I bought a 99 F150 about a week ago, missing like crazy and running absolutely like a POS. Truck has 170000 miles on it. Anyway changed plugs and plug wires, is running great now. I have a problem with a noise coming from the front of the truck. Idling you can hear the power steering whine, but when you drive, from take off, you get about 5 mph and you hear a whine, it gets louder as you give it more gas, then it almost quits when the transmission gets ready to shift. Once it shifts it takes about 2 or 3 seconds until you get the rpm's back up. It makes the noise as long as your on the gas. Almost sounds like it could be the flywheel hitting something.
Any ideas as to what it could be is appreciated.

 

Sounds like a belt.

 

Sounds like the converter isn't locking up (or staying locked when it should be ). Next time it does that, try left foot braking (lightly), while you gain speed.

Should be able to have diagnostic scan on the power train done.

I had a '94 that did the same thing. Rebuilt converter was something like $250.00, maybe.

Dave

 

Yeah, it could be the P/S pump, or the alternator, or slightly possible, a belt, but none of them will affect the shift timing or the slow lock up of the converter.

Trans fluid is OK ? Trans pan isn't smashed (up) ?

Dave

 

I'm going to have to look at my engine, but if its a pulley going bad, it would appear to adjust the shift timing. When the the tranny is starting to shift, the engine rpms will drop off a cliff. With a bad pulley or over-tightened belt, it would cause a much bigger drag on the engine, lugging it.

Belts are a pretty easy place to start. And the fact that he hears a whine at the PS pump would lead me there. I don't see how a noise from the front of the engine would be an indicator for a tranny issue.

But you very well may be right. I just like cheap and easy places to check first.

 

Tranny fluid is fine. Matter of fact is a little over full. I am going to change the filter and fluid in the next day or two. The reason I think it may be tranny is just that I hear it on high revs before shift. Almost sounds like flywheel hitting bell housing. Will check those and make sure they are tight. I had an older ford that done that. The belt does need replacing, it is shiny, but not dry rotted. This noise doesn't sound like any power steering growl I have ever heard. But I haven't had anything this new in a ford before.

 

Baer

Next time the truck is running, what happens when you just crank the steering wheel left/right ? You may have two problems at the same time. Could be an issue with the P/S, if the fluid is normal, and working the wheel varies the whine.

On the trans., you might just drop the inspection cover first, and check for metal particles from a rub somewhere. Next, you really should have a scan done on the drive train. The solenoids are inside the pan, for shifting, and if one is going bad, you might as well change that before the fluid and filter.

If you do have a pulley going bad, it won't take long to confirm. The belt won't last if it's dragging over a pulley with a seizing bearing.


Dave

 

There is a small whine turning the wheel back and forth. Nothing like going down the road. I know it isn't a bearing locked up on the idler. You can see them all turning. Tomorrow will pull the inspection plate and look in there.

Thanks may have to take it and get it checked.

 

Took insp plate off and it looks good and dry in there, running my finger around in there shows no loose metal. You stand at the front of the motor with it idling and you can hear a small whining/grinding noise. Sounds like it may be one of the idler pulleys.
Thanks for the help folks I appreciate it. Wife told me I gotta keep this for a while, spent too much money on it already.