap fix for it. It quieted the torque converter whine down but the tranny had other issues in the shifting gears and had to be changed to a rebuilt one a few weeks later. I originally thought I had a problem in the power steering pump, having never owned a vehicle that had a bad torque converter in it before in 34 years of driving. The noise in my torque converter would quiet down after the vehicle warmed up prior to the cheap fix they tried.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I am also having clanking and clunking issues when going in reverse when i turn sharply,>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Check the tightness on the "locking nuts" on your tie rod ends. I had one that was loose and it made a clunking noise when I turned the wheel sharply.

>>>>>>>>>>>. Last problem is I have a squeak and slight metal on metal grinding noise coming from the rear of the car when i brake, sounds like the pads are gone, >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Metal on Metal noise from the wheel area of the vehicle sounds like worn out brake pads against the rotor. If it just happens when you apply the brakes that would be my guess. Good luck!

 

[Pontisteve]

These explorers are known for wheel bearings issues on all 4 corners. To test, you can use your ears to determine front or rear. Then to determine side to side, find a nice country road and swerve the car left and right across 2 lanes. As you put the weight of the vehicle onto one wheel bearing more, the noise would get worse if the bearing is bad. As you take weight off a bad wheel bearing, the noise would get lighter.

Wheel bearing noise sounds a lot like having 4wd mud tires on your truck.

Make sure you have 4 of the same tires, with the same wear on your vehicle. Otherwise, it can wreak havoc with the 4wd and awd trucks.

FYI, rear wheel bearings are very hard to do. Check the stickys here for more info on the common wheel bearing problem.