Quacking/Wind Up Toy Noise

[mustangpegasus51]

Hey All!

So my car has actually been approved for buyback already (that process being a whole other can of worms) but during my travels to various dealerships looking for replacements, pretty sure I heard a brand new 2020 making a noise that mine currently makes. (See below video, noise cuts in at around 11s and again at around 14s.) Is this a normal noise, or do both cars possibly have issues?

It happens most prominently in low gear after blipping the throttle. Does anyone know what this noise actually is? Would be genuinely stoked for any input. Thanks!

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[Bikeman315]

I’m sorry but it’s been a long day.

 

[Elp_jc]

It was a manual, right? And the engine was cold, right? Video is not very clear, but if the answer to both was yes, I'm almost sure it's the Borg Warner (intake) cam phasers making that ratcheting 'cleaning' noise, which is supposedly normal when engine is cold. It happened to my 2018 F-150 too when cold (absent when hot). When the noise is present when hot, phasers need replacing. I never heard them on my truck until I actually tried (successfully) to duplicate them one cold morning, but never heard it again.

Haven't tried that the Mustang, but haven't heard them at all so far either. I actually thought Ford got rid of that 'feature', which reportedly is a cleaning cycle, according to a Borg Warner video I saw once. Not the most refined system, obviously, but supposedly not detrimental to the engine... which turned out not to be correct, since many failed, and needed to be replaced (especially 2018 engines). I assume the same issue happened to Mustangs.

FInally, if auto, A10s can make almost the same noise, but when you blip the throttle, it happens when engine is still accelerating, rather than decelerating, like with the phasers. Couldn't tell from your video, but that can tell you if it was the tranny or the phasers (or both. Ha ha).

You can make another video, but this time open the hood, and put the phone close to the engine, like the radiator plastic guard. Having said that, if a manual car, use the factory rev-match feature and see if it makes it. And if only when cold, or cold and hot. If auto, how did you drive it? If it's only present when cold, it wouldn't bother me that much, plus you could just learn how to drive it to avoid it, if possible. I drove several cars, and never heard it, so probably your driving style. Good luck.

 

[mustangpegasus51]

@Elp_jc I have the A10. I'll try get an accurate video and get some more accurate diagnostics, but It makes the noise in any low gear it seems, including park, when I let off throttle. Would this mean the most likely culprit is the phasers?

Here's some more videos. Note the ratcheting at 6s and 8s.



Here's another video with the noise coming at various times. Definitely seems to be happening when off throttle.



OP of this thread (https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/2018-mustang-gt-noise.140090/) had the same ratchet noise at 25s into the below video:


It does seem to go away if I drive for long enough, but there seems to be a time gap between the engine warming up and the noise going away.

Like you said, I may be driving in a way to "find" the noise; although it's pretty prominent at some times of day.

However, if the damage has already been done to the phasers (and maybe the engine?) it's good to know that the buyback was approved.

 

[geep81]

It's a normal noise in my opinion, my brand new '19 did it and my '20 also does it. Gets quieter when it's warmer, but you can also hear it while driving if you listen real close.

 

[mustangpegasus51]

@geep81 was able to test drive a brand new 2020 GT in the same spec. Made the same noise, clear as day.

Noise on my vehicle seems to go away once fully warmed up.

 

[Elp_jc]

OP, the timing of the noise between the A10 tranny and the phasers is extremely similar, so the easiest way to know which one is doing it, is with the hood open, as I told you. The phasers will clearly come from the top front of the engine. The tranny from below. So open the hood, and have somebody gun the throttle for you, and put your phone right where the phasers are (on both sides of the engine), then move the phone lower into the engine, to see if the noise increases or decreases. And do it when cold, and fully hot. The phasers should be quiet when hot. The tranny shouldn't make that noise at all, but don't remember what was the verdict from Ford, since many trucks made it (mine didn't). You could search for those threads over the F-150 forum, out of curiosity, to see if it was considered 'normal' by Ford at the end, or not. Good luck.

 

[mustangpegasus51]

@Elp_jc need to work on finding a volunteer first to rev for me haha. In SoCal many people are still squeamish about hanging out with covid and all so it's been hard to get a friend out for these kinds of experiments.

Given that a 2020 still did this and the noise goes away when warm, I'm leaning towards phasers. Regardless, will try to do the experiment as you described so I can get a better recording.

 

[Elp_jc]

If noise goes away when hot, it's probably a normal characteristic (as Ford calls it), so no worries, at least for now. Get the new recording when you have a chance .

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