Sputtering/ticking when engine is hot?

[Relak]

Took my GT350 in because after 10 mins of spirited driving, I'm getting a sputtering noise from the left side of the engine bay.. sounds like an exhaust leak but also has a slight tick to it. They checked everything (manifold cracks, exhaust weld leaks, etc.) and said their only thing left is to open up the engine and check the valve train. I've had the valve train noise when the engine is cold, betweem 1,500-2,500 rpms, but this is something completely different.. Anyone else experience this? Thoughts?

Here's a video I took in my garage of the noise, after 15 mins of driving:
GT350 Sputtering Noise at