Piston noise in an 02 4.6 SOHC

[trinity_gt]

My 02 GT is stored for the winter and once every two weeks I start her up and run her for 20-minutes or so to circulate the oil in the engine and trans, recharge the battery and mostly, to make me feel better to at least hear her run while not being able to drive her.

Anyway, some may recall my GT suffers from quite the piston slap when it's cold. A rather annoying light rattle from the engine at very light (almost no) load between 1500 and 3000RPM, give or take, when the engine is cold. It usually goes away after a couple of minutes of driving but it's disconcerting nonetheless. Today I let the car run for a half-hour as I got caught up doing some other stuff. Before I shut her down, I rev it a bit; 2000, 3000, 4000 with a few stabs at the pedal. I noticed that if I hold the engine at, say, 3000 and rev it slowly & smoothly to 4500 or so I can hear a definite, if faint, noise that sounds like the cold piston slap even after the engine has been running for a half-hour and it's hot.

Am I being paranoid? Are the pistons that are so loose fitting Ford had to put a SSB (# 15934) out on them, still loose at normal temp and I'm just still hearing them? The car has 27,000KMs on it (less than 17000 miles) and the engine gets good mileage and makes good power so it seems otherwise healthy. Only mods are a K&N FIPK and March piggyback UDPs.

Who else has a noisy 2V? Do I need to start saving for a VT shortblock? Should I rattle some cages at Ford to get this looked at as a possible warranty engine?

 

[1fast03pony]

My 02 GT is stored for the winter and once every two weeks I start her up and run her for 20-minutes or so to circulate the oil in the engine and trans, recharge the battery and mostly, to make me feel better to at least hear her run while not being able to drive her.

Anyway, some may recall my GT suffers from quite the piston slap when it's cold. A rather annoying light rattle from the engine at very light (almost no) load between 1500 and 3000RPM, give or take, when the engine is cold. It usually goes away after a couple of minutes of driving but it's disconcerting nonetheless. Today I let the car run for a half-hour as I got caught up doing some other stuff. Before I shut her down, I rev it a bit; 2000, 3000, 4000 with a few stabs at the pedal. I noticed that if I hold the engine at, say, 3000 and rev it slowly & smoothly to 4500 or so I can hear a definite, if faint, noise that sounds like the cold piston slap even after the engine has been running for a half-hour and it's hot.

Am I being paranoid? Are the pistons that are so loose fitting Ford had to put a SSB (# 15934) out on them, still loose at normal temp and I'm just still hearing them? The car has 27,000KMs on it (less than 17000 miles) and the engine gets good mileage and makes good power so it seems otherwise healthy. Only mods are a K&N FIPK and March piggyback UDPs.

Who else has a noisy 2V? Do I need to start saving for a VT shortblock? Should I rattle some cages at Ford to get this looked at as a possible warranty engine?

I have a noisy 4.6 2v... It only has 4500 miles on it.
At idle it sounds pretty noisy, but it has always done it, and it makes power and feels smooth. I guess its normal

 

[SONIC02]

I have an 02 gt 5 spd with about 14,000 miles and the same thing happens to me.
It goes away after about 2 mins of driving. I'm going to bring it to the dealer soon and see what the deal is. To me it sounds like the car is low on oil but then the sound goes away . There is no performance loss but then again while it's making the noise i don't push it much. Is this only common with the 02 or are other years involved? I hope ford will fix it cause it sure doen't sound normal.

 

[oogtdude]

sounds like "death rattle" aka piston slap...do a search death rattle...some have it some dont..my 00gt or the mach dont have it thank god

 

[trinity_gt]

Yep, I know it's the "death rattle" and have posted before about it when other people ask. The text of the SSB describes the noise exactly and the circumstances under which it occurs.

It's just that I also heard what I think was a related noise with the engine "hot" - after 30 minutes of idling - while revving it under no-load in the garage, which is not generally what the SSB or my knowledge of the death rattle says should happen.

