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Engine tick/knocking noise

Siegelj8013

CEG'er
Joined
Mar 29, 2015
Messages
55
Location
Cincinnati, Ohio
Hello everyone. I have recently acquired the #29 contour svt from blu_fuz, and I absolutely love the car. Most solid contour I have ever driven, and it is very solid. I fear the engine may be on its way out though. I can hear a ticking noise while inside the car if I accelerate, but it is only while accelerating. Everything sounds perfectly normal if coasting or lightly accelerating. It ticks louder the harder you press the pedal, and the tick noise increases with the rpms. I just drove the car about 400 miles all highway, and the engine did not feel bad, and actually got fantastic fuel economy. I can hear a kind of ticking/knocking noise while the engine is idling though. My main fear is that it could be rod knock, but I also feel like I surely would have thrown a rod on a long trip like that if the rods were the problem. I also do not necessarily want to go 3L if the engine fails because I want to try to keep the car all original if possible. If anyone knows what it may be, please let me know. I still have to drive the car another 500 miles home from where I am on vacation. I could try to post a video if that may help.

John
 
update: When the engine is cold the noise is either really faint or not really there. When the engine is completely warmed up the noise is mostly audible.
 
If the noise is faint or not there when cold and gets louder as the engine warms up, especially when under load, then it sounds like the beginning stages of rod bearing failure. Check your oil level, and look for metal shavings on the drain plug. You can even stick your little finger in the drain hole, if not too hot, and see if any metal shavings are there. If everything checks out ok, it still sounds like you are starting to hammer a bearing, so be careful with your right foot! Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but its best to deal with this before major damage occurs.
 
If the noise is faint or not there when cold and gets louder as the engine warms up, especially when under load, then it sounds like the beginning stages of rod bearing failure. Check your oil level, and look for metal shavings on the drain plug. You can even stick your little finger in the drain hole, if not too hot, and see if any metal shavings are there. If everything checks out ok, it still sounds like you are starting to hammer a bearing, so be careful with your right foot! Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but its best to deal with this before major damage occurs.
 
I still have to drive it 500 miles home. Can you replace the bearings with the engine in the car? Is it too difficult? When I checked the dipstick and looked under the oil cap everything looked pretty clean and fresh. I do not want to get rid of this car, it has too much history and the cool early build number. Any advice proceeding? I also have a video posted in my duplicate thread that I will post here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G8KJjr5dJU&feature=youtu.be
 
its not cost effective to just replace the bearings because I believe other parts are damaged as well. Engine swap is the easiest and least time consuming. Yea the video kinda sounds like beginning of rod knock.
 
I have also been driving the car around town, and it doesn't seem to be getting any worse. I can not really hear any noise while driving with the windows down. I can only hear when the car is at idle or the windows are up.
 
If you have been driving the car and it isn't getting worse I am going to go out on a limb and say its something else. Have you listened around the front cover to see if it is timing chain related?
 
It seems like the noise is coming from the back left of the engine bay if you are looking into the engine bay from the front of the car. I have not stethoscoped it yet though.
 
Yes take a closer listen. Could be a pulley, chain tensioner, etc. Fairly certain that rod knock sounds like its from the top end, and I don't think there is any directionality to the noise. If a rod bearing was going to go, it is going to go. There isn't any driving hundreds of miles on it.
 
I've also seen the plastic on the chain tensioner guide break off at the end of the guide which could cause the loose plastic to slap back and forth against the guide. The ratchet style tensioner itself seemed to be fine in this case but if that plastic has broken off, I could see that maybe being your issue. If you could get a camera/scope in your oil drain plug to see if there's any plastic in your pan, you might find that as your issue.
 
Yeah, I just drove the car around town today and the ticking I really think is an exhaust tick, and then I can kind of hear the knock only when stopped pretty much. It is impossible to hear while moving. It is easiest to hear with the hood open and stopped. I will take a closer listen when I can this afternoon
 
I have to make it home first! I do not have tons of money to throw at the car, but I definitely see the awesomess of a 3L. I would have to stay with the stock 98 diff since I would be on quite a tight budget. I want to get as much life out of the 2.5 that I can though. I love that lil engine. Slightly off topic, but would the 3L sound pretty much the same? Also, anyone else think they may have an idea?
 
Had a noise tic nock when I first purchased my contour 98 4 cyl. . Turned out to be a lean mix from the wrong plugs and burnt my valves. Replaced valves and new oem spark plug . Since then no problems and 50000 miles later. I would say first cheap fix change the plugs to ford oem.
 
I will definitely try that. Those spark plugs aren't took expensive, so it is definitely worth a shot. I just think it's odd since it isn't getting any worse, and I can keep driving it around.
 
Also change the oil and filter. I only use synthetic oil {since the valve replacement} make's a big difference in overall performance of my car .
 
I will do all of those things when I get the car home. I just got out of the car and the sound actually seemed a little quieter. The oil is also a little above the full mark and quite clean. The car could probably use a general tuneup.
 
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