death rattle? from 3.8L V6

On Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:54:23 -0500, "Mike Hunter"
<mikehunt2@lycos/com> wrote:

>Why not try asking the person that did the rebuild?
>
>
>"Whoever" <nobody RemoveThis @devnull.none> wrote in message
>news:Pine.LNX.4.64.0811151517570.8308@newhome...
>>I have a '94 car with the 3.8L V6. The car has done about 40k miles since
>>an engine rebuild (as you might expect, the rebuild was due to failed head
>>gasket).
>>
>> The engine now intermittently makes a squeaking noise. Sometimes it is
>> more like a rattle, sometimes it is more like metal-on-metal scraping. It
>> does this even with the accessory belt removed (for a short time!).
>>
>> There is no significant loss of coolant. The oil does not look like it has
>> any water in it. I did notice some water dripping from the exhaust while
>> idling on the driveway. Yesterday, while idling at traffic lights, it
>> idled very rough -- I assume it was not firing on all cylinders.
>>
>> Can anyone suggest what might be wrong?
>
3.8 fords with headgasket leakage are generally good for only one
thing - a boat anchor. I have not seen one that has lasted any length
of time ofter a repair - a TOTAL rebuild including all bearings, new
pistons etc with a thourough boiling out of the block is the ONLY
solution.
 >> Stay informed about: death rattle? from 3.8L V6 

in article Pine.LNX.4.64.0811151517570.8308@newhome, Whoever at
nobody.RemoveThis@devnull.none wrote on 11/15/08 3:24 PM:

> The engine now intermittently makes a squeaking noise. Sometimes it is
> more like a rattle, sometimes it is more like metal-on-metal scraping. It
> does this even with the accessory belt removed (for a short time!).


grab a broom stick or a piece of firm wood about a 4 feet long.

place it along side your ear like laying on the railroad tracks.

then place the other end of the stick on to engine block ...

listen ... here and there ...

poke about safely enough with the engine running ...

and listen to the part of the engine that has that noise but it is the
loudest on the stick along side your ear ...

then you will have a better idea of what to dig for.

the broom stick ... is old school auto stethescope.

my guess ... you lost a bearing ...

and it is getting sloppy in the ignition time.

sumbuddie hopes this helps


 >> Stay informed about: death rattle? from 3.8L V6 

Both the oil and the coolant look pure?

I think all the 94's were OBDII. Take it to an auto parts store
(Autozone?) for free elec. diagnostics. May or may-not indicate
the problem.

Checked the water pump? Just stick your finger under it to see
if there is coolant leakage.

P


On Sat, 15 Nov 2008 15:24:13 -0800, Whoever <nobody.RemoveThis@devnull.none> wrote:

>I have a '94 car with the 3.8L V6. The car has done about 40k miles since
>an engine rebuild (as you might expect, the rebuild was due to failed head
>gasket).
>
>The engine now intermittently makes a squeaking noise. Sometimes it is
>more like a rattle, sometimes it is more like metal-on-metal scraping. It
>does this even with the accessory belt removed (for a short time!).
>
>There is no significant loss of coolant. The oil does not look like it has
>any water in it. I did notice some water dripping from the exhaust while
>idling on the driveway. Yesterday, while idling at traffic lights, it
>idled very rough -- I assume it was not firing on all cylinders.
>
>Can anyone suggest what might be wrong?

"Take Yo' Hand Out My Pocket (I Ain't Got Nothing What Belongs To You)!"
- Rice Miller, who probably never even _heard_ of GW Bush, Paulson, etc
 >> Stay informed about: death rattle? from 3.8L V6 

On Sun, 16 Nov 2008, Puddin' Man wrote:

> Both the oil and the coolant look pure?

Yes, no sign of emulsification in either the oil or water.

>
> I think all the 94's were OBDII. Take it to an auto parts store
> (Autozone?) for free elec. diagnostics. May or may-not indicate
> the problem.

No, it does not have OBDII.

>
> Checked the water pump? Just stick your finger under it to see
> if there is coolant leakage.

