Rattle?

[Nick Miller]

When I was starting my 2002 sport Trac 4x4 this morning, it made loud rattle and continued to rattle while idling(but not as loud). I revved the engine while in park and the rattle stopped. Also when I put in drive and drove home, the rattle stopped. When I got home, put in park and rattle came back and got louder when I shut off engine. Any idea what it could be?

 

[Jackson Ellis]

Need more info. Was it coming from under the hood? Under the carriage? Is it a tinny rattle (like thin metal), or a hard rattle (like a rock in a bucket)?



Popular idle rattles are heat shields (tinny sound), exhaust components from the manifold all the way back to the tail pipe, and any loose item bolted onto the engine (these last two are usually harder sounding rattles).



At idle, the engine shakes more than when revved up. When you shut it off, it shakes a lot. The exhaust does the same. At higher revs, the engine and the exhaust stream are smoother.

 

[EddieS'04]

Timing chain tensoners are oil pressure driven. Might be when pressure is higher @ higher rpm's.



Just a thought. One of those things, that you have to be there to diagnose.

 

[Nick Miller]

I don't hear the noise with hood open and standing in front of truck. I can feel it with my feet when sitting in drivers seat. I did notice a lot of snow/ice packed under truck.