Ok good trouble shooting find, fix feedback & to hear you finally got the knocking noise successfully found & fixed.

So, now we're back on the original & continuing wandering idle speed anomaly.

Did any of the shops offer up any ideas on what's causing it?

Connect your ELM scan tool & running FORScan on your choice of viewing device, scan for any set, or pending trouble code clues & have a look at & post up sensor PID's that are responsible for controlling fuel trim & post up their readings, along with the short & long term fuel trim numbers.

 

The damn crank bolt must have backed out a thread or two again because it started knocking again. I called the original shop that changed the balancer out and he told me to try a new crank bolt but they are ridiculous in price. It's like $50-$60 for a bolt. I noticed it while I was driving to work so it was too late to do anything. I tried to check it when I got home but of course being an automatic I can't keep everything from spinning so I couldn't verify the 121lbs-ft of torque on the bolt. I couldn't come up with anything to stop it from turning. I looked online and no one has any tricks except I saw on an Escort forum someone suggested the owner put a pry bar between one of the crank trigger wheel teeth and the floor so it could be torqued down by hand. I would be afraid that might chip a tooth. It seems all the turning I did with my torque wrench and trying to keep it from turning got it tightened enough for it to quit knocking. Because it quit knocking again. But it may start back tomorrow. Any hints on keeping it from turning while torquing the bolt down? I asked if I should take it all the way out and put some loctite on it and the mechanic said it shouldn't need it so try a new bolt. I will at least go get another bolt from a 2.3 or 2.5 Ranger when I'm off. I just hope I won't have the same issues removing it.

 

I've not had to do this, but have heard of folks removing a couple of spark plugs & twisting small rope into the cylinders, then turning the crank to have the pistons come up on the compression stroke, so both valves are closed & compress the rope in the cylinder & that's supposed to hold it enough to torque the crank bolt.

Have also heard of removing the starter & blocking/locking the flywheel teeth with a pry bar tool, then torque the crank bolt.

 

A air or electric impact will usually break the bolt lose without spinning the engine,,,,not sure if you have room to get one in there

 

You can't get an impact in there even with radiator out. It of course is making the noise again. It's the most horrible noise to. I can't figure out how torque it without spinning. I hate to have remove the starter just to be able to check it.

 

You could try the rope in the cylinder trick, or double your pleasure & relieve some anxiety by doing Both at the same time, to spread the load, to have each take some of the torque force.

 

I tried again tonight with a method I saw on youtube but it was on an F-150. He used two of the harmonic balancer puller bolts and held a prybar between them to keep it from turning. I tried that without any luck. The bolts are so small it bends them without any force at all. I even tried class 10.9 bolts and it bends them so easy. I tried wedging the crank pulley trigger wheel teeth but all it did was chip the timing cover and it may have even fallen down into the cover. I hope it doesn't get in the motor but I don't think it can. It may have even fallen on the ground but it was dark. I'm still not even convinced that is where the noise is coming from. I started it up again and for the first 2 or 3 minutes it didn't make the knocking but quickly came back. I'm so fed up with it now that I'm thinking of paying the $171 diagnosis fee and taking it to Ford. I will decide tomorrow. I'm on vacation all next week and I don't want to be stuck at home because of worrying about driving my truck because of this knocking noise. When I had it in the shop he checked compression and it was perfect. The oil gauge is steady in the middle so I can't believe it would be an internal motor problem. Plus it runs too good. I still think it sounds like the timing belt tensioner slapping even though the mechanic shop said he had the cover off and said it looked fine.

 

Ok I definitely see how it is the harmonic balancer. I took off the belt today to try and check the torque again and you can wobble the balancer back and forth by hand. It is a new balancer that was insanely expensive. I had to go buy a strap wrench but all I could find was a cheap one and it sorta worked. I couldn't get all the way to the max of 121ft-lbs but I checked it at 100ft-lbs and 110ft-lbs and it it clicked on both. Range is 91-121ft-lbs. However it still is making the knocking noise down there although not as severe as before. I also could no longer wobble the pulley by hand. The mechanic said he could try a fresh new bolt but the problem is I can't find one. Only 1 left in the country and it's over $30 for a bolt. Is there suppose to be a separate washer as indicated in the parts diagram? Mine is a flange bolt and that's it, no washer. The mechanic said he could ever try a washer to take up a little of the play so long as the washer doesn't interfere with the bolt screwing in far enough. I can't remember but is the bolt threaded all the way down or does it have a shoulder? I see some m14x1.50x60 bolts at the hardware store class 10.9 but it has a shoulder and isn't threaded all the way down. The original according to Ford is M14x1.50x55. If I can't get someone to fix it then it's going to need a crank and then the truck is trash.

 

Is the bolt in there now the specified part? If not, maybe consider coming by one from a salvage yard & see how it goes.

 

I've never changed it. It should be original. I will go to the local u pick yard and try to get one. Is getting a bolt from a manual transmission going to be easier at the junk yard?

 

Get the bolt & washer at the salvage yard. Take something to lock the engine from turning. If it's a manual tranny, you could put it in gear & stick something long through the drive shaft U joint, to jam it against the under body floor pan so it wouldn't rotate, while you remove the crank bolt & washer.
It may be a dished Bellville type washer for the crank bolt?

 

That's my biggest concern that I will not have everything I need to get the bolt off. I know I need a 22mm socket and a longer breaker bar which I've got. I could get to mine without jacking up the truck or removing anything and had adequate clearance. The ones at the junkyard are jacked up. I could always bring my jack handle with me too. I see on fordparts there is the m14x1.50x55 crank pulley bolt and a separate washer. I remember the bolt when the mechanic showed it to me that it was all one piece. Some youtube videos guys are pulling out a bolt with a loose washer on it.

 

If the shop showed you a one piece bolt, sounds like they used a after market part.

 

No he didn't replace the bolt. He showed it to me when he got the balancer off just to see it. I just can't remember if it was just a flange bolt or if it had the washer too. I'm seeing all the Rangers on youtube have a separate washer. I believe I could be missing the washer. I need to go to the salvage yard and pull a bolt with washer. I asked the mechanic today and he said he didn't remember the bolt having a washer. So perhaps the last mechanic that did the timing belt could have left it off. Either way I know it won't be fun going to try and get another crank bolt off. He also said this could be why it's got the erratic idle because the trigger wheel is on the back of the balancer and with it wobbling it misses signal.

 

OK, that's Real good input, so your still having the wandering idle speed.
I agree, if the tone ring is wobbly, it can send the computer confusing timing info, that could affect idle.
Sounds like your Finally about to zero in on & fix the noise & wandering idle speed problems. Let us know how it goes.