I've always thought the 4.6 in my GT had a rather "unique" sound signature - the cold rattle, a Powerstroke diesel-like quality to the engine sound at idle (this one is hard to describe) and now this new noise at higher RPM @ no-load - and I suppose that with guys like Sonic02 (and many like him) saying theirs does at least some of it too I should just wait until the thing reaches 200,000 miles or it grenades and I run over the shiney bits before worrying. Next month will be my final payment on it so money can start going into a "VT engine" account, just in case

 

[1fast03pony]

I've always thought the 4.6 in my GT had a rather "unique" sound signature - the cold rattle, a Powerstroke diesel-like quality to the engine sound at idle (this one is hard to describe) and now this new noise at higher RPM @ no-load - and I suppose that with guys like Sonic02 (and many like him) saying theirs does at least some of it too I should just wait until the thing reaches 200,000 miles or it grenades and I run over the shiney bits before worrying. Next month will be my final payment on it so money can start going into a "VT engine" account, just in case

yes i have that hard, powerstroke diesel like quality idle you described.
Just drive it and if it blows it blows, make sure you get the money to back it up with a nice motor

 

[trinity_gt]

yes i have that hard, powerstroke diesel like quality idle you described.

Thank you. So it's not just me that thinks their GT has a diesel like sound to it at idle.

It's not the mechanical clatter of a diesel, right? It's got the whole diesel sound thing without the heavy knock. Take a recording of a Powerstroke, digitally remove all the clattery knocking and what you're left with is what my car sounds like. Most noticeable in a garage...

Just drive it and if it blows it blows, make sure you get the money to back it up with a nice motor

That's what the plan is. I've taken it in to Ford and they told me it's normal and gave me a copy of the SSB. If it does blow I'll at least have that I came to them with a problem. But yeah, I will indeed be saving for a nice shortblock in the interim, just in case.

 

[StangYellow]

You could probably do your engine a favor and just buy a battery charger for about 40 bucks.

 

[nickthegenius]

You could probably do your engine a favor and just buy a battery charger for about 40 bucks.

I second this! I had a car with a rod knock one time and after letting the battery charge for 45-minutes the knock was gone! Battery chargers are real life-savers.

 

[GinoGT]

I notice that "death rattle" when my engine is cold. Usually winter time cold. That and a tapping/ticking sound on the highway. And the doors creak, and the rear deck creaks (heard that was a broken tack weld for the rear speakers, quite a few people have said that), and the suspension squeaks over bumps.......

In other words, it's a Mustang. Rattle, tap, vibrate......run 13's.

 

[trinity_gt]

You could probably do your engine a favor and just buy a battery charger for about 40 bucks.

Are you referring to starting it and letting it run for 20-30 minutes every couple of weeks? What harm is being done?

I like to circulate the oil once in a while. I like to keep a fresh film of oil on the cylinder walls to prevent oxidation. I like to cycle the valve springs so one or two in particular aren't possibly sitting in the full-open position for 5 months straight (my car is garaged from the end of October to late March). I like to circulate the oil in the trans. If I could, I'd jack the rear up and spin the tires to move the diff oil too...on a clear, dry day in December I drove it around the block a few times to do just that. I like to cycle the A/C to keep the seals fresh and the compressor lubed.

I know the car would probably be fine to just sit unattended for 5 months. It might have done that waiting for a buyer from its original dealer. However, I simply feel better circulating the oil, the A/C and so on once in a while. So shoot me.

 

[skycop216]

Are you referring to starting it and letting it run for 20-30 minutes every couple of weeks? What harm is being done?

I like to circulate the oil once in a while. I like to keep a fresh film of oil on the cylinder walls to prevent oxidation. I like to cycle the valve springs so one or two in particular aren't possibly sitting in the full-open position for 5 months straight (my car is garaged from the end of October to late March). I like to circulate the oil in the trans. If I could, I'd jack the rear up and spin the tires to move the diff oil too...on a clear, dry day in December I drove it around the block a few times to do just that. I like to cycle the A/C to keep the seals fresh and the compressor lubed.

I know the car would probably be fine to just sit unattended for 5 months. It might have done that waiting for a buyer from its original dealer. However, I simply feel better circulating the oil, the A/C and so on once in a while. So shoot me.