The water pump is driven by the accessory belt. It still makes the noise
when I run it (for a short time only) with the accessory belt removed.
 >> Stay informed about: death rattle? from 3.8L V6 

On Nov 15, 6:24 pm, Whoever <nob....TakeThisOut@devnull.none> wrote:
> I have a '94 car with the 3.8L V6. The car has done about 40k miles since
> an engine rebuild (as you might expect, the rebuild was due to failed head
> gasket).
>
> The engine now intermittently makes a squeaking noise. Sometimes it is
> more like a rattle, sometimes it is more like metal-on-metal scraping. It
> does this even with the accessory belt removed (for a short time!).
>
> There is no significant loss of coolant. The oil does not look like it has
> any water in it. I did notice some water dripping from the exhaust while
> idling on the driveway. Yesterday, while idling at traffic lights, it
> idled very rough -- I assume it was not firing on all cylinders.
>
> Can anyone suggest what might be wrong?

the person who did the rebuild probly half stepped it or they put a
used motor in and told you they rebuilt it you never know
 >> Stay informed about: death rattle? from 3.8L V6 

On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 11:08:56 -0800, Whoever <nobody.RemoveThis@devnull.none>
wrote:

>
>
>On Sun, 16 Nov 2008, Puddin' Man wrote:
>
>> Both the oil and the coolant look pure?
>
>Yes, no sign of emulsification in either the oil or water.
>
>>
>> I think all the 94's were OBDII. Take it to an auto parts store
>> (Autozone?) for free elec. diagnostics. May or may-not indicate
>> the problem.
>
>No, it does not have OBDII.
>
>>
>> Checked the water pump? Just stick your finger under it to see
>> if there is coolant leakage.
>
>The water pump is driven by the accessory belt. It still makes the noise
>when I run it (for a short time only) with the accessory belt removed.

OBD2 starte officially in 1996 - a very few 1995s had it but no Fords
that I am aware of.
 >> Stay informed about: death rattle? from 3.8L V6 

Whoever wrote:
> Can anyone suggest what might be wrong?

Check to see if the bolts that hold the smog pump to the front of the
engine have not backed out and are hitting the back of the smog pump pulley.
 >> Stay informed about: death rattle? from 3.8L V6 

clare.TakeThisOut@snyder.on.ca wrote:
>
> OBD2 starte officially in 1996 - a very few 1995s had it but no Fords
> that I am aware of.

My 1995 4.6 T-Bird LX has OBD-II
 >> Stay informed about: death rattle? from 3.8L V6 

On Sun, 16 Nov 2008, Steve Stone wrote:

> Whoever wrote:
> > Can anyone suggest what might be wrong?
>
> Check to see if the bolts that hold the smog pump to the front of the engine
> have not backed out and are hitting the back of the smog pump pulley.

I did not realize that this engine has a smog pump. Even so, surely it
would be driven by the accessory belt, so if the engine makes the same
sound with the belt removed, this seems an unlikely cause?



>
 >> Stay informed about: death rattle? from 3.8L V6 

On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:12:49 -0500, Steve Stone <spfleck.TakeThisOut@citlink.net> wrote:

>clare@snyder.on.ca wrote:
>>
>> OBD2 starte officially in 1996 - a very few 1995s had it but no Fords
>> that I am aware of.
>
>My 1995 4.6 T-Bird LX has OBD-II

My 1994 4.6 T-Bird LX has OBD-II. I kinda assumed the other 94's
were OBD-II as well. Dunno for sure.

Do we even know fo' sho' which platform houses the OP's 3.8 L?

Ever been wrecked? Any chance the noise comes from around torque
converter/tranny??

