Knocking sound on cold startup

[Billy177]

recently i have noticed that when i first start the car in the morning i will get a light knocking sound for about 5-7 seconds then it goes away.

I changed the oil thinking it may be a bad filter but that did not fix it.

it has mobil1 5w30 in it witha FL1A

is this something to be concerned with? Engine has 100k on it

 

[Espresso]

Is it a tapping , hard knock or a hollow type of knock? Top or bottom of the engine?

It could be anything from the lifters bleeding down( loosing oil from sitting &pumping up with oil for the first few seconds of start up). To the bearings
(excessive play with no oil, causing them to "knock" until they get oiled) .

 

[Billy177]

it is basically a tapping. I cant tell where it is comming from at the moment because by the time i can get around to the front of the car after starting it, the noise is gone. I have almost instant oil pressure upon startup

 

[Espresso]

It's more than likely the lash adjusters( oftern just called lifters. But lifters are for pushrod motors.) bleeding down. It could be the bearings but I doubt it.
They just get old & need to be replaced.
I believe the SOHC's have knock sensors & the lifter tap once it gets to be constant, will reak havoc with the knock sensor.
Your best bet is to take it to someone you trust & let it sit there over night & have them listen to it.
Or if you can get your neighbor to start it while you listen for it.

 

[TPLYNCH]

Billy, did you ever have the camshaft tensioners and timing chain cassette changed on that SOHC engine of yours?

 

[Billy177]

ok i just started it up. and it appears that it is comming from the bottom. is this something to be concerned with? if i had to i could tear down the engine and replace the bearings and such but if i do not have to i do not want to.

yea i had them changed

 

[tl1000r]

yeah i seem to have the same problem its like the lowerend has no oil for a few seconds and then it goes away i `was going to call ford about it i have a 2001 that has 73,000 miles on it.

 

[snoborder42]

I am having the same problem on my 92 but the noise on mine lasts for a couple of minutes. It seems that when the oil warms up the noise completely goes away. I started using Quaker State high mileage oil and the noise is now gone. I am still concerned about it and i have never been able to figure out what it was.

 

[Billy177]

yeah i seem to have the same problem its like the lowerend has no oil for a few seconds and then it goes away i `was going to call ford about it i have a 2001 that has 73,000 miles on it.

that is exactly how mine sounds

 

[boominXplorer]

try using an oil additive like lucas and see if it goes away

 

[Billy177]

i have used that on other cars to help oil pressure prolblems, I think that would make the prolblem worse by making the oil thicker and taking more time to get to the bearings

 

[tl1000r]

yeah i`m just getting ready to leave work and i went to start my truck and it didn`t do it it does some times another times it don`t its been sitting all day i think i might try a wix oil filter and see if that helps i wonder its losing the oil out of the filter but then again it mounts vertical so the oil should still be there, i have no clue i guess i will have to call ford and find out what the deal is? because there is no way that can be good on the lower end.

 

[amessie]

Your hydrualic cam chain tensioner is bleeding down. What you hear is detonation or the chain rattling until the pressure ramps up enough to tension the chain. It is critical that you take it in to a dealer and check (if you don't know) to see if the service/recall work has been done on the front cam chain cassette tensioner assembly. This recall is 01m something (you will have to search the under the Underhood Forum for the exact number) this is avalible up to 100k if you complain enough. The cam cassette was largely plastic and breaks often, the replacement part has metal reinforcement. There is also a check valve/backflow preventer that is installed in the oil passages to prevent bleed down.

 

[Billy177]

it is not the timing chain rattle because I have that too when cold lol. i had the recall done when my intake gaskets leaked. then the dealer replaced a chain and casette I think it is a rear one as they had too remove the engine to repair it under warranty,the timing chain rattle disapeared for a day. then i took it back and they tried to tell me that the same noise that they diagnosed the timing chains was now the balancer. and they could not do anything about it. Two other dealers stated that it was normal which is bs.

I might pick up the recall kit and do it again but i doubt it will do anything.

 

[amessie]

Do you have the noise under acceleration or only on start up. If you have it under accleration does it get better when you use premium. If so check your plugs for signs of detonation. As far as the bleed down I was told by a furd tech that a lot of the guys don't install the check valve/ back flow preventer because its a pain or the don't know where it goes.

 

[Billy177]

i only have it for maby 5 seconds up on first start of the day. makes no noise what at all when driving and the timing chain rattle goes away as soon as it warms up or when you bring the rpms higher then idle. and the check valve/ADB is located in the oil filter so there is nothing to install

 

[boominXplorer]

the lucas will coat the whole motor with a slick film reducing the friction noise. It is a possibility for a cheap fix

 

[Billy177]

i might try it then

 

[amessie]

There is a flow reducer/ check valve that goes in the block next to the LH cam chain hyd tensioner that is supposed to be installed (depending on the tech) during the recall, this device is supposed to keep oil in the tensioning passages. This device is not present or one of your hydraulic tensioners is worn out and leaking by. Your oil passages could also be clogged with sludge. I would believe the former over the later, but if you want to flush your engine go to bobistheoilguy.com and check out Autorx flush or find some local shop with a Bilistien Oil Flush system.

 

[Billy177]

ok just bought the 00M12 kit from the dealer and am about to install it so i will see what happens.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61152&page=2&pp=20&highlight=gasket+recall