Engine Noise?!

Shaker · **Engine Noise?! -** 04-11-04, 07:33 PM

Took the Mach to the dealer Thursday for knocking sound in the left (drivers)side of the engine. It's an '04 with a little over 1300 miles on it and the noise started a couple of hundred miles ago. The service dept. mgr. said there was a technical service bulletin for '03 Machs concerning this problem, but not for the '04s. He called back Friday and told me that they had been on the phone with Ford and were told to pull the left head for further inspection. He said they would most likely replace the head, and if there was any sign of metal in the oil, they would replace the engine. Anybody out there heard of this?

GAAzureMach1 · 04-11-04, 08:06 PM

Have you checked out the trouble section on the registry?
Also I live in Gwinnett. Are you going to the 40th?

GTBEE · **Mach Engine Noise -** 04-12-04, 07:50 AM

I hope this is not a trend. I have heard of other Machs with an engine tick or what sounds like valve click. Mine has a soft click sometimes at idle, but goes away...totally weird. Is the knock that you are hearing all the time or just during certain conditions? I am wondering if I need to get checked. I have an '04 also with about 1300 miles. Thanks for the info.

Georgia on my mind...grew up in North Atlanta...wish I was back.

The Bee

Shaker · 04-12-04, 08:41 AM

Heard it mainly at idle, after the engine had warmed up. It progressively grew louder over a couple hundred miles.

SWortham · 09:04 AM

I had a similar problem with a '97 Mustang V6. And it was a lower rod bearing knock. The bearing had been spun and completely ruined and we found metal shavings in the oil. It had also ruined the crank shaft. My fix, replace the engine. It seems that the shop that had replaced the timing belt cover 3 days earlier had screwed up. They must have not primed the oil pump properly, or accidentally dropped gasket material into the engine, or something like that.

But this was a fairly deep sound, and the mechanics could instantly tell me that it was a rod bearing. If yours is higher pitch it could be the valves... which should be easier to fix. It may just require replacing a few parts. But... if the Ford dealers find anything like metal shavings in the engine, they'll probably do what they do best and replace the whole thing. If that's the case, I'd say you're lucky. You're still covered under warranty right? You won't have to pay for any of it?

**TRX7** · 04-12-04, 09:57 AM

This is a well known problem at Ford. There is a TSB for it. There is a ticking sound in the left heads. Some engines only re quire re torqueing of the cam ladders. Some engines require a whole head swap. The tick as it is called is starting to show up in O4s. It is well known in the 03s. My Mach has it.

Shaker · 04-12-04, 12:48 PM

Got an update from the dealer today. Ford has redesigned the heads, changing the position of the cam bearings. The new heads for my car have been ordered and will be in sometime the next couple of weeks. I get the car back today, as Ford said it will not cause a problem to drive it until the new heads are installed.

SWortham · 04-12-04, 01:04 PM

Awesome, good news. So is it a valve tapping problem?

Shaker · 04-12-04, 01:38 PM

Evidently. It sounded deeper than that to me, but I'll find out for sure this afternoon when I pick it up.

**TRX7** · 04-12-04, 01:43 PM

Keep us posted. I will be taking mine in soon. The tapping comes and goes. Some days its there other days all I hear is normal engine sound.

**BurlyStang** · 04-12-04, 06:53 PM

I, too, have the tick. I noticed it the very first time I went through a drive-thru window, the clicking sound was bouncing off of the wall. It is still doing it, heard it again today, coming from the left side of the motor.

I thought the sound might go away with my first oil change (1100K right now), but I'm wondering if Ford should know now, before I change the oil.

Or, should I wait until 2yr 11mo or 35K and get a new motor

Shaker · 04-13-04, 06:14 AM

I would let them know now, and get the new motor later if it comes back. There is a problem with the camshaft bearing tolerances in the heads and Ford is building the new heads now with the redesign.

**DELOS02GT** · 04-13-04, 07:25 AM

I had the same problem. They replaced one of my valve springs and now it's fine...no noise.

oogtdude · 04-13-04, 02:14 PM

i thought i had a tick...turns out its my shaker rattling

Shaker · 05-06-04, 09:42 AM

Update.....Ford Reps. came to the dealer and no one could figure out the problem. They installed the updated heads and the noise grew louder. Ford bought back the car, and I'm now in a brand new one, exactly like the old one------minus the engine noise!