P

"Take Yo' Hand Out My Pocket (I Ain't Got Nothing What Belongs To You)!"
- Rice Miller, who probably never even _heard_ of GW Bush, Paulson, etc
 >> Stay informed about: death rattle? from 3.8L V6 

On Mon, 17 Nov 2008, Puddin' Man wrote:

> On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:12:49 -0500, Steve Stone <spfleck.DeleteThis@citlink.net> wrote:
>
>> clare.DeleteThis@snyder.on.ca wrote:
>>>
>>> OBD2 starte officially in 1996 - a very few 1995s had it but no Fords
>>> that I am aware of.
>>
>> My 1995 4.6 T-Bird LX has OBD-II
>
> My 1994 4.6 T-Bird LX has OBD-II. I kinda assumed the other 94's
> were OBD-II as well. Dunno for sure.
>
> Do we even know fo' sho' which platform houses the OP's 3.8 L?

Thunderbird.


>
> Ever been wrecked? Any chance the noise comes from around torque
> converter/tranny??

It's possible. All I can tell is that the noise is there on a fast idle.
Typically, if I rev the engine up and then let it slow down again, it will
make the noise rather badly as the revs drop (but not while revving).
Mostly it is quiet (maybe a slight squeaking noise) when the revs drop
down to 600-700 rpm.

As far as I know, the car was never wrecked. I bought it 3 years ago, and
it does not have a salvage title. I've had 3 years/30k miles of motoring
out of it for less than $2k plus a few hundred dollars of maintenance out
of it, so I haven't done too badly. Total mileage is 140k (prior engine
failed less than 100 miles short of 100k).
 >> Stay informed about: death rattle? from 3.8L V6 

On Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:58:25 -0800, Whoever <nobody.TakeThisOut@devnull.none>
wrote:

>
>
>On Mon, 17 Nov 2008, Puddin' Man wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:12:49 -0500, Steve Stone <spfleck.TakeThisOut@citlink.net> wrote:
>>
>>> clare.TakeThisOut@snyder.on.ca wrote:
>>>>
>>>> OBD2 starte officially in 1996 - a very few 1995s had it but no Fords
>>>> that I am aware of.
>>>
>>> My 1995 4.6 T-Bird LX has OBD-II
>>
>> My 1994 4.6 T-Bird LX has OBD-II. I kinda assumed the other 94's
>> were OBD-II as well. Dunno for sure.
>>
>> Do we even know fo' sho' which platform houses the OP's 3.8 L?
>
>Thunderbird.
>
>
>>
>> Ever been wrecked? Any chance the noise comes from around torque
>> converter/tranny??
>
>It's possible. All I can tell is that the noise is there on a fast idle.
>Typically, if I rev the engine up and then let it slow down again, it will
>make the noise rather badly as the revs drop (but not while revving).
>Mostly it is quiet (maybe a slight squeaking noise) when the revs drop
>down to 600-700 rpm.
>
>As far as I know, the car was never wrecked. I bought it 3 years ago, and
>it does not have a salvage title. I've had 3 years/30k miles of motoring
>out of it for less than $2k plus a few hundred dollars of maintenance out
>of it, so I haven't done too badly. Total mileage is 140k (prior engine
>failed less than 100 miles short of 100k).


Brother in law had a 3.8 Tbird - engine rebuilt twice - third time
found the block was not true - cam and crank bearings did not line up.
It got traded in at the dealer he bought it from after being
re-assembled as is - noise and all.
 >> Stay informed about: death rattle? from 3.8L V6 

Whoever wrote:

>
> I did not realize that this engine has a smog pump. Even so, surely it
> would be driven by the accessory belt, so if the engine makes the same
> sound with the belt removed, this seems an unlikely cause?
>

I'm not sure if your car has a smog pump or not.
The last 3.8 ford I owned was a 1985 T-Bird.
I did work on my Mom's 3.8 Continental a few times.
The rough running engine issue, if the engine uses the EEC-IV computer,
might be the ignition module clamped to the distributor. (if it has
one). Just about every higher mileage Ford I've owned from the 80's thru
the 90's tended burn out the spot welds that hold the cat converter heat
shields in place, making a nasty rattle, corrected by securing the heat
shields to the cats with large stainless hose clamps.

All wild guess on my part.. could even be a vac hose leak, egr issue,
worn thru wiring harness, a mouse that was looking for a home and died
where they shouldn't.
 >> Stay informed about: death rattle? from 3.8L V6