Excursion02, just go pick up some Explorer badges and put them on YOUR truck! that way she will never know what you really have. Just remenber to buy her a car, preferably a Yugo or a Trebant. Provided she has you really ticked off.

 

Did you ever discover the problem. mine is the same. I have just changed header gaskets and torqued bolts, no change at all. I checked plugs, none loose a bit. I put my stethoscope on each header tube while my wife gave it gas in gear holding the brake. I could hear it on the #2 cylinder. Retorqued that tube, still not fixed. What is it?!

 

Do you have any loss of power? Burning more gas?

 

Only had it for a week so, no idea. I figured when I bought it, it would be an easy fix exhaust leak.

 

My guess is you have a plug that is about to spit. Mine made the same noise about 1000 miles before it did it. I imagine what you are hearing is the compression (air) from the cylinder coming out around the spark plug, or something to that nature.

I was able to tighten mine down when it came loose and get another 1000 miles after it spat it out... In the end new heads with the spark plug timesert inserts was the route I took.

 

Another thing to check since you have headers and hear it on #2, you may have a cracked header tube.

 

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No such thing on these trucks..

 

harley4jcs I found that out. Took me half a day to get the ten bolts out new gaskets and bolts back in and retorqued. The #2 cylinder header tube is a bit discolored too so, something is going on with that cylinder. I can hear it with the stethoscope beside that COP too.

 

WELCOME to the world of XXXs
1/2 a day, DANG, you did very well I did not really read any of the earlier post & did not see you had headers. Someone already did the 2 DAY job on it

 

I think that's why it was relatively easy for me. All good bolts and none seized or rusty.

 

So any other ideas what it could be? Plugs are all tight. Will they be noticeably loose if one is ready to blow? Anyone had Valve trouble making this sound?

 

Drove it about 40 miles down the interstate yesterday with cruise set at 80 and got 12-13 MPG. I don't know if that is average or not but felt like it had good power.