I had a similar problem. I was told by a good freind of mine that deals in new and used Ford police cars that these engines need an oil filter with an anti drain feature. (Can't think of the exact words but soemthing to that effect). I had an upgraded oil filter put in about two oil changes ago and I have never heard anymore noises like that from my engine. Hope this helps.

 

[GinoGT]

What kind of oil filters are these? Brands, part numbers....?

 

[FallenPhoenix]

Are you referring to starting it and letting it run for 20-30 minutes every couple of weeks? What harm is being done?

I like to circulate the oil once in a while. I like to keep a fresh film of oil on the cylinder walls to prevent oxidation. I like to cycle the valve springs so one or two in particular aren't possibly sitting in the full-open position for 5 months straight (my car is garaged from the end of October to late March). I like to circulate the oil in the trans. If I could, I'd jack the rear up and spin the tires to move the diff oil too...on a clear, dry day in December I drove it around the block a few times to do just that. I like to cycle the A/C to keep the seals fresh and the compressor lubed.

I know the car would probably be fine to just sit unattended for 5 months. It might have done that waiting for a buyer from its original dealer. However, I simply feel better circulating the oil, the A/C and so on once in a while. So shoot me.

Now THAT is how to take care of a vehicle

 

[cap42]

Trinity I have the very same thing except I'm not fortunate enough right now to not be able to drive the stang so I hear it everyday 2-3 times it drives me bonkers however once it get's about 40 degree's I never hear it again. I still hear the tick on the highway though no matter how warm it is but it's done that ever since I changed the exhaust so I'm hoping I just havea small leak somewhere.

 

[COramprat]

It's really a matter of circulating oil like you said. My car has this sound if I've let it sit a couple of days or on very cold mornings (don't get much of that here but it did get to 28 this am). I would be more worried if it did it after warm up. The oil pump might be going out.

 

[trinity_gt]

I was wondering if a heavier grade of oil might help. I've only ever used 5W20 as mandated by the owner's manual but I wonder if the thing would tolerate a 5W30 (or a 10W30 in the summer) without problems. A thicker film on the cylinder walls might help "cushion" the pistons a bit till they warm & expand.

Or I could simply live with it

 

[1fast03pony]

I was wondering if a heavier grade of oil might help. I've only ever used 5W20 as mandated by the owner's manual but I wonder if the thing would tolerate a 5W30 (or a 10W30 in the summer) without problems. A thicker film on the cylinder walls might help "cushion" the pistons a bit till they warm & expand.

Or I could simply live with it

When I rev my motor the noise subsides, and then when it drops back to idle it starts again. does yours do this?

Im using 5w-30 Mobil 1 btw.

 

[trinity_gt]

When I rev my motor the noise subsides, and then when it drops back to idle it starts again. does yours do this?

No. Mine is the classic "death rattle". It makes no untoward noises at idle, even after a cold start after sitting for a couple of weeks (like you might hear from collapsed HLAs until they pump up...) If I put it in gear and begin to drive slowly, ramping the RPM up to, say, 3500 in 1st with very little throttle...just gently accelerating, I hear this rattling noise from the motor. It might almost be mistaken for a small-end rod knock; a light, metallic, "solid" rattle. Thing is, if I load the engine up by either feeding in more throttle or taking it all out so the thing is compression braking the noise goes away. If I drive "normally", I can hear the noise momentarily when I shift, at the moment I let off the gas. This usually lasts 2-3 minutes after a cold start, depending on the temperature.

The other day though when I started it and let it idle for 30 minutes, when I came out and revved it a bit I thought I heard "a" noise, but at higher RPM...over 3500. This was unloaded and revving in the garage. I think I'm just paranoid...I just don't like reciprocating engines making noises in their reciprocating assemblies.

If you've got a tap at idle that goes away at higher RPM you might have something else going on, like the valve guide problem some 4.6s had.

Im using 5w-30 Mobil 1 btw.

Thanks. I'll ask the dealer about switching to something a tad heavier in regards to warranty.

 

[02gtddproject]

My 2002 has this problem except i hear it whether it is warm or cold. between 1500 and 3200 rpm it rattles and i think its a lifter but im not sure. i hear it especially when i let off the gas in that range so any advice or thoughts are appreciated