Hey. I have a 1996 Mustang GT (manual transmission) with a little over 80,000 miles. I have recently noticed a knocking or rattling noise. If i take off slow and easy, you cant hear it. I can take off slow and wind the engine out to 4 or 5 grand and still not hear it. It only happens when accelerating hard, or its under a load. It's pretty noticable through 1st 2nd and 3rd gear but starts to mellow out in 4th and 5th. Any ideas?
Hey. I have a 1996 Mustang GT (manual transmission) with a little over 80,000 miles. I have recently noticed a knocking or rattling noise. If i take off slow and easy, you cant hear it. I can take off slow and wind the engine out to 4 or 5 grand and still not hear it. It only happens when accelerating hard, or its under a load. It's pretty noticable through 1st 2nd and 3rd gear but starts to mellow out in 4th and 5th. Any ideas?
i have the same thing. im about a million percent sure its the exhaust. with the torque of the motor it turns the exhaust and hits the subframe. theres even a dent to batch my subframe in the exhaust its self. look at that. mine is at my driver side near where my feet are. annoys the he** out of me. but i figure it will be fixed when i get long tubes and a new mid pipe.
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1997 GT Coupe. CAI and Flow 40' Duals w/ o/r x pipe, Spec Stage 1 Clutch, Spec Aluminum flyhwheel. SCT 93 Performance Tune, hurst short shifter. New AutoX Suspension on the way!! ......"other mods may not be known"
"You can put it off, but it's a matter of time till it fails and leaves you with the rubber-sole express......"
What fuel are you running? I noticed in my 2000 GT when it was stock that if I ran WOT with 87 octane fuel it would do this, but when I burned 89/91 octane or higher the issue went away.
If you run 87 octane fuel, run midgrade for a tank or two and see if that makes it go away.
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"Ignore that whistle, it's just a vacuum leak."
2000 Mustang GT:
Saleen Series IV Twin Screw, Chicane I/C, AFCO Extreme H/E, 2.8" pulley, FMS 42# injectors, Dual Catted 2 1/2" UPR X Pipe, UPR LCAs/UCAs, 2 1/2" Flowmaster American Thunder kit, 90mm LMAF, 112" Goodyear Gatorback, Kenne Bell BAP, Mosaleen idler, T-56, Detroit TrueTrac w/ 373s, Demolet 100mm CAI, SCT XCal2 with JDM Engineering 93 Octane "Race" tune.
What fuel are you running? I noticed in my 2000 GT when it was stock that if I ran WOT with 87 octane fuel it would do this, but when I burned 89/91 octane or higher the issue went away.
If you run 87 octane fuel, run midgrade for a tank or two and see if that makes it go away.
+1 it could be spark knock.
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96 Laser Red GT
Wingless 248A option package
Mark VIII 4V engine.
Hey. I have a 1996 Mustang GT (manual transmission) with a little over 80,000 miles. I have recently noticed a knocking or rattling noise. If i take off slow and easy, you cant hear it. I can take off slow and wind the engine out to 4 or 5 grand and still not hear it. It only happens when accelerating hard, or its under a load. It's pretty noticable through 1st 2nd and 3rd gear but starts to mellow out in 4th and 5th. Any ideas?
Hello, I too have a 1996 Mustang GT w/ manual transmission that has similar symptoms. Have you tried doing basic maintenance on it? Some things to consider are spark plugs/wires, dirty MAF, old O2 Sensors, dirty ICV, dirty fuel injectors. I know when I changed all those things out, it helped a lot.
However (and not to thread jack), I still get what I think is tip-in pinging where it pings (for a moment) more noticeably right as I'm engaging another gear or when I suddenly give it it more gas when I was coasting (say at about 1/4 throttle). My car has new spark plugs/wires, new O2's, new ICV, new IAT, I cleaned the MAF, and I've sea foamed, and ran injector cleaner, and the car is not over heating or anything. I've also been running 91 Octane from Shell on a stock tune.
The only other things I could think of is, bad injectors, or coil packs? Any idea guys? I've been actually trying to diagnose this thing for a couple years now. Anyway, to the OP, try those things out and let us know if it helps.
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1996 Mustang GT
5 Speed, Flowmaster Cat-back, Steeda Under Drive Pulleys, 3:73 Gears, Eiback Prokit 1.5" Lowering Springs, Tokico Struts, Steeda CC Plates, Dual Piston Mach 1 Brakes, 13" Rotors, Cobra Terminator Seats, 1" Wheel Spacers, Mach 1 Chin Spoiler, Speedcal, JVC KD-NX5000 GPS/DVD head unit
Hello, I too have a 1996 Mustang GT w/ manual transmission that has similar symptoms. Have you tried doing basic maintenance on it? Some things to consider are spark plugs/wires, dirty MAF, old O2 Sensors, dirty ICV, dirty fuel injectors. I know when I changed all those things out, it helped a lot.
However (and not to thread jack), I still get what I think is tip-in pinging where it pings (for a moment) more noticeably right as I'm engaging another gear or when I suddenly give it it more gas when I was coasting (say at about 1/4 throttle). My car has new spark plugs/wires, new O2's, new ICV, new IAT, I cleaned the MAF, and I've sea foamed, and ran injector cleaner, and the car is not over heating or anything. I've also been running 91 Octane from Shell on a stock tune.
