v6 a knocking
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Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1
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From: Queen City, TX
v6 a knocking
I hate to post this, but I have a question that i hope someone can help me with. I have a 98 ford with the 4.2 v6 that I have had great service from. I have 125,000 miles on it and not had 1 problem. For the last few months I have been having a rattle in the engine (sounds like under driver side valve cover) that comes and goes. There is no pattern to this rattle. When the engine is rattling, there is no miss, or vibration, or rough running.
I have also been loosing a very slight amount of coolant. I took this to the dealership and they ran a pressure test on the entire cooling system, and found no leakage.
I does seem like lately that I've lost some power, but not much.
Anyone got any ideas as to what might be happening?
I haven't found any water in the oil neither. At first I thought that it was a lifter loosing prime or a rocker arm out of adjustment, but the rattle is too infrequent or consistant. I have let the truck set for as much as a week and get in it, crank, and not have any noises, yet I can get in it from 1 day to the next and it may or may not rattle.
Please help.
I have also been loosing a very slight amount of coolant. I took this to the dealership and they ran a pressure test on the entire cooling system, and found no leakage.
I does seem like lately that I've lost some power, but not much.
Anyone got any ideas as to what might be happening?
I haven't found any water in the oil neither. At first I thought that it was a lifter loosing prime or a rocker arm out of adjustment, but the rattle is too infrequent or consistant. I have let the truck set for as much as a week and get in it, crank, and not have any noises, yet I can get in it from 1 day to the next and it may or may not rattle.
Please help.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 1,704
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From: Mpls, MN
If it's a rattle, as opposed to a ticking, this is most likely the catalytic converter heat shield. They can rust, become loose or even get sand inside that causes a rattle.
As for the coolant. Others have torn their engine down at around 150,000 miles due to a coolant leak and found that there was very little "normal" wear inside the engine. If these engines do not fail from bad gaskets, they've been shown to run a very, very long time. If your engine were included in the TSB, you may want to consider replacing the gaskets even though the test did not detect a leak.
As for the coolant. Others have torn their engine down at around 150,000 miles due to a coolant leak and found that there was very little "normal" wear inside the engine. If these engines do not fail from bad gaskets, they've been shown to run a very, very long time. If your engine were included in the TSB, you may want to consider replacing the gaskets even though the test did not detect a leak.
Member
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Bugtussell, Arkansas
Howdy Goofy,
Its not your heat shield, they're aluminum. It sounds like low oil pressure and its your lifter/lifters that are making the noise. I had the same problem. Low oil pressure. The oil pump/timing chain cover start to wear and you lose oil pressure. You will need to replace your cover and oil pump. Its a 1 piece deal from ford for about $250.00. It's not available anywhere else.
If you dont replace it pretty soon you'll have bigger problems.
Good luck......Paul
Its not your heat shield, they're aluminum. It sounds like low oil pressure and its your lifter/lifters that are making the noise. I had the same problem. Low oil pressure. The oil pump/timing chain cover start to wear and you lose oil pressure. You will need to replace your cover and oil pump. Its a 1 piece deal from ford for about $250.00. It's not available anywhere else.
If you dont replace it pretty soon you'll have bigger problems. Good luck......Paul