Hi guys my truck has a 2002 2.3 Dohc Duratec with a Manual transmission the engine has 141000 miles on it a young kid owned it before me and his Dad before him so I am sure some of these miles have been hard and abused miles

I have been working on getting it on the road yet I am in no hurry since my back and neck keeps me couch or bed bound most of the time.

Anyways while working out all the bugs and abused items and parts on my truck I noticed a noise from the front of the engine once the truck is completely warmed up.

The engine bay had a symphony of miscellaneous noises that kind of blurred into a real racket under the hood.

I found a bad fan clutch and drive bearing part of the timing chain cover, a noisy alternator, a noisy water pump, a worn noisy and week serpentine belt tensioner .

I replaced all these parts including the serpentine belt.

I did not change the entire timing chain cover I just replaced the bearing assembly while the cover was still mounted to the engine.

To get the new bearing assembly I had to buy a timing cover with the bearing preinstalled.

Anyways 99 percent of the symphony has packed up and left my Ranger yet one member of the band still remains and only rears his head once the engine is completely warmed up as I mentioned earlier.

The thing that is baffling to me the noise sounds like a rod bearing or timing chain issue yet the noise either goes away or gets much quieter once I disconnect the belt.

I did pull each spark plug wire one by one with no change in the noise which make me think it must be the chain I have even heard this noise at idle on occasion.

( at least I think I did I have been told I have the hearing capability of a 78 year old so I cannot count on what I hear or think I heard )

here is a long video of my last test that shows me starting the truck and letting it warm up it shows the noise develop it also shows the noise go away
or get much quieter once i disconnect the belt.

Speaking with Ford they claim the Duratec Normally has a reliable chain and they suspect a crankshaft pulley, yet under close inspection I see no signs of
damage to the rubber ring and the noise is loudest at the timing chain cover ( using a long screw driver to assist with isolating the noise )

If it is the Crank pulley I would replace the timing chain set anyways since the pulley is not keyed and would require much of the engine to be pulled apart just to change the pulley I think it would be silly not to replace the timing chain set.

So I am saving up for the Timing chain and pulley yet I am worried that perhaps the noise could either be deeper in the engine or maybe even just spark knock from old fuel.

I have about two year old fuel with Sta-bil in it that I almost have most of it used up just running it at idle.

Once I get the tank low enough I plan on having the tank dropped and flushed then get a new pump installed with another new filter then retest it to see if the noise is still there.

I doubt the fuel is the issue yet it is in the back of my mind and I will not be happy until I know every last drop of the old fuel is out of my truck just to eliminate the possibility.

the truck sat for about a year before I purchased it and I have had it sitting for about two years so who knows how old some of the fuel is.

yet the weird part is the fuel still smells fresh.

Anyways if you have time watch the clip and let me know what you think.

I am especially interested in hearing from other Duratec owners to see if their truck sounds the same or if they had this issue and fixed it.

If they did fix it what what the cause?

BTW I have no codes in the computer no check engine light and the truck runs great.

I did replace the intake manifold while I replaced the valve cover gasket due to a worn IMRC shaft

After watching this video for probably the 5th time it seems to be temperature related ( perhaps with the belt off the engine may have cooled off enough to make the noise quieter )
Maybe I did not let it run long enough for the noise to get as loud as it was with the belt on it.

Yet I did this test before and I let it run long enough to get it to almost overheat and still no noise.

Any help with this would be appreciated.

I would sure hate to spend money on getting a timing chain and pulley done when it may need a engine installed instead.

Sorry for the typo in the description, I cannot correct it.

 

Don't hear a noise?

Timing chain problem on these is very rare, can't even recall one post on it

Exhaust manifold leak sounds like a "knock"

With fan belt off and engine noise is less then for sure there is at least one pulley/bearing issue in the accessories

2002 had the IMRC setup in the intake, it could make a bit of noise, long shot

 

I replaced the intake while I had the valve cover off to replace the gasket.

The noise sounds like a rod knock, depending on what device you watch the video it may not come through properly.

I can hear it better with my pc than using my iPad when viewing the video.

It is definitely not the exhaust. The only belt operated items left I haven't changed is the Power steering and Ac compressor and neither of those are making the noise.

But thanks for taking time to listen and reply

 

Ea,

I do hear something. Kind of like a "wunh, wunh.....wunh, wunh, wunh" sound and when you rev it up around the 2:50 mark that "wuh, wuh" sounds gets faster. On my big speakers it kind of has a hollow tube like sound, but almost. It does not sound like a timing chain. I've done a crap ton of reading on most of the Ranger forums and I think I've come across only one person with a true timing chain issue.

To me, the sound is more like belt or pulley related. The "sound" is not at the same speed as the RPM's. It's more at the speed that the belt would move.

I would recommend you try getting really good video of the belt on each of the pulley's (Crank, A/C, tensioner, power steering, etc) to see if any of them are wobbling while the engine is running. I'd also take the belt off and inspect extremely closely all of the pulleys where the belt rides for build up of old gunk. Most of my pulleys had old belt material/gunk on them and I cleaned it off.

That's all I've got at the moment.

 

Thanks Soledad, Since my truck has sat for so long, when I replaced the belt I wire brushed each pulley.

The only belt driven accessory that is noisy is the AC compressor yet it is not the noise that I am going after.

I think the noise is either a rod bearing or timing chain.

I just wish the noise that I hear would come in clearer on the video.

None of the pulleys have a wobble.

I even tried turning the steering wheel lock to lock while revving the engine and the noise did not change at all.

What I hear in person is a definite knocking sound, this sound that I am chasing does coincide with the engine RPM and seems to happen around 1500-1900 RPM

At one time I thought I heard it at idle but it wasn't constant it seemed to flutter just like a timing chain does when it has stretched.

This month I am getting a tag and insurance on it. I plan on making sure the fuel is completely new and fresh.

After that I will use a tripod to record another video to hopefully get a better representation of the noise.

I also Plan on taking the truck to Ford and let them diagnose the noise, if i cannot figure it out.

I just inherited a lot of ammo and survival gear plus supplies that I plan on selling off to fund the repairs.

 

I loathe chasing noises in an engine. They can be so elusive. And it's even worse in noisy diesel engines.

Is the knocking sound any louder down at the oil pan? Rod or bearing noise (and maybe piston slap) will usually be much louder at the oil pan than up top. Same with a trans torque converter issue. Not sure if a flywheel could do it but I suppose if it where bad enough it might.

Does the noise increase in RPM throughout the entire RPM range or is it within a very specific range?

Replacing the timing chain is a huge undertaking with these engines as I'm sure you've read and so hopefully if you have to pull it apart, then that is what the problem is.



Of course one of these could be helpful. :-)

 

the noise seems come in around 1500 rpm to about 1900 rpm maybe a little more past 2000 rpm the noise seems to go away.

I have a manual transmission so no flex plate.

So far the loudest place I hear the noise at is at the front timing cover.

Ford says they will only charge one hour labor to diagnose the noise I just have to get the truck to them once it is registered and insured.

Normally if my back was good I would just replace the timing chain set for preventive maintenance.

It is so expensive to have it done since I cannot do the work It would be better off just buying a new engine and having it installed.

I was really hoping someone with a 2.3 could take the time to answer if their high mileage 2.3 makes the same or similar noise.

 

My 2.3 has about 133,000 miles on it and I don't have a knock or any noise from the timing cover area. I do have a "tick" noise though but it's exhaust related and only happens when the engine is under heavy load.