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  • SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech

Ticking sound in 4.6L motor

  • Thread starter Thread starter racegirl1
  • Start date Start date Dec 29, 2003
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racegirl1

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Mar 20, 2003
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Dec 29, 2003
#1
  • Dec 29, 2003
  • #1
Any suggestions After a full day of auto crossing the mustang GT on the last corner comming towards the finish line I suddenly lost power not all but some. I quickly pulled off to the side and coasted to a safe spot and stopped I noticed a ticking sound from the motor? When I would press on the accelerator the sounds would get faster and louder that's when I shut off the motor and towed the car home. Its been a week and I have yet to restart the car I'm afraid of doing any further damage not knowing what this could be. There where no leaks at all comming from the motor a top view shows nothing looks clean. I checked the oil and its clean with no metal shavings and the level is full? What could this sound mean somthing internal for sure but what?
 

99SilverGT

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Apr 11, 2002
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Jacksonville, FL
Dec 29, 2003
#2
  • Dec 29, 2003
  • #2
Injector? For you to lose some power, but not all... only reason I say that opposed to something like a tapping valve is because I don't see why a valve would start tapping out of the blue, much less make you lose a good bit of power.

I guess I should ask too though, how loud was the tap? And was it truly a tap tap tap tap tap sound or more inconsistant?
 

gary_g

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Dec 29, 2003
#3
  • Dec 29, 2003
  • #3
could this be the imfamous "knock of death" or whatever the hell its called?

if so, good idea to tow it... good luck!

-g
 
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racegirl1

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Dec 29, 2003
#4
  • Dec 29, 2003
  • #4
Yeh it was a continous ticking. I was thinking rod or lifter? No liquids comming out at all nothing visual?

QUOTE=gary_g]could this be the imfamous "knock of death" or whatever the hell its called?

if so, good idea to tow it... good luck!

-g[/QUOTE]
 

gary_g

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#5
  • Dec 29, 2003
  • #5
racegirl1 said:
Yeh it was a continous ticking. I was thinking rod or lifter? No liquids comming out at all nothing visual?
Click to expand...

If i remember correctly, the knock of death was "piston slap"... ?? I could be wrong though, my memory sucks. You'd probably be wise to have it diagnosed by a dealer.. plus if its under warranty and it blows up at the dealership, getting it replaced shouldn't be too hard.

but you could be on to something with a bent rod, although if its a modular 4.6, you don't have lifters, so I doubt its that. luckily I haven't had any of these problems yet, so hopefully someone more knowledgable chimes in

good luck tho, it sounds like you might be shelling out some cash to get it fixed..

-g
 
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CottonBurnerz

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May 10, 2003
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Dec 29, 2003
#6
  • Dec 29, 2003
  • #6
I had the same noise ticking problem.. mine was exhaust leak from driver side header... installed new gasket and problem solved.. your noise, however, could be worst.. does the tick comes from specific side? (driver/passenger). All I'm saying that it might be exhaust leak because the noise and the reaction that you described sound exactly like exhaust leak that I have.
 
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GinoGT

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#7
  • Dec 29, 2003
  • #7
gary_g said:
but you could be on to something with a bent rod, although if its a modular 4.6, you don't have lifters, so I doubt its that. luckily I haven't had any of these problems yet, so hopefully someone more knowledgable chimes in
Click to expand...

There are lifters, just not in the exact way a pushrod engine uses them. In OHC engines, they might be more often referred to as "followers" or "cam followers."

EDIT: I just confused myself. I forgot if the lifters are the followers or the lash adjusters. Somebody correct me, please. Now I think the lifters are the lash adjusters, and the followers are like the rocker arms.
 

GoBabyVroommm

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Mar 22, 2003
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Dec 30, 2003
#8
  • Dec 30, 2003
  • #8
Friend of mine had that happen to his WS6. It ticked when he started it and when he put it in gear it shut off. He started it up again and was knocking. So that was all she wrote. It was a different car so i don't know. Just my 2 cents on it.
 

