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Unexplained Rattle 2014 Limited

Here is my latest research project. This rattle was intermittent all winter, gone for days or weeks at a time, but back pretty regularly now. I'm thinking possibly AC compressor issue of some sort as if I am at idle in a parking lot the AC will be pretty warm. Once I rev a bit, the AC cools right down or when driving it is fine.

But now with the AC off the rattle will appear every now and then, usually disappearing after 5-10 seconds. Also usually only on at start up. When driving I have not noticed it after leaving the driveway. Like if I run into a store and leave the family in the car, it is not there when I come back out.

Any thoughts?



I’ve got the same issue but only when car is in D or R and going up to 3-4 mph. The dealer thought it was a motor mount but they replaced that and it continues....
 



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I’ve got the same issue but only when car is in D or R and going up to 3-4 mph. The dealer thought it was a motor mount but they replaced that and it continues....

OK, I feel embarrassed posting this but mistakes are how we grow right? :oops:

I had the wrong belt on the motor. I have the Limited with the towing package so I thought that meant I had the heavy duty alternator. On rockauto they have standard replacement and heavy duty alternator and I chose the wrong one.

I came across a video on youtube with someone who had the same sound and they said their belt stretched. So I checked my part number against fordparts.com and I low and behold last fall I put the wrong belt on. I think the extra 1/4-1/2" of length was allowing the idler pulley to bottom out and rattle on the spring stop as was depicted in the video.

New belt on with correct part number and so far so good. I'll update in a couple days if it is truly gone.
 






OK, I feel embarrassed posting this but mistakes are how we grow right? :oops:

I had the wrong belt on the motor. I have the Limited with the towing package so I thought that meant I had the heavy duty alternator. On rockauto they have standard replacement and heavy duty alternator and I chose the wrong one.

I came across a video on youtube with someone who had the same sound and they said their belt stretched. So I checked my part number against fordparts.com and I low and behold last fall I put the wrong belt on. I think the extra 1/4-1/2" of length was allowing the idler pulley to bottom out and rattle on the spring stop as was depicted in the video.

New belt on with correct part number and so far so good. I'll update in a couple days if it is truly gone.

Good find! Hopefully that is the issue we are having.

How would one tell if they have the heavy duty alternator or not?
 






Good find! Hopefully that is the issue we are having.

How would one tell if they have the heavy duty alternator or not?
Confirmed... My rattle is now gone and it is purring along nicely.

I suspect the heavy duty alternator may be found in the police line of the explorer, but not sure. From now on I will always cross reference the part numbers with parts.ford.com. :)
 






Confirmed... My rattle is now gone and it is purring along nicely.

I suspect the heavy duty alternator may be found in the police line of the explorer, but not sure. From now on I will always cross reference the part numbers with parts.ford.com. :)
What is the part number(s) are you referring to?

Peter
 






What is the part number(s) are you referring to?

Peter
The belt I needed for the Limited is JK6455D (correct), but I accidentally put on the one for the heavy duty alternator, JK6457A (incorrect).

In my limited I have the 3.5L TIVCT engine.
 






The belt I needed for the Limited is JK6455D (correct), but I accidentally put on the one for the heavy duty alternator, JK6457A (incorrect).

In my limited I have the 3.5L TIVCT engine.
Thank you. That would be this one; 2010-2019 Ford Serpentine Belt GB5Z-8620-A | Auto Nation Ford White Bear Lake
The funny thing is that the specifications on the Ford site are exactly the same for both belts. Dimensions: 3.26 L x 1.0 W x 6.0 H in. The correct one on their site is $0.51 more.

Peter
 






Thank you. That would be this one; 2010-2019 Ford Serpentine Belt GB5Z-8620-A | Auto Nation Ford White Bear Lake
The funny thing is that the specifications on the Ford site are exactly the same for both belts. Dimensions: 3.26 L x 1.0 W x 6.0 H in. The correct one on their site is $0.51 more.

Peter
Yep! The police interceptor as I suspected. It is also confusing because it lists my vehicle in the fitment section on the page you reference if you expand it, but that belt is clearly too long.

2014 Ford ExplorerBase, Limited, XLT3.5L V6 - Gas



When I talked to the guy at parts counter of my local dealer he said the part numbers break down like this:
JK6-455-D
6= 6 ribs
455 = 45.5 inches is the length
D is the revision

So following that mentality the one I bought first (JK6-457A) would be 0.2 inches longer which feels about right when I compared the two.

