I know you guys are goin oh no another noise question--- Well I have to ask- I have a 97 f150 4x4 with a 4.6 automatic, about a month ago when it warmed up enough to wind the windows down I could hear this rattling , ticking type noise and I couldn't tell where it was coming from. well It started getting louder by the day so a week ago after half a dozen guys listened to it we figured it was the exhaust something in the exhaust system so I took her to the shop and had a set of duells put on and they were kind enough to make me up some fake converters, which by the way sounds much better, but the noise is still there! So we decide it is coming from the pulleys so I puled the belt checked all the pulleys and installed a new belt and a new tensioner just to be safe, Guess what still there!!! I don't know what this is but it is loud it 100% of the time does it while driving either forwards or backwards gets louder the harder you push the pedal, It has only done it one time while sitting parked idling and I couldn't locate it when it did it, You can hear this noise from 50 yards away sitting outside the truck when it drives by! It is a rattling ticking style noise. I was told it may be the water pump going but I would think it should have went by now and I don't see anything strange in the way of temperature. It is not a squealing noise. I don't have a clue what to do, and am running out of money to waste on parts that don't remedy the problem, I would just trade her off on another but no one would take it with this noise???
All helpful ideas would be appreciated.
Thanx

 

You might want to try checking your air filter housing to see if its loose. I had this happen when I had changed my filter and accidentally bent the latch. Another possibilty, and I haven't had this happen to me, but it might your spare tire holder is loose. Someone had told me that it had happened to them and that will make a rattling noise. Also, look all over the truck and check to see if you had a clamp break on a line somwhere. Just some things to check to get you going. Hope this helps....Gerry

PS. Check your plug wires. You might have one going bad, or a cracked plug thats arcing. ....G

 

Did you try starting and running your engine with the belt off? This may help you determine wether its a drive accessory or engine relatred problem. Any loose brackets? Any unusal vibrations that may lead to a motor or transmission mount? Did the exhaust shop check for leaks from the manifolds back? Or did the just replace the existing system after the cross pipe. I say this because my cross pipe has a small hole where the clamp is that leaks exhaust. It also loosens up there once in a while.

 

The shop did check the exhaust for leaks but found none. It is more of a metal type sound, I have went underneath the truck and beat and pushed and pulled on everything I could see and have not found it yet, The closest thing that has the same type of sound are the heat shields, But I have fastened them now and they don't move and the noise is still there, The one strange thing about all of this is the fact that over the past weeks the noise has increased it's decibal level almost every day it seems to get louder, but then once in every 20 rides it will stop for a few miles and then it's right back!??? It is the oddest thing, I have gave about 10 different demo rides to people and just depending on wether they are driving or riding they say it's comin from the back or from the front or it's my side, the sound just can't be located? It really seems to do it the most under harder acceleration under a load like going uphill or pulling something. I figure whatever it is has to break sometime, I just hope Im not in bfe when it does.

 

crashz, I almost forgot, but I was afraid to drive it with the belts off and it only seems to do it while moving. It did do it one time at idle but that was it.

 

We just did some more testing, I had a few guys laying on the ground while I moved the truck back and forth looking and listening for the mystery noise, they all came to the conclusion that it is not near the motor but on the bottom side of the truck, The rattle tapping metaly noise seems to be at it's loudest point when I rapidly go backwards in reverse and then hit the brakes the noise sounds really loud at that point and everyone was pointing it at the transmission converter area??? It does it going forward and is just as loud but I have to be able to move further. But reverse it shows right up we could also really hear it when the truck is first started and the computer kicks it up to high idle then throw it in reverse and you can hear the rattling sound but when the idle goes back down to normal it is very hard to hear it.???any more ideas??

 

May not be the same thing but mine did that for about 6 mos, drove me crazy. Finally took it in for brakes and the tech asked me if I wanted him to readjust my emergency brake cable. It had loosened and was vibrating against something. Seems to me he said it was against a resonator, or heat shield. I know it was something with the exhaust. Any way, that cured the noise. Worth a look anyway.

 

I was gonna say tourge convertor...I'd take it by a shop ASAP...a new one 600 bucks...if it fails and trashs the tranny..1400-1600 bucks

 

OK i might have your answer if you look on your leafspring there are clips that hold the leafs togeather it is the clips that are making the noise on 97's they put some junk rubber in them and over time it rots away if you take something and slide it between the leaf and the clip this should fix the problem (if this is the noise i think it is) i had a 97 and it drove me crazy then i found the problem when i replaced my shocks hope this helps.

John

 

One more idea - I had what sounds like a similar problem. It turned out to be a heat shield on my catalytic converter that was loose. Cut it off and no more noise. Hope you get out of it that easy too!

 

Well last night I cheked all the above mentioned parts and found nothing but think we have the noise somewhat located, If you put the truck in reverse crack the gas peddle hard then hit the brakes it sounds just like sticking a screwdriver in a fanblade, something about reverse and the force created by hitting the brakes makes the noise really come to life, but we beleive it is something to do with the torque converter. Maybe a bolt backing out??? Maybe something has fallen out, but it does this forwards and reverse and is most noticeable in revers when coming to a sudden stop or when under a load pulling a hill but definately sounds like something spinning then rubbing rapidly on metal not like a shake or vibration???
Thanx

 

I also have a 97 and had the same damn noise !! It turned out to be a heat shield on the passenger side exhaust. It drove me crazy !! I had my wife put truck in gear, hold brake and apply gas until the noise was duplicated. I was so damn paranoid of her running over me. When I found the problem I was estatic !! I would bet the farm this is your problem also.

 

I too have the same rattling/ticking noise on my 2000 F-150 with 5.4 and 71k miles on it. It seems to due it under a load such as hauling a load or going up a hill. There is no performance problems, and I have replaced my sparkplugs with Motorcraft double platinums and are torqued down. It is engine ping, as what many of the dealers I have went to to fix it have said. They acknowledge the noise, replace something, but still the ticking is still there. We have to find out what this noise is! It seems to be coming from the passenger side or driver side part of the engine. If I am going down the road and going up a hill, if I turn my wheels to the left or right, depending on where I am sitting, it will amplify the noise.

My truck has also once or twice made the noise at idle at home, but not long enough for me to find it. It sounds like a metallic tick or tap in the upper part of the engine. Mine only does it under a load too as I said above. I hope you or me find this noise. I will be taking my truck to a dealer about 200 miles away that has a electronic stethescope (spelling?) that they can put on parts of the vehicle, drive it down the road and listen for these noises made only while being driven.

Sure hope someone figures this noise out.

 

Before you get to crazy and pull the trans, The rear mount on the tail of the trans has a the heat sheild attached to it. The bolt is not exactly easy to see but you can get underneath and find it pretty easy. For my money I would get under there and check all of the mounting bolts for the rear mount and the sheilds. I had to replace the tail housing on my trans and thought I had all the bolts tight. Wasn't but a few days that I developed a funky ticking/rattling. Went back and retightened everything and noise has been gone for good.