I recently bought my 2003 V10 excursion and I have had a funny noise that is driving me CRAZY!

At low rpm its a fast rattling noise, if I press the gas it stops. my first thought was that it was a heat shield on something under the truck. I have inspected all the heat shields on the exhaust but nothing is loose. It sounds just like the noise that would emit from such a problem, but no luck finding the cause.....

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

Check the bolts on the sway bar end links and make sure they aren't touching the exhaust. Someone on here had that very problem in the last couple of weeks.

 

Taking Golfmediks advice I looked into the sway bar and bushings. I was floored at what I saw....



The drivers side bushing that attaches to the sway bar is installed correctly.

BUT, the passenger side!!



Bottom of Arm



Top of Arm


Someone bolted the bushing to the sway bar on the outboard side of the sway bar. The bushing bar is rubbing against the front leaf spring. I am not sure if this is causing my noise but its a problem that I will be fixing today.

 

Somebody got those on the wrong side of the sway bar end. They are bent differently also;

 

I just finished fixing the problem from the above posted pics. The only problem was that someone had attached that arm to the wrong side of sway bar. Looks good now....

I test drove it after repair and all seems well except I still have my noise. Its hard to explain... When I am barely accelerating It sounds good, little more gas I get rattling noise, little more gas and it goes away. As I said above it sounds like a guard underneath that is rattling but I have put my hands on everything and cant find anything loose

 

They only go one way. The right side and the right side up.

 

Thank you EXv10 for your help You have any ideas on my rattling noise?

 

Check the universal joints and the mid bearing on the drive shaft. Get under it, twist it, shake it and visually inspect them. I also wonder if you are hearing the rear end carrier bearing..
Is the noise up front, mid or rear of the truck??

 

It sounds as if it is coming from just under the front seats. I have tried to make the noise happen at a stand still but can only make it happen while driving.

 

Check the universals and are there any heat shields spot welded to the bottom of the floor boards in that area? Not that familiar with the underside of a V10.

 

I will be able to get under there tomorrow and take a look.

Thanks golfmedik

 

Could the rattle possibly be coming from inside the catalytic converter?

 

Get under there and bang and shake everything and check your body mounts. Are you sure it isn't the sway bar link mounts? Put someone in the back with the door open and leaning out to listen, somebody you don't like (just kidding) but don't make any fast turns.

 

Look at the welds on your heat shields. I thought mine were good, but after some pulling I found I had two broken welds. A hose clamp later and my rattles were gone!