But then if you take that part number GB5Z-8620-A and put it into parts.ford.com it resolves to JK6455D. So who the heck knows. :)

In the long run I ultimately somehow chose the wrong belt but now it has been corrected.
 






Makes me wonder if the belt I'm going to be putting on this weekend is the correct one or not. It's a Dayco 5060450 from Advance Auto.


Top Width:.82 in
Effective Length:45.08 in
Outside Circumference:45.74 in
 






Makes me wonder if the belt I'm going to be putting on this weekend is the correct one or not. It's a Dayco 5060450 from Advance Auto.


Top Width:.82 in
Effective Length:45.08 in
Outside Circumference:45.74 in
Ask them if it has a cross-reference to the part number in post #27.

Peter
 






Ask them if it has a cross-reference to the part number in post #27.

Peter
And according to the info the guy at my dealer provided that would match up to the JK6-457A being 45.7" According to RockAuto that is for the the explorer with the HD Alternator. Whatever that is...
 






HD Alternator = Heavy Duty Alternator
 






HD Alternator = Heavy Duty Alternator
Right sorry. I meant which ever model has the heavy duty alternator as it seems the police cruiser nor the limited with towing do. I wonder which package does out of curiosity.
 






Right sorry. I meant which ever model has the heavy duty alternator as it seems the police cruiser nor the limited with towing do. I wonder which package does out of curiosity.
According to Government-Fleet " The P.I. Utility gets a heavier duty cylinder lock, heavier duty alternator, and door handles with high-strength tethers that reduce stress on hinges of doors that can fly open especially while the vehicle is in motion.".
 












OK, I feel embarrassed posting this but mistakes are how we grow right? :oops:

I had the wrong belt on the motor. I have the Limited with the towing package so I thought that meant I had the heavy duty alternator. On rockauto they have standard replacement and heavy duty alternator and I chose the wrong one.

I came across a video on youtube with someone who had the same sound and they said their belt stretched. So I checked my part number against fordparts.com and I low and behold last fall I put the wrong belt on. I think the extra 1/4-1/2" of length was allowing the idler pulley to bottom out and rattle on the spring stop as was depicted in the video.

New belt on with correct part number and so far so good. I'll update in a couple days if it is truly gone.
That's great to hear, I still hear the rattle on mine. I will check what is the part number of the belt that was installed on mine. Keep us a updated if the issue comes back..
 






That's great to hear, I still hear the rattle on mine. I will check what is the part number of the belt that was installed on mine. Keep us a updated if the issue comes back..
It appears that the belt I have is the correct one, the part# is GB5Z-8620-A. I am suspecting it is the ac compressor.
 






I returned my belt to get one that’s 45.375” and also replaced the tensioner and the rattle noise on my 14 is now gone. I compared the two belts and the one I took off was noticeably longer. Probably was the wrong one and stretched out even worse over time even though it looked like it was in great shape. No markings at all to see what brand or part number it was.

It wasn’t too hard getting the belt and pulley off, but reinstalling the new belt wasn’t all too fun.
 






It appears that the belt I have is the correct one, the part# is GB5Z-8620-A. I am suspecting it is the ac compressor.
Just to be sure, I ordered a new belt JK6455-D and installed it, I compared it against the one I have and I cannot really tell if there is a difference. Anyway, I installed it and I still hear the clunking noise, it could be the AC compressor or the catalytic converter, but most likely the AC Compressor, as turning off the AC the clunking noise goes away. Will monitor this for a few months.
 



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Just to be sure, I ordered a new belt JK6455-D and installed it, I compared it against the one I have and I cannot really tell if there is a difference. Anyway, I installed it and I still hear the clunking noise, it could be the AC compressor or the catalytic converter, but most likely the AC Compressor, as turning off the AC the clunking noise goes away. Will monitor this for a few months.

Just an update...
I still have the same issue, brought it in to the dealer as I have extended warranty and found the issue is with the AC Compressor, it locked up and they found metal debris inside, they flashed the A/C system twice and still found metal debris. So they replaced the A/C compressor, condenser and expansion valves. I picked it up and tried it out and it the problem seems to go away, then I tried on the next day and on idle I still heard the rattle/clunking sound, so I brought it back to the dealer. It seems to be happening consistently when the car is start remotely. In the linked video, you can hear it at starting at 0.18 seconds.

Rattle/Clunking video
 






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