98 Ford Windstar engine noise. I need help!

[cliffale]

98 Ford Windstar -- terrible mystery engine noise. We replaced the lifters, rocker arms, and rods and changed the oil. The noise is just as bad if not worse. The first part of the audio is with the accelerator barely down, and the last part are sounds of the engine idling on its own. What should we try next? Click this link to hear the noise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDsbl2BD9Ls&feature=youtu.be

 

[Chris142]

Sounds like the bottom end is ready to come apart. Or possibly a cracked flexplate. That will sound fatal too.

Remove a plug wire at a time or just poke them with a test light to kill each cyl until you find the one. Killing the spark will change the sound.

Must replace the wires if you poke them but thats not your big concern right now.

 

[ag_ghost]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Sounds like the bottom end is ready to come apart. Or possibly a cracked flexplate. That will sound fatal too.

The bottom end was my thought; at the end of the audio, the sound was chillingly familiar to the death knell our '95 3.8 had; it's the reason I learned about used oil analysis. IMHO, if you still want you really want to figure out if the sounds is from the top or bottom end, I'd try to use or rig up some kind of stethoscope-like device. If bits of a valve or something like that are loose, running it risks making the internals even worse.
Kevin

Welcome to BITOG anyway...

 

[crazyoildude]

how about the mounting bolts on the flywheel and or trans

 

[Kuato]

Sounds like a bearing on the crank; sorry...

 

[Burt]

How many miles on it? Any thoughts on what caused it?

 

[The_Eric]

You can always unbolt the torque converter from the engine to rule out a transmission/flex plate issue, but my bet is with the engine.

 

[nitehawk55]

Could be the flex plate , been many fooled on that one as it does sound like a rod knock even if the bolts have come loose or it is cracked . Pulling the starter may give you enough to have a look and see something and when cranking you may detect a noise .

If you snap the throttle a bit of idle if it is a rod you can sometimes get sort of a double knock out of it .

I would suggest the hose or big screwdriver to the ear (like a stethoscope) to try and pinpoint the area the noise is coming from .

It's too bad you went after the valve train , I would have known right away that was not coming from there , the noise is too deep .

Good luck with it .

 

[punisher]

What is the oil pressure?