[Tw!tchb!tch]

Hey Guys,

We have a 2002 mustang GT , vortech supercharged etc , which has developed a loud tick. I was doing some searching and found a TSB on pre 2003 romeo blocks with a noise that seems to exactly describe this however when I spoke with a ford mechanic he said that 2v gt's didnt get the tick. Heres the noise ;

Noise:

Valvetrain sounding 'lifter' kinda tick
Not audible from top of engine
Heard best from both wheel wells
Not very audible from under car
Not audible with ear to oil pan
Not exhaust leak
Gets louder with rpm , definately valvetrain sound .
Noise does not change when each injector is disabled and enabled

Heres the TSB :

http://www.stangnet.com/images/stories/docs/sn95_TSBs/03-25-06.pdf

Any help would be appreciated before I tear into her. This is my first 4.6 gt ( LS1 guy ) :headscratch:

 

[racin366]

What weight oil are you running? It could be low or too heavy, maybe coming from a rod. If you can't hear it on top as well as in the wells. I would think rod-knock or maybe a bearing problem in the bottom end.

 

[Tw!tchb!tch]

Im using mobile 1 10w30 synthetic , just swaped it out about 1 week prior to the noise. We did our oil change before a big road trip to vancouver. The noise was present on our return.

UPDATE :

I had a chance to play with the car some more today. I ran it for quite some time and poked and listened, climbed all over but to no avail.

I pulled all the plugs and all but three showed nice and rich ( the three furthest back on drivers side had some white deposits ) .

I cleaned them all up, reinstalled them and to my surprise the tick noise is almost completely gone. now I just hear a whirring valve like clatter in the drivers side wheel well when I stick my head in there and nothing at all on the passenger side. :headscratch:

I did notice that I had broken the fan switch when I was reinstalling the blower intake hose prior to our trip. ( fans are not kicking in and the connections on that switch are broken ) so there is the possibility that we overheated it on our vacation.

Ill fire it up again later and see if the tick comes back. :headscratch:

 

[Tw!tchb!tch]

Would over filling the oil slightly do any damage on these little 4.6's ? I have a HELL of a time reading that stupid squigle dip stick .

 

[00StangGuy]

over filling just a little bit wont damage your motor, what it might do though is cause an oil leak depending on how much you "over fill". Ive seen a lot of cases where poeple or other shops overfill oil and blow out rear main seals. I dont think that would be the cause of the noise. I am certain though that your car takes 5W20. Try that oil and see if the noise goes away.

 

[RandyStinchcomb]

over filling just a little bit wont damage your motor, what it might do though is cause an oil leak depending on how much you "over fill". Ive seen a lot of cases where poeple or other shops overfill oil and blow out rear main seals. I dont think that would be the cause of the noise. I am certain though that your car takes 5W20. Try that oil and see if the noise goes away.

I agree, 5W20 esp since your in a colder climate, it might help....
if I had to point my finger at any one part(s):scratchchin it could be an issue wth the plastic/nylon timing chain tensioners used on 2001 up Mustangs, they just dont seem tobe as strong or last as long as the 2000 back, Steel timing chain tensioners....

 

[racin366]

Definitely use 5W-20 oil, that might help. If you overfill it, it depends on how much as to whether it can do harm. Like an auto trans, too much and the reciprocating assembly will cause foaming of the oil and extreme windage. If its only on the passenger side now, I would look at the tensioner like Randy said, and also look for an exhaust leak.

 

[russ98stang1]

you dont think it may be a plug blowing out? you said it quietend down once you pulled the plug and put it back in. the older heads are very prone to this esp if you over tighten your plugs.