I will skip the fore play and jump right in...
2001 F-150 4.2, only 52,000 miles, 5-speed

I have noticed while accelerating in my vehicle there is a considerably loud noise comming from the engine compartment. I have had no problems with my vehicle, thank GOD! My overall question is this a ford thing? and if so could the problem be fixed or altered by adding an UDP and aftermarket belts to release some of the strain on the engine? Dont get me wrong, I love the performance and exhaust sound, but I dont want to hear my engine cry when I mash the gas pedal. Could someone please give me some insight. In addition the vehicle has had an exceptional service history.

I WOULD REALLY LIKE A MORE FLUID OR SMOOTHER SOUND, RATHER THAN THE PISTONS SOUNDING LIKE THEY ARE WORKING TOO HARD.

 

Does the noise resemble marbles being shook around violently in a glass jar? If so, it's probably pinging due to carbon build-up on the tops of your pistons, valves, and combustion chambers. My v6 does the same thing in the colder winter months. I suggest you try Seafoam. It's very good at cleaning carbon out of engines, and can be found at most auto parts stores. Just follow the directions on the can. The steps to cleaning the carbon out of your engine with Seafoam is to:
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Make sure your vehicle is at full operating temperature.
Pop off your brake booster vacuum line grommet located on the brake booster near the master cylinder. Make sure to clean any dirt off of it before you pop it off or the dirt could end up in your engine.
Pour 4 oz of Seafoam in a glass jar.
With the engine running, grab the brake booster vac line and let it slowly suck up the Seafoam out of the jar. Be sure not to let your engine die by sucking up too much at once. It "could" Hydro-lock your engine, and that can bend rods. If you do it slowly you shouldn't have any problems.
After your engine has sucked up the 4 oz of Seafoam, go immediately and turn off your engine.
Then, snap your brake booster grommet back on, and pour the rest of the Seafoam in your gas tank (Preferably ~ 1/2 tank of gas). Then wait 15-20 minutes for the Seafoam to soak itself into the carbon in your engine.
After 15 or 20 minutes, start it up. It will probably be hesitant for a second or two, but that's normal.
After the engine's rpm's has caught up, rev it to about 2000-2500 rpm and watch the smoke flood out of your tailpipe(s). This is normal. It's just the Seafoam burning the carbon out of your engine.
After the smoke show, go for a 30 minute drive and blow all the suit out of your engine and exhaust. This also gets your catalytic converters up to temperature to burn off any residue from the seafoam that may be on your 02 sensors.
After the Seafoam treatment, BE SURE TO CHANGE YOUR OIL! Some of it goes past the piston rings during the treatment, and it gets into your oil. It will wreak havoc on bearings if you leave it in your engine, resulting in engine failure.
It's a good idea to change your fuel filter after you go through that tank of gas with the Seafoam in it, although it's not a major necessity.

You can also clean your crankcase with Seafoam, but many here don't recommend it due to it being hard on bearings.

 

Fortunately there is no pinging... thankfuly, but it does sound like the engine is working hard during hard throttles. More specific as if it is slugging along. All power is still there and the vehicle operates well other than the slight pounding away of the motor.

 

Just out of curiousity,does the 2001 4.2 have the fail safe system?That is the only thing I can think yours is doing,other then having excessive carbon build up,which would cause pinging,and you say its not.Could you possibly be hearing the fan clutch engaging,which makes alot of noise......???????

 

That sounds like more of a diagnosis that I was looking for. The sound I hear was on there when I bought the vehicle from the dealership new. And although I am no expert by any means, I just believe that maybe some fan sounds like it is working too hard. Are there any after market fans that you speak of that could relieve some of the strain that I am experiencing?

 

When I was younger, My father had a Bronco that sounded similar to the situation, and as if the engine was working too hard.

 

My '99 motor got a lot quieter when I put on an electric fan.

There are a wide range of choices for aftermarket fans. I used a Flex-A-Lite Black Magic. No complaints after after about 6 years.

 

does it have an aftermarket air intake with a K&N filter possibly?? If so you can get a lot of engine noise from them. Just a thought.

 

you need to describe the noise better. Did it just start? what rpm? under load, and at cruise speed? is it a metallic noise, a clunk noise, a whine?

 

I don't mean to High Jack the thread but. I get some ping when I give it gas at idle. Could it be carbon build up? I have a 98 4.2.
No access to Seafoam in Canada, any other suggestions for cleaning it out?

 

After working on my brother's F150 over the holidays I've become an expert at under hood noises.

If there is a mild residual screaming noise that cannot be heard during acceleration then you need to purchase an automotive stethoscope and inspect all pullies for noise. My bro's truck is at 56K but he goes mudding and had somehow managed to gunk up his idler pulley bearing and tensioner bearing so badly that we replaced them. Initially I had mistaken this to be fan noise until using the stethoscope. This eliminated the high pitch screaming noise. DO NOT mistake this noise within the alternator because those are just normally noisey.

His motor still sounded overworked. We went ahead and replaced the clutch assembly for his fan and wahla! it sounded like it should. I didn't get any chance to really inspect his clutch assembly to figure out why it was so damn noisey but if you've sunk the front end a few times then I wouldn't doubt that to be your issue.

There is a residual churning noise that is magnified if you have a plastic upper plenum as compared to the aluminum one. Depending on where you listen you can get a good listen to the lifters smacking the cam which comes across as churning as I mentioned earlier.

Purchase the stethoscope just because it's a nice tool to have around and see what you come up with.