1999 EB Expedition 5.4 HELP NOISE IN REAR

MBusby1073 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-18-2004, 07:35 AM

I am certainly enjoying my expedition, however there are some minor repairs that I need. One being the HEAD GASKET LEAK!!! I have searched and searched and finally found a friend to do it for close to 500 bucks. GO ME!

My question is what is making the knocking noise coming from the rear of my Expedition? It does not have the classic thump when turning symptom, it does thumps, knocks, rattles, or just sounds like something is loose under the driver's side rear tire? It does not make any noise what so ever, only when driving over uneven pavement. Any suggestions would be greately appreciated!

Also I have a slight problem with my rear window wiper. IT DOES NOT WORK! Normally all I had to do was turn it on high, go outside and nudge it a little, and presto it worked. Because I nudged it a little to hard the last time, it snapped...

and now makes complete 360 circles. If I want the window clean I have to manually go back there and wipe it, and replace the wiper on its little holder. How hard is it to replace? Also what kind of $$$ will I be looking at? I thought about taking it to the local car wash, and placing blame on their 90mph spinning brush things.

Any feedback would be greatley appreciated. If anyone has had experience with this please let me know. BTW my expo does not have the automatic air shock leveling system.

buzzard · #2 (**permalink**) 02-18-2004, 10:30 AM

Mike:

I'd recommend getting under the vehicle and checking for something (shock, bolt, bushing, etc) that is loose.

As for the wiper problem, you need to determine if the arm is broken or if it's the motor. If it's the arm, all you need to do is access a single nut holding the arm to the motor shaft. Remove the nut and install a new arm...easy as pie. If it's the motor, you'll have to remove the hatch panel to access the motor. I think it's riveted in so you'll have to drill out the rivets. Otherwise, it shouldn't be too difficult.

Good Luck

JPeacock212 · #3 (**permalink**) 02-18-2004, 07:17 PM

Dont rule out other suspension etc problems but I had the exact same thing on my 2000. It happened on uneven ground or over bumps and sounded like it was under the truck. It was actually the wiper. I figured it out when I opened the back and shut it and heard the noise. Its kind of thud type rattle...or in your words like something is 'loose'.

MBusby1073 · #4 (**permalink**) 02-18-2004, 11:52 PM

THANKS FOR THE REPLIES! I put the car up on the rack, got under it and beat the tar out of everything I could find. Nothing rattles, except a semi loose break shoe? housing? The thing that sticks out where you can see it from the inside wall of the tire. Anywho it sounds and feels like the spare is banging up against something, but I lowered it and tightned it GOOD. It is still doing it, and bothering me.

Also while looking under the expedition, I noticed the oil dripping to the bottom of the car. Overnight it leaves a dime size spot, unless the car is hot. How soon should I get it repaired? Hopefully till the middle of March perhaps?

allanhilliard · #5 (**permalink**) 02-19-2004, 05:42 AM

I had the same exact problem you speak of. I even took the spare off and drove it only to get the same noise. Very sporadic and never in the same conditions twice. After crawling under it and thoroughly checking it out (what I thought was thorough) I took it to my mechanic. It turns out that it was the Anti-Sway bar that I had installed. Apparently it was jumping on and off of the frame where the vertical support mounted. While the vehicle was stationary you couldn't move it or even tell it was loose. Luckily I have a mechanic that I trust and he fixed it for me for 1 hours labor charge.
Hope this helps.

MBusby1073 · #6 (**permalink**) 03-17-2004, 09:49 PM

Thanks for all of your suggestions! I went ahead and replaced the bushings on the sway bar hoping that would solve the problem. Unfortunately it did not, although it did help some.

We placed the expo on a lift and got under it and banged around until we found anything which could raddle, or make a thumping kind of sound. We did find that the gas tank once hit makes a banging sound against the brackets, also there was a plastic covering on top of the gas tank which was loose. A quick rag to stop it, and card board for the bottom of the gas tank solved that.

For some reason the noise is still there. Once driving down the road you do not hear anything until you drive over uneven ground, making a thumpping noise sounding like something is loose. Now the spare tire is tight as hell, so thats not it. Any more suggestions?

KeithE524 · #7 (**permalink**) 03-18-2004, 07:12 AM

I have a lot of banging noise in the rear that I noticed recently. When I brought it in for some other work, the shop told me that the bushings on my rear shocks were gone and that was the noise I heard. I told them not to change the shocks right now. I'll have to ask them if they'll install shocks that I provide for them. I'll probably get some Billsteins.

Keith