Is my mechanic smoking something?
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Is my mechanic smoking something?
I have an 88 ford 150 4*4 302 EFI with 75,000 miles on it. Its been making a knocking noise that speeds up when the engine speeds up, my mechanic listened to it and he told me its my fuel injectors, and the noisier the better. WHAT, I've never heard this before. Can this be true.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Rural Florida Panhandle
Is my mechanic smoking something?
Sounds like it. I've never heard them on any of my 5 Fords.
You can't do it on that engine, but I have run the balance test, which sequentially turns off one injector at at time, and never have noticed any differnce in the sound from the engine.
Winford
You can't do it on that engine, but I have run the balance test, which sequentially turns off one injector at at time, and never have noticed any differnce in the sound from the engine.
Winford
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Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Beachville, Ontario
Is my mechanic smoking something?
Yeah, he's smoking something all right.
Three possible causes for your knocking sound:
1. Exhaust leak can sound like knock from cab (usually goes quiet on decel).
2. Bad lifter or loose rocker (makes constant ticking sound).
3. Main or rod bearing loose (knocking sound, loudest when letting off gas).
Hope this helps.
1979 F150 Custom: 84 351W: 91 heads, Crane PowerMax cam, double roller timing chain, Edelbrock Performer intake & Edelbrock carb
1987 F150 XLT Lariat: 88 351W EFI
86 & 87 Bronco II: next winter's beater
Three possible causes for your knocking sound:
1. Exhaust leak can sound like knock from cab (usually goes quiet on decel).
2. Bad lifter or loose rocker (makes constant ticking sound).
3. Main or rod bearing loose (knocking sound, loudest when letting off gas).
Hope this helps.
1979 F150 Custom: 84 351W: 91 heads, Crane PowerMax cam, double roller timing chain, Edelbrock Performer intake & Edelbrock carb
1987 F150 XLT Lariat: 88 351W EFI
86 & 87 Bronco II: next winter's beater
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,121
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From: Springfield, VA
Is my mechanic smoking something?
Loud Fords,
You said that the ticking would be from a bad lifter or loose rocker, I have taken my truck to several shops, even a race engine builder specializing in Fords. They all tell me that the ticking sound I'm hearing is from the injectors opening and closing, not a lifter as I was suspecting. They all told me the same story that it is a Ford thing with the injectors. My dad has a 95 as well with the 302 and his does it, as well as my brothers F-350. I have changed out my factory injectors to larger ones (19 to 24 lb) and it seems to be louder. So it may just be that, because my ticks to speed up as the engine revs. However this is NOT a loud knock, so your other explanations would be correct. Just my 2 cents..
Karl Jett
'95 F-150 ext cab Eddie Bauer F-150 4x4
slightly worked 351, E4OD, Pro Comp MT 33's
350 hp at the rear wheel (I said slightly worked!!)
You said that the ticking would be from a bad lifter or loose rocker, I have taken my truck to several shops, even a race engine builder specializing in Fords. They all tell me that the ticking sound I'm hearing is from the injectors opening and closing, not a lifter as I was suspecting. They all told me the same story that it is a Ford thing with the injectors. My dad has a 95 as well with the 302 and his does it, as well as my brothers F-350. I have changed out my factory injectors to larger ones (19 to 24 lb) and it seems to be louder. So it may just be that, because my ticks to speed up as the engine revs. However this is NOT a loud knock, so your other explanations would be correct. Just my 2 cents..
Karl Jett
'95 F-150 ext cab Eddie Bauer F-150 4x4
slightly worked 351, E4OD, Pro Comp MT 33's
350 hp at the rear wheel (I said slightly worked!!)
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Is my mechanic smoking something?
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 26-Sep-01 AT 05:03 PM (EST)[/font][p]I had a problem that sounds very similiar to the one that you are having. My motor starting making a slight knocking noise that accelerated with the motor. My problem was rod bearings, they were going out. I ignored it for a while, because i had no money and i ended breaking one rod in half, and almost breaking a second one. As far as the fuel injectors go, i have never heard a noise from the injectors on my new motor or my old motor. Good Luck.
-Shawn-
-Shawn-
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Posts: 1,124
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From: Rural Florida Panhandle
Is my mechanic smoking something?
This is still hard to believe, that you can actually hear the injectors above the other engine noise. Must be a really quiet engine. I want to hear it for myself, so I am going to use my funnel stethoscope (that's a tranmission filler funnel with a hose on it) on my 4 5.0 engines to see if I can hear them.
This is some of the kind of stuff that helps keep boredom away from engine analysis.
Winford
This is some of the kind of stuff that helps keep boredom away from engine analysis.
Winford
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,121
Likes: 1
From: Springfield, VA
Is my mechanic smoking something?
What I hear sounds like a slight ticking, most people don't hear it at first when I tell them. I pay real close attention to how my truck sounds during everything from daily driving, to eating Mustangs and Camaro's, to 4 wheeling in the mud. As a kid growing up around trucks, I learned what a truck sounds like what when it runs properly, and what it sounds like when something is wrong. Just listen to your truck a litle more and you'll hear it, almost slonds like someone tapping their nails on a glass table.
Karl Jett
'95 F-150 ext cab Eddie Bauer F-150 4x4
slightly worked 351, E4OD, Pro Comp MT 33's
350 hp at the rear wheel (I said slightly worked!!)
