Happster
Member
- Joined
- January 19, 2009
- Messages
- 39
- Reaction score
- 3
- City, State
- Dunstable, MA
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2017 Explorer XLT 3.5L V6
I put a new motor in my 17 Exploder and got it running great, but was getting the buzzing sounds from the dash, intermittent after 30 MPH, constant on the highway. It sounded like a mouse sitting right behind my gauge cluster playing a kazoo right in my face. There was no way I suspected that the course was outside.
I had taken the motor out from the top, removing the radiator support, and also had to obviously remove the windshield wiper cowl to unplug the engine wiring harness from the PCM. I broke a couple clips on the driver's side when removing the cowl. I think you see where I am going with this. After checking the motor mounts and driveshaft for vibration or balance issues, I saw a thread where someone learned it was their cowl. As it turns out, that was my issue too. Even though it sounded like its right in the dash right in front of me, it was the cowl. The rubber seal that is supposed to be tight against the windshield had a gap because of the missing clips, was catching wind and humming like the reed in a kazoo. I taped it down with duct tape and sound all gone. I'm getting a new cowl now. They're not bad, about $100.
The information was all over the place and some had people ripping apart their dash, taking apart the HVAC intake vent and fan, balancing their driveshaft, checking the bearings in their PTU, checking their transmission fluid, etc. Check the cowl first. You need not break the clips like I did - the seal can just dry rot from the sun and take the shape of a piece of bacon, having the same effect.
I had taken the motor out from the top, removing the radiator support, and also had to obviously remove the windshield wiper cowl to unplug the engine wiring harness from the PCM. I broke a couple clips on the driver's side when removing the cowl. I think you see where I am going with this. After checking the motor mounts and driveshaft for vibration or balance issues, I saw a thread where someone learned it was their cowl. As it turns out, that was my issue too. Even though it sounded like its right in the dash right in front of me, it was the cowl. The rubber seal that is supposed to be tight against the windshield had a gap because of the missing clips, was catching wind and humming like the reed in a kazoo. I taped it down with duct tape and sound all gone. I'm getting a new cowl now. They're not bad, about $100.
The information was all over the place and some had people ripping apart their dash, taking apart the HVAC intake vent and fan, balancing their driveshaft, checking the bearings in their PTU, checking their transmission fluid, etc. Check the cowl first. You need not break the clips like I did - the seal can just dry rot from the sun and take the shape of a piece of bacon, having the same effect.
