random rattle?

b12606 · #1 09-27-2008, 03:44 PM

Hello. This is my first post. Hopefully I am in the right area. I belong to a Nova site which is a great resourse for answers or to help out other members. After reading for a while this site looks great too.

I have a 2005 F150 FX4 crew cab About a week ago it started to make a random rattling sound from the rear area. Sounds like an empty soda can full of pebbles being shaken. I can't seem to narrow the noise down. It seems to happen when going up a slight uphill grade when there is just a little bit of a load on the engine. If i acclerate when it it is rattling it does not seem to get louder or "rattle" faster. As soon as I let off the gas or the load is reduced it seems to stop. I thought it may be something in the bed but I removed everything includinng the bed extender. thinking it may be the drive shaft or rear end but it seems to be running good other than the noise???

Any ideas??

Bythe way my truck is stock except for the front is raised to level it out and it has after market rims and tires.

Thanks

Paralyzer · #2 09-27-2008, 04:09 PM

sounds like it may be a heat sheild on the exhaust rattling or possibly a baffle in the muffler. crawl under the truck give the exhaust a good thud with your hand and see if you hear anything.

b12606 · #3 09-27-2008, 05:17 PM

so i crawled under my truck and shook/poked eveything I could. the only thing that sounded like the sound i have been experiencing was the "rock" guard near the front of the engine. I think it protects the front differential?? any how any slight tap or shake and it would make the sound. No nuts or bolts loose so I gave it few wacks with the hammer and it seems better. next up the road test...if that did not fix it may have to put the extended warrenty to work.

2002 wonderboy · #4 09-27-2008, 09:16 PM

Welcome to the forums!
Check behind your "Rock Guard" and see if some pebbles have made their way in there. I had the same thing a couple of years ago. My noise turned out to be some pebbles stuck between the heat sheild of the catalytic converters. It also had that steel can full of bb's being shaken sound. Drove me

Hope this helps