Ticking

[TripleTransAm]

More info on my ticking 4.6l engine.

This morning, the technician isolated the ticking to somewhere between cylinders 1 and 2, up front. No risk of it being bottom end noise, according to him... he says it's either lifter (well, whatever they are called on OHC engines, we were speaking French and I don't know the translation of that term) or rocker noise.

Next appointment, he'll open up that valvecover, have a close look, order whatever replacements are necessary, and he is sure my ticking should be history by then.

:up:

[GodOSpeed]

Thanks for the update Steve! I've had the Marauder parked ever since I discovered the tick. Glad to hear it's not coming from the bottom end like the way it appears to be.

[MitchB]

Thanks for the update Steve! I've had the Marauder parked ever since I discovered the tick. Glad to hear it's not coming from the bottom end like the way it appears to be.

In all likelihood, this is not relevant to most individuals here, but there is a problem with the engines used in the Marauder and, I believe, the Mach I. This was discovered by Jerry when he worked for Roush Racing. The head casting gives reduced coolant flow around the exhaust valves in two cylinders. I don't remember which ones, but #7 and #8 stick in my mind. At Roush, I believe they actually measured the coolant pressure in the casting at these cylinders and found it was low - something like 5-6 lbs when the system was pressurized to 15 lbs. What happens is when you WOT the engine, the heat flow through the exhaust valve stem into the guide partially vaporizes the coolant in the low pressure area resulting in a loss of coolant contact with the head. This allows the seat to build up excessive heat and the end result is the exhaust valve in the affected cylinders receeds. This is notable by a valve tick. Jerry did say the larger cooling system in the Marauder basically offset this problem, but in the Mustang with a smaller cooling system, this was/is a problem.

Mitch

[RF Overlord]

Mitch:

OK, this is a question I've wanted to ask for a long time: how is this condition affected by underdrive pulleys? Does the reduced water pump speed also reduce the coolant flow, and possibly aggravate this problem in the Marauder?

[MitchB]

Mitch:

OK, this is a question I've wanted to ask for a long time: how is this condition affected by underdrive pulleys? Does the reduced water pump speed also reduce the coolant flow, and possibly aggravate this problem in the Marauder?

I do not know what effect underdrive pulleys would have and I doubt anyone else would know. If I were to speculate, I would say the decrease in velocity of the coolant flow would help based on the fact that the internal pressure of the coolant would be higher. (Remember, Bernoulli's principle states that the higher the volecity of a fluid, the lower it's internal pressure). With a higher internal pressure, it would take a greater amount of heat to (locally) vaporize the coolant in the problem areas.

Mitch

[RCSignals]

Originally posted by MitchB
Thanks for the update Steve! I've had the Marauder parked ever since I discovered the tick. Glad to hear it's not coming from the bottom end like the way it appears to be.

Jerry did say the larger cooling system in the Marauder basically offset this problem, but in the Mustang with a smaller cooling system, this was/is a problem.

Mitch

I understood that this was corrected, and for the Mach1 engine as well. Maybe applies to earlier Cobra engines?

[studio460]

Is this the same "tack-tack-tack-tack" sound that was mentioned in an earlier post where some on the thread attributed the noise to fuel rails?

I have this sound too. I think I always have.

[GodOSpeed]

NBC: Start the car and stick your head under the drivers door and listen. Tell us what you hear.
I can't belive that Roush let this one slip out the door w/ this kind of a cooling problem if that is the case.

[RCSignals]

Originally posted by TripleTransAm
More info on my ticking 4.6l engine.

he says it's either lifter (well, whatever they are called on OHC engines, we were speaking translation of that term) or rocker noise.



I think that would be tappette and rockere respectively ;) :D

[RF Overlord]

RC:

If they were speaking the same Français I learned from watching Pepe LePew cartoons, then it would be "liftez-vous"...

:lol:

[SergntMac]

I think the fuel rail tick is a different tick shared by all MMs, some find it because it's new to them, others have heard it before on cars with this style of fuel delivery.

[MI2QWK4U]

I had my car in the shop a week ago for a couple reasons. One issue being the ticking sound. I made sure he could hear it before I left the car, and appeared to come from the passenger side of the block to the rear. THe mechanic looked at it for a while, called Ford Tech, and even had other mechs look at it with him....the result? They cant determine the cause. He did tell me that they have had this reported by several customers and had numerous inqueries from Ford mechanics. He said they are aware of it and are working on it. His best guess was the injectors, but getting the bottom line answer is elusive. He has gone above and beyond for me in the past and I have no reason to doubt him. Sorry I cant shed more light on this issue.

[MitchB]

If it is an injector, then the affected cylinder(s) should diminish on a cylinder balance test.

Mitch

I had my car in the shop a week ago for a couple reasons. One issue being the ticking sound. I made sure he could hear it before I left the car, and appeared to come from the passenger side of the block to the rear. THe mechanic looked at it for a while, called Ford Tech, and even had other mechs look at it with him....the result? They cant determine the cause. He did tell me that they have had this reported by several customers and had numerous inqueries from Ford mechanics. He said they are aware of it and are working on it. His best guess was the injectors, but getting the bottom line answer is elusive. He has gone above and beyond for me in the past and I have no reason to doubt him. Sorry I cant shed more light on this issue.

