adanvjr

Good afternoon,
For the past week, I've been having a LOUD, yet intermittent clacking/clattering noise occur on startup.

This noise occurs on both Cold & Warm Startups.
But it does not always occur. Sometimes, I can start up the engine for 2 days and the noise never comes.

On top of that, if I start up and have the clacking noise, I immeidately shut the engine off, wait 3 seconds, and restart....and there's no noise present.

I'm having difficulty finding where it's coming from because it comes and goes fast. The noise will be loud at first and the clacking will slow down over time.


- The fan clutch not fully engaging/disengaging
- AC Compressor not fully engaging/disengaging
- Starter staying engaged? (maybe?)


This clacking noise turns peoples heads.
kind of embarrassing...


Any ideas?

SCORGE

Belt tensioner?
Could also be chain tensioners/guides.
Try holding the gas pedal down during startup for a little to build oil pressure in the top end...may be phasers beginning to fail.


Anyway you could post a vid of the sound?

adanvjr

That was my first guess, but it's pretty tight.
That tension markers that are on their are aligned correctly as well.

adanvjr

I'll see if I can post a video, whenever it occurs.

Weird how sometimes, I'm expecting to hear the noise as I turn the key, only to hear nothing. Yet, other times it pops up.

SCORGE

Next oil change, drop your pan and look for pieces. See if maybe your guides are giving out

Tommy J

Is it an exterior sound?, meaning do you think its outside the engine from the best you can tell. Are you able to get a friend near the open hood during one of those start ups. These noises are hard to find sometimes but an extra ear always helps

adanvjr

Each time I changed the oil (every 3,000 miles, I pull trailers with it), I inserted an inspection camera and never found anything. I've been doing this for the past 6 months.

The timing chain/guides always have me worried. But from all the "timing chain slap" videos I've seen on the 5.4L, it doesn't sound anything like it.

adanvjr

It definitely sounds like something exterior.

I've been putting my hand on all accessible areas in the engine (but away from the fan and belt) to see if I can feel it. No luck.

I shook each pulley wheel after taking off the belt to see if one of them was loose or binding. No luck either.

Taildragger

What oil filter?? The ADV (anti drain back valve) in some filters will do this.

adanvjr

Motorcraft

Yes, I'm aware of the rattling issue from using oil filters without ADV.

This morning I started the engine, no noise.