Need a diagnosis ASAP!!

[TekMan05]

Ok so I'm about a mile from my house. And outta nowhere I begin to hear this rattlin almost like a chain noise from under the hood. It gets slightly more noticable with acceleration and when I was at the stoplight could hear the sound resonate off the other vehicles so I knew it was me. When I get home I smell a burning like smell kinda hard to describe kinda like plastic. I popped the hood and seen a small amount of steam/smoke coming from the lower driver side.I shut the engine off and started it up, and it stalled. I started again and it hesistated but started but chugged idle for a moment. I'm worried about what is wrong with the truck as it seems at the moment it's undrivable. No codes have been thrown yet either.

 

[celly]

Damn. I don't have a clue but definitely subscribing. Good luck!

 

[Willard]

Did you perhaps spring a small exhaust leak? That could make a noise similar to what you described, and then the leaking exhaust could be melting something that is plastic. The exhaust manifolds on the 5.0s are known for leaking.

 

[celly]

Did you perhaps spring a small exhaust leak? That could make a noise similar to what you described, and then the leaking exhaust could be melting something that is plastic. The exhaust manifolds on the 5.0s are known for leaking.

He's got TMH and they're known for leaking too. He's been threw a few gaskets. Might be on to something.

 

[TekMan05]

Trust me this is definitely not the gaskets this time around. And oh yea the smoke was coming from the front side of the motor towards the bottom. This sound is definitely coming from the motor itself or something on it. It's not a ticking sound but more like a draggin tension sound almost like a metal chain. Plus why else would it stall out starting?

 

[my pos mounty]

I know you got a 5.0, so whats on the front besides the waterpump (maybe the impeller grenaded and is grinding itself into oblivion, not likely cuz it would just seize) timing chains (ona 5.0 going like that???) down lower you got the CPS (that aint gonna make a peep), the rack and the differential (both not gonna make a noise @ idle). The alternator, but I mean come on now, it wont sound like that. The AC compressor clutch?? Something dropped in the space between the radiator and fan? (done it, not a pleasent noise) Unless the oil pump is pooched and the bearings are cooking and crying??....Damn, this is a good one, check the starter bolts?? maybe you lost one and the starter is draggin on the flexplate, but thats towards the back and would make a HELLA-noise. Power steering pump. but that wont sound like that, more of a whine..Hmmm Beats the sh%# outta me.
Subscribing, Inquiring minds wanna know

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Check your plug wires. You might have burned through one. The smell could be the silicone and the noise the wire shorting on the header.

 

[TekMan05]

I will check all that later today. But Like I said the smoke was coming from the front dress of the motor as in it looked like somewhere on the pulley system.I'd hate to go to the stealership , but I might have to on this one. I'm also gonna have a friend take a look at it this weekend as well.

 

[n2epv]

OK, here's a guess - rattling from front of engine + burnt plastic smell = plastic idler pulley with bearing failure ? ? ? Pop off the belt and check that all the pulleys spin with no signs of bad bearings. Maybe it's a $20 fix.

 

[TekMan05]

Ok I'll have to give that a shot. Could a bad idler pulley cause an abnormal startup as well?

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Yes it could since the serpentine belt turns while cranking the engine. If a bearing locked up and the pulley can't turn it would cause a drag.

How many miles are on it?

 

[TekMan05]

147,2xx

 

[TekMan05]

Problem found. Bad A/C Condensor pulley. The burning smell was from the Belt dragging. Since I don't have the money now to replace until my next pay period. We are installing a by-pass pulley in the meantime to get me by. Because God knows I need the truck bad right with the weather the way it is!

 

[loaderopp]

OK, here's a guess - rattling from front of engine + burnt plastic smell = plastic idler pulley with bearing failure ? ? ? Pop off the belt and check that all the pulleys spin with no signs of bad bearings. Maybe it's a $20 fix.

x2

 

[celly]

God knows I need the truck bad right with the weather the way it is!

And you certainly don't need AC.

Glad you found it.

 

[TekMan05]

problems went from bad to worse last night. Got on the Hwy and next thing you know my battery light pops on and my dash lights dim. I pull off the hwy and notice my power steering is gone. I quickly go down the road luckily in a populated area and not too far away from many quick places. As I pulled into an ACE hardware parking lot my temp guage slowly crept towards hot. I knew right away what happened becasue I thought I heard a strange noise before pulling into the hwy. Popped the hood and to no surprise there's no BELT!!! I spat it out. WOW are you kidding me? It's maybe 5 degrees at 5:45 p.m. luckily there was an Oreily's only blocks away and my dad arrived to pick us up with my tool box. We grabbed another belt and got to work. Started the truck and let it run. Two minutes later we hear a squeal and my battery light is back on. It chewed right through this belt too. WTF!?! You gotta be kidding me, so nnow for the FIRST time ever my Beast has broken down on me while driving. And now I have no choice but to have it towed to the Stealership. Not to mention my budget isn't allowing for this I don't get paid until next week, not this week. I also got another car payment coming up. It's suppossed to snow in two days again.This is ugly in every way.

 

[Turdle]

OK, Thomas. Calm down.

One of your pulleys is locked up--most likely it is the tensioner pulley bearing.

Since the belt is off, you can spin the pulleys by hand. If one of them feels sticky at all replace it.

 

[Turdle]

Oh,
You can probably replace all the accessory drives for what the dealer will cost. So, take a deep breath, step back and when you get a little less angry at it get some pictures and spin the pulleys.

Removing the fan and shroud might seem like a hassle now, but will ensure the job is done right. Dang I wish we could pull that thing into my garage right now.

Well, it's cold out there and I really don't wish we could, but you know what I mean--

 

[TekMan05]

Oh don't worry Jon I'm calm. It's just frustrating that's all. The truck has never let me down this way before. Sorry if my post made it seem like I was panicking. I know the truck will get fixed. This is just more of a tight financial bind it happened at the worst time possible. I know we've all can feel this pain. Thing is if this happened in the Spring I could have pulled it back home to the garage and tooken my time with it while driving the Mustang. That just isn't an option now. It's already at the Stealership now, my dad is loaning me some money to help out. But Thanks for the advice fore sure. I'd figured a pulley is locking up (hence it chewing through the belt). Or maybe that by-pass pulley is a load of crap? Who knows. It'd be nice to be down in Humbdolt right now because I know we'd have it going in no time. This weather is just crap for workin on vehicles right now lol

 

[TekMan05]

This is the best pic I could upload or got. It just shows the Bad A/C compressor before we put the by-pass pulley on.