[TripleTransAm]

I had a chat with a local MM owner who lives about 2 minutes away from me, this evening. He owns the same black one that I beat the living snot out of during my test drive and left smoking in the dealership parking lot (just kidding, Tony, in case you're reading this!!! LOL!).

He noticed the tick right away, and said he didn't have any such ticking at all. He's at 17000 km and I'm at a hair over 13000 km. Will he develop it in time? I dunno, but I do know my MM did not tick this way until at least 2 months into ownership, if not more.

[MI2QWK4U]

Mine does it and it just turned 4000 miles and I have had it a year.....

[BRSMERC]

I copied this from one of my old posts. Honest, it sounded like a lifter or exhaust manifold leak!

For what it is worth, I had a similar problem. The car, right off the lot had a tick tick sound. It was not there when cold. When warmed up you could hear it more on acceleration. I had to really listen for it at times.
The dealer said they repositioned the motor mounts and exhaust pipes. For sure the sound was gone after their work. Perhaps you have a similar problem?

Regards

Brian

[TripleTransAm]

In my case, the noise is there right off the startup, and does not increase nor decrease with temperature. It does increase in frequency with RPM. Poking around with a stethoscope appears to have isolated the noise to the area I quoted. The tech used a 'tube' stethoscope, I have a 'metal rod' type of unit... I may try to have a listen myself but perhaps the metal rod type will end up over-amplifying the noise and making it harder for me to localize it.

No big deal, I trust this particular technician (notice I use the word technician when describing this fellow... he strikes me as far beyond the average dealer mechanic in terms of thoroughness and researching issues). If my work schedule permits, the ticking should be history by late next week.

[studio460]

Originally posted by GodOSpeed
NBC: Start the car and stick your head under the drivers door and listen. Tell us what you hear . . .

GodOSpeed:

I listened under the driver's door--didn't really hear anything except "normal" engine noise. My "tack-tack-tack" must be the injectors? Matter of fact, couldn't hear the "tack-tack-tack" noise either tonight. Will listen tomorrow during the day.

[SergntMac]

Well, I don't know if this will mean anything to anyone here, but we have nothing to loose by looking at it.

Last week, on the way home from a pitch black Detroit, I got a check engine light. From out of nowhere, I was crusing at 75 MPH, over an hour from my last stop. Here's what my CarChip EX reported when I got home.

"Code: PO214
Description: Cold Start Injector 2
Engine Temp: 185
Load: 51%
Short term fuel trim, Bank 1: 6.25 %
Short term fuel trim, Bank 2: 5.47 %
Long term fuel trim, Bank 1: 25.00%
Long term fuel trim, Bank 2: 24.22%
Status: closed loop, using oxygen sensors as feedback for fuel control"

I reset the light and it hasn't come back yet in over a week's worth of highway use, so I don't know what to make of this, or it it's worth anythin in 411 value.

[TripleTransAm]

Odd. I can't find any reference to P0214 in the service manual, nor any reference to a cold start injector. Most modern engines no longer use a cold start injector, preferring instead to richen the cold mixture through increased modulation of the main injectors instead. My GTA has one of the last implementations of a cold start injector on a GM V8, and all reports indicate it's a pain in the a$$ driveability-wise once it gets old.

Does the Kenny Brown conversion include any PCM changes or extra injectors?

[MitchB]

I don't have the emmisions & troubleshooting giude for this car and I am not sure what this code is telling you, but it appears you have pegged the adaptive fuel control for fuel trim. The EEC has a +/-25% adaptive range and if you hit this limit, you will get a check engine light. What modifications do you have? Who tuned your car? Are you using a K&N air filter?

Mitch

Well, I don't know if this will mean anything to anyone here, but we have nothing to loose by looking at it.

Last week, on the way home from a pitch black Detroit, I got a check engine light. From out of nowhere, I was crusing at 75 MPH, over an hour from my last stop. Here's what my CarChip EX reported when I got home.

"Code: PO214
Description: Cold Start Injector 2
Engine Temp: 185
Load: 51%
Short term fuel trim, Bank 1: 6.25 %
Short term fuel trim, Bank 2: 5.47 %
Long term fuel trim, Bank 1: 25.00%
Long term fuel trim, Bank 2: 24.22%
Status: closed loop, using oxygen sensors as feedback for fuel control"

I reset the light and it hasn't come back yet in over a week's worth of highway use, so I don't know what to make of this, or it it's worth anythin in 411 value.

[whd507]

rh head rear tick/tapping. I have it too, when hot after driving. silent when cold

[lwblumjr]

rh head rear tick/tapping. I have it too, when hot after driving. silent when cold
Whd507,

What you described sounds like normal metal contraction as it cools. If that is what it is you don't need to worry about it.

[whd507]

well, I meant tapping/ticking while idiling when hot. runs silent when cooler.

my gut is thin oil, but pressure is fine. more study is required...