The only other things I could think of is, bad injectors, or coil packs? Any idea guys? I've been actually trying to diagnose this thing for a couple years now. Anyway, to the OP, try those things out and let us know if it helps.
A friend of mine bought a 96 GT when they first came out and she always had the exact issue you are talking about even with a brand new car. She finally sold it partially due to that.
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"Ignore that whistle, it's just a vacuum leak."
2000 Mustang GT:
Saleen Series IV Twin Screw, Chicane I/C, AFCO Extreme H/E, 2.8" pulley, FMS 42# injectors, Dual Catted 2 1/2" UPR X Pipe, UPR LCAs/UCAs, 2 1/2" Flowmaster American Thunder kit, 90mm LMAF, 112" Goodyear Gatorback, Kenne Bell BAP, Mosaleen idler, T-56, Detroit TrueTrac w/ 373s, Demolet 100mm CAI, SCT XCal2 with JDM Engineering 93 Octane "Race" tune.
A friend of mine bought a 96 GT when they first came out and she always had the exact issue you are talking about even with a brand new car. She finally sold it partially due to that.
Hmm, that is interesting to know. Maybe they were tuned poorly from the factory? I know that if I put the car into "limp mode" (when I pull the grey plug in the passenger side fender) it pulls enough timing and such to where it doesn't ping anymore. But it runs a little sluggish and I don't think I should have to do that in order for it to run right.
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1996 Mustang GT
5 Speed, Flowmaster Cat-back, Steeda Under Drive Pulleys, 3:73 Gears, Eiback Prokit 1.5" Lowering Springs, Tokico Struts, Steeda CC Plates, Dual Piston Mach 1 Brakes, 13" Rotors, Cobra Terminator Seats, 1" Wheel Spacers, Mach 1 Chin Spoiler, Speedcal, JVC KD-NX5000 GPS/DVD head unit
I dont know...i have tried running 93 in it and it didnt help...how should i clean the maf?
On your intake tube right behind your air filter is this rectangular box with a plug on the back. Unplug that plug and undo the 2 torx screws attaching that box to the air tube. You're going to need the special tamper proof torx bits (I bought mine at Autozone) that has a hold in the middle. After taking the screws out, pull the box straight up (careful not to break the fragile piece inside the housing). Then you will see a resistor in between to columns. Spray that down with MAF cleaner (again you could pick it up at a local auto store. I heard you could also just use rubbing alcohol. I went the extra step of just delicately wiping it with a q-tip. After it dries, install in reverse order. I hope your problem was just a dirty MAF. If not, it was near free to try out. See how it works out for you.
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1996 Mustang GT
5 Speed, Flowmaster Cat-back, Steeda Under Drive Pulleys, 3:73 Gears, Eiback Prokit 1.5" Lowering Springs, Tokico Struts, Steeda CC Plates, Dual Piston Mach 1 Brakes, 13" Rotors, Cobra Terminator Seats, 1" Wheel Spacers, Mach 1 Chin Spoiler, Speedcal, JVC KD-NX5000 GPS/DVD head unit
I am not sure why everyone recommends cleaning the MAF, I have run 100,000 + miles on several fuel injected cars and NEVER have had to clean the MAF. I do replace/clean the inlet filters 40/50,000 miles. I may just be lucky though.
My stock MAF worked perfectly and was only replaced when I added more boost.
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"Ignore that whistle, it's just a vacuum leak."
2000 Mustang GT:
Saleen Series IV Twin Screw, Chicane I/C, AFCO Extreme H/E, 2.8" pulley, FMS 42# injectors, Dual Catted 2 1/2" UPR X Pipe, UPR LCAs/UCAs, 2 1/2" Flowmaster American Thunder kit, 90mm LMAF, 112" Goodyear Gatorback, Kenne Bell BAP, Mosaleen idler, T-56, Detroit TrueTrac w/ 373s, Demolet 100mm CAI, SCT XCal2 with JDM Engineering 93 Octane "Race" tune.
I am not sure why everyone recommends cleaning the MAF, I have run 100,000 + miles on several fuel injected cars and NEVER have had to clean the MAF. I do replace/clean the inlet filters 40/50,000 miles. I may just be lucky though.
My stock MAF worked perfectly and was only replaced when I added more boost.
I tend to agree with you on the MAF thing. I've never felt any difference after cleaning my MAF. There's some talk about it getting dirty when using oiled filters such as K&N but I use a K&N filter and haven't seen my MAF dirty. I just tried it because so many people suggested it.
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1996 Mustang GT
5 Speed, Flowmaster Cat-back, Steeda Under Drive Pulleys, 3:73 Gears, Eiback Prokit 1.5" Lowering Springs, Tokico Struts, Steeda CC Plates, Dual Piston Mach 1 Brakes, 13" Rotors, Cobra Terminator Seats, 1" Wheel Spacers, Mach 1 Chin Spoiler, Speedcal, JVC KD-NX5000 GPS/DVD head unit
1996 Mustang GT knocking noise under a load 
