Tick, tick, tick: The infamous front of engine sound

[aldive]

My mysterious sound is morphing from the bird chirp tick sound to more of a squealing sound. Further, it also has become somewhat RPM dependent up to a point ( about 2k RPM ).

I borrowed a camera with video and sound capability Toddy and tried to shoot some clips. However, when I play them back, the sound is not exactly like the sound emanating from the motor. Beats me. I shall work on this some more and post the clip ( if I ever get one that sounds like "my" noise.

Any other ideas?

 

[aldive]

Forgot to mention earlier that the sound does not varry when the wheels are turned lock to lock.

 

[wood1]

Al could you carefully shoot some WD40 (or your fav lube) into the water pump weep hole, if you noise stops there's your problem.

 

[aldive]

The saga continues ....

With this rather warm weather we are having here in Florida ( its 85 F Right now ), the noise only occurs for a brief period at start up and within 5 minutes vanishes completely.

I was planning on swapping water pumps today, but this new wrinkle has me in a holding pattern.

 

[aldive]

Update ...

Tonight I replaced the power steering pump pulley ( see http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1865208#post1865208 ).

While I had the e fan out and some extra room in front of the motor, I decided to replace the stock water pump pulley with my old underdrive water pump pulley ( http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1394998#post1394998 ).

I also added a new serpentine belt.

We shall see what happens on a road test after dinner.

 

[aldive]

We shall see what happens on a road test after dinner.

A brief road test through the neighborhood showed to me that there was NO NOISE from the front of the motor.

I know, I know, been there done that before. However, I am crossing my fingers on this "fix".

Silence is golden.​

 

[aldive]

Well, after a 70 mile trip this morning, the truck is still quite. The tick sound is nowhere to be heard ( so far, he says with crossed fingers ).

 

[aldive]

It does indeed appear that the ticking sound has departed.

However, I still don’t know the origin of the sound. The apparent fix introduced 3 variables at once ( new belt, new power steering pulley, new water pump pulley ). Without taking each new component out of play until the sound reappeared, I am still no closer to the cause of the noise.

Yet, I shall not agonize too much, I am ecstatic that the noise is gone.

 

[rch10007]

Well, it's been a month - any news? Are you done with the tick?

 

[aldive]

Well, it's been a month - any news? Are you done with the tick?

Yes, the tick has been banashed ( hopefully for good ).

 

[99ExploratorySUV]

So, Al, did you end up replacing both the water pump and power steering pump?? Or was it just the pulleys that you replaced? I have a 99 SOHC and have the exact same problem you're dealing with. It's got about 143,000 miles on it too. I did new belt, tensioner, idler pulley and brand new alternator. What exactly do you attribute to the fix? Was it the pulleys or the pumps themselves?? I really wanna get rid of this intermittent squeak, its so annoying.

 

[aldive]

No, I did not replace either the power steering pump or the water pump.

I wish I had a definitive answer as to what was the source of the tick, but I really don't.

It is definitely gone now.

 

[MadExplorer93]

Many vehicles including a dodge voyager had this tick, tick sound very low sounding and even my EX 1993 has it. I replaced the thermostat again the other day and before that i never heard the little tick at the front of the motor. I was think what the heck did i do wrong, anser = nothing, hmm i was thinking maybe the belt or tensioner, but then i was going on my intuition of my old cevy truck and that dodge voyager, the voyager was only 1 year old.

What needed to be replaced on both those vehicles was the water pump as the bearing was loose and sooner or later the bugger will go and water will pee on out.

I of course never changed mine in my EX yet as i am going to wait it out some more as i am in the process of doing the plenum/fuel rail gaskets and valve cover(s) gaskets or one valve cover if i can't get that dang coil bolt off that bolts into the motor side.

Anyhoo it maybe the water pump bearing in your case Aldive, just a thought is all.

 

[99ExploratorySUV]

I'm amazed that it was just the pulleys you replaced that ended up fixing it. Because since they just bolt onto the accessories, they have no bearings of their own, how would this fix the squeak? Could it be the fact that when you took off the pulleys you cleaned up the accessories and where the pulleys mounted? When you took them off was it excessively dirty behind them?

 

[aldive]

When you took them off was it excessively dirty behind them?

Nothing is dirty on my truck

 

[aldive]

Damn, its starting again ....

 

[rch10007]

Same place as last time?

 

[Dundee]

I got a Ford Explorer 1995. And there is a thick,thick,thick sound.
And the source was a spark plug cable making ground.
I stop my truck and inspect it without turning off the engine and there it was a ligthing coming off the cable towards the engine.

 

[rch10007]

Today, I replaced my belt and tensioner assembly and all seems to be well again. I really hope that puts an end to my issue. If not, I will repost in here again.

 

[rch10007]

Well, that lasted all of 3 weeks. Damn tick is back AGAIN!!!

Back to the drawing board! Anyone else have any definitive luck?