KaPPaBaLL

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#9
  • Dec 30, 2003
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you have a pm
 

mogs01gt

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Jul 22, 2002
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Dec 30, 2003
#10
  • Dec 30, 2003
  • #10
When the car was running did you have the hood up to listen? If so, was it coming from the top and which side? Did it sound as if it was coming from the heads or the back of the motor?
 
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02roushstg3

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#11
  • Dec 30, 2003
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A good thing to try is take a short piece of garden hose or any type of hose and put one end to your ear and then move the other end around where you think the noise is coming from. I have a rather loud tick but i have determined it is the normal sound from the fuel injectors. By using the hose i can put it in certain areas of the engine compartment and tell exactly where the noise is coming from.
 

GTvert01

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Nov 24, 2003
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Dec 30, 2003
#12
  • Dec 30, 2003
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I had a spun bearing in my 01 that did the same thing.Luckily ford took care of it for me via a new engine.
 
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96stanglife

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Dec 30, 2003
#13
  • Dec 30, 2003
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Yeah I had the same thing happen to me, but I was whoopin up on a Z at the time..It knocked all the time, but around 2000+ RPM it sounded like the motor was tryin to find a way out of the car= Spun rod bearing, drop a 99+ motor in thats what i did, that is if you have a 96-98 car..
 

neoclasiccl

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My car is having the drivers side head replaced for the ticking problem.
 

1fast03pony

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#15
  • Dec 30, 2003
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i believe the modular motors have lifters. theyre hydraulic

you may have blown a lifter
have it checked by the dealer.
 
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racegirl1

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Dec 30, 2003
#16
  • Dec 30, 2003
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Thanks to everyone who responded to my message in this forum. All of your input has been very helpful. I'm only hoping its just a lifter don't know which side though. Has anyone blowen a rod in a 4.6 and what type of sound does this make when it goes?

Thanks










1fast03pony said:
i believe the modular motors have lifters. theyre hydraulic

you may have blown a lifter
have it checked by the dealer.
Click to expand...
 

KaPPaBaLL

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Nov 28, 2003
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#17
  • Dec 30, 2003
  • #17
racegirl1 said:
Thanks to everyone who responded to my message in this forum. All of your input has been very helpful. I'm only hoping its just a lifter don't know which side though. Has anyone blowen a rod in a 4.6 and what type of sound does this make when it goes?

Thanks
Click to expand...

have you even checked your PM????
 

GoBabyVroommm

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Mar 22, 2003
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Dec 31, 2003
#18
  • Dec 31, 2003
  • #18
neoclasiccl said:
My car is having the drivers side head replaced for the ticking problem.
Click to expand...

Damn dude str8 up? Sorry to hear that it happened. Did you get it back yet and how did you end up doing that bro?
 

Fastscorpio

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Aug 25, 2002
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Dec 31, 2003
#19
  • Dec 31, 2003
  • #19
Tic noise

racegirl1 said:
Any suggestions After a full day of auto crossing the mustang GT on the last corner comming towards the finish line I suddenly lost power not all but some. I quickly pulled off to the side and coasted to a safe spot and stopped I noticed a ticking sound from the motor? When I would press on the accelerator the sounds would get faster and louder that's when I shut off the motor and towed the car home. Its been a week and I have yet to restart the car I'm afraid of doing any further damage not knowing what this could be. There where no leaks at all comming from the motor a top view shows nothing looks clean. I checked the oil and its clean with no metal shavings and the level is full? What could this sound mean somthing internal for sure but what?
Click to expand...

Check this TSB out.
 

Attachments

  • engtictsb.pdf
    engtictsb.pdf
    6.5 KB · Views: 615

neoclasiccl

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Help I can't see !!!!!!
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  • Dec 31, 2003
  • #20
GoBabyVroommm said:
Damn dude str8 up? Sorry to hear that it happened. Did you get it back yet and how did you end up doing that bro?
Click to expand...

If everything goes well I should be picking it up today. They have had it for 2 weeks waiting for parts directly from Ford. The ticking head issue is a known problem for the 32valve and there is a TSB on this
 
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