Noise while idling

[Spencerd809]

Please help,
While idling my 98 xlt makes a click click noise every six second or so. It sounds like metal on metal... Like taking a lid off a pan and then putting it back on. I'm just wondering what that is so if I need to address it I can. If anyone has any ideas that would be helpful thanks.

 

[4FordFamily]

Without more information, it sounds like it could be your AC unit cycling on and off. Every 6 seconds tells me you are likely low on coolant. With proper coolant amount, it should do this every 60 seconds or so I believe.

Another metallic tick I have heard was heat shields rattling underneath. You can get underneath the truck and move the heat shields and see if they're fastened.

I had another one that clicked when I turned on my old 2003 explorer but when I got a brake job it went away. Never did figure out the culprit!

 

[Spencerd809]

That actually makes sense since I just started using ac again in the past few weeks and hadn't heard it until about the same time. Thanks I'll check it later today and let you know if you're correct

 

[4FordFamily]

That actually makes sense since I just started using ac again in the past few weeks and hadn't heard it until about the same time. Thanks I'll check it later today and let you know if you're correct

No problem. It got me several years ago. Now, a dozen+ fords later and more mechanical experience and I am pretty good at diagnosing..

As far as actually repairing anything... an infant is more adept...



If you can find the AC charging port, I always charge (typically anyway) them myself. I use the type that "seals holes" from autozone. People tell me it doesn't work and it's stupid but my 2003 explorer needed filled two summers in a row with this stuff... but then for 4 years afterward it needed NO new coolant. It all stayed. Very impressed.

If you have bubbles in the line or anything crazy it costs 80-200 to drain and refill professionally and it may work better but they generally don't use stuff that "seals holes"