Karl Jett
'95 F-150 ext cab Eddie Bauer F-150 4x4
slightly worked 351, E4OD, Pro Comp MT 33's
350 hp at the rear wheel (I said slightly worked!!)
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Is my mechanic smoking something?
If what you are hearing at idle with the hood up is a constant clicking sound it is most likely the injectors. I can hear mine on a5.0 even over a very loud p/s pump. If you have upgraded to higher pressure injectors the noise will be even louder due to the heavier springs in the injector. If at all still wondering, get a long screwdriver or better yet one of those stethascope thingys and listen to the lifters. I am sure you will find these are the source of the sound. Just be careful of rotating parts whe listening to your engine. SR.
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 321
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From: Queen Creek, AZ
Is my mechanic smoking something?
Sticky lifters. If this is really a common engine thing, and everyone is experiencing it, then I wouldn't worry a whole lot about. Personally, I can't say my Mustang makes that particular noise, though it does have its own quarks.
Kjett, eating Mustangs? Are those 5.0's with drivers that know how to drive, or punk kids in cars their parents bought, or 4-bangers? Ever make it to Arizona? I want proof, and am willing to eat my words if necessary. I've seen trucks win before, but not often. Or at least, not in a 1/4 mile, and not without a blower.
Just lookin' for a fight, I guess. I did see a 3/4 ton Super Duty run a 15 second quarter mile, with a Power Stroke. That was impressive!
Later
Kjett, eating Mustangs? Are those 5.0's with drivers that know how to drive, or punk kids in cars their parents bought, or 4-bangers? Ever make it to Arizona? I want proof, and am willing to eat my words if necessary. I've seen trucks win before, but not often. Or at least, not in a 1/4 mile, and not without a blower.
Just lookin' for a fight, I guess. I did see a 3/4 ton Super Duty run a 15 second quarter mile, with a Power Stroke. That was impressive!
Later
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Joined: Jul 2001
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Is my mechanic smoking something?
Your mechanic may have a different perspective on that sound than you. If it is a clicking, almost pinging sound, chances are it's simply the fuel delivery system. I don't think I've heard an EEC-IV Ford yet that doesn't click from the fuel rail area.
If you have a noise which sounds more like someone knocking on a solid oak door deep inside the engine, it is in your best interests to consult other mechanics on the matter, and to avoid driving the truck unless absolutely necessary.
A friend's '85 LTD 3.8L had a genuine rod bearing knock since June. Notice I said 'had.' The rod broke Monday and now you hear the part still attached to the crank hitting the block with each revolution. The perpetrator was lack of oil causing excessive/uneven bearing wear, started by a nasty oil leak which was never addressed.
Jay
'93 F-150 XLT
If you have a noise which sounds more like someone knocking on a solid oak door deep inside the engine, it is in your best interests to consult other mechanics on the matter, and to avoid driving the truck unless absolutely necessary.
A friend's '85 LTD 3.8L had a genuine rod bearing knock since June. Notice I said 'had.' The rod broke Monday and now you hear the part still attached to the crank hitting the block with each revolution. The perpetrator was lack of oil causing excessive/uneven bearing wear, started by a nasty oil leak which was never addressed.
Jay
'93 F-150 XLT
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Is my mechanic smoking something?
One other thing to add to your list of knocking noises-> auto transmission flexplates. I've seen 3 different engines where the knocking noise sounded like a rod knock, but it ended up being the flexplate. Two were cracked, and one was loose with the holes ovalled out. Diagnose it by going down the road at a steady speed, put it in N, then D. If it knocks then, that would be a good place to look. Another way is to turn the idle low enough that the engine is wanting to stall, so that when it has a rough idle it will make it clank/knock.
As for the injectors-they do make a light ticking noise that can be ignored. Mine does on both trucks.
88 F-150 4X4 XLT Lariat w/5.0 EFI 5 spd (DAILY DRIVER)
86 Ranger 2WD w/2.3L EFI 5 spd to be 351W 4bbl C4 (NEW TOY- DETAILS WHEN FINISHED)
85 Old Cutlass Supreme 350/TH350 Holley 4160,Edelbrock Performer intake, el-cheapo headers, General Kinetics 270H series cam, 15.588 best 1/4 mile with original 10 bolt 2.41 gears (OLD TOY)
As for the injectors-they do make a light ticking noise that can be ignored. Mine does on both trucks.
88 F-150 4X4 XLT Lariat w/5.0 EFI 5 spd (DAILY DRIVER)
86 Ranger 2WD w/2.3L EFI 5 spd to be 351W 4bbl C4 (NEW TOY- DETAILS WHEN FINISHED)
85 Old Cutlass Supreme 350/TH350 Holley 4160,Edelbrock Performer intake, el-cheapo headers, General Kinetics 270H series cam, 15.588 best 1/4 mile with original 10 bolt 2.41 gears (OLD TOY)
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From: Linwood, N.J. USA!
Is my mechanic smoking something?
I have heard that exact phrase on heavy diesel engines but never on a gasoline pickup engine. Clicking can be loud sometimes but never when it is more like a knock sound. I agree with the above posts. I would consult another mechanic. Good luck.
Jakegypsum // Ford fleet, soup to nuts.
Jakegypsum // Ford fleet, soup to nuts.
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