new member need help with diagnosing a noise

[TyMeyer79]

i have a 2001 explorer sports trac with 174,000 miles 0n it. there is a strange noise that i can hear coming from the front end. the noise is there all the time. please help

 

[rb142]

We're going to need a better description to even begin to guess what the noise is. What kind of noise is it? A squeak, rattle, chirp, roar, rattle, etc.? Where about is it coming from? Front of the engine? Back of the engine? High/low? Left/Right? Front axle? Halfshaft? Etc. Try to narrow it down. Use a stethoscope, or a long screwdriver, copper tube, etc. to help isolate where the noise is coming from.

 

[TyMeyer79]

I'm not very car smart. The guys at Work say It sounds like valves chattering. It is on the driver side. Just wondering how to know for sure. Thanks

 

[pcam13]

I'm not very car smart. The guys at Work say It sounds like valves chattering. It is on the driver side. Just wondering how to know for sure. Thanks

More than likely exhaust manifold leaking. Sounds to some like valve chatter... It is a constant click click click? I get this when mine is cold and its a brand new 302 rebuilt in 2009.

 

[rb142]

On a 302 an exhaust manifold would be likely. It should be the 4.0 SOHC in this case, and there isn't much issue with manifolds on those. Valve chatter was a problem on the 4.0 OHV, but I haven't heard of that on the SOHC. Exhaust? EGR? Something in the accessory drive? One possibility is the left side timing cassette or blanace shaft chain. That would be bad. If that's the noise, you need to fix it before it takes the engine out. But there are many other, and less severe, things it could be as well.

You need to get it evaluated by a mechanic who can figure out what it really is.

 

[TyMeyer79]

Thank you all for your input. I did have a mechanic listen to it he said he thought maybe a pulley & The catalytic converter. I had someone else check the catalytic converter & All he did was hit with hand and & Said it was fine sounds like it's coming from the motor. So I am just trying to figure out a easy way to narrow it Down.

 

[2000StreetRod]

Timing chain rattle resolution process - SOHC V6

I suggest that you edit your details and change "2001 Ford Explorer Sport" to "2001 Explorer Sport Trac" to avoid confusion.

The following thread may be helpful: Timing chain rattle resolution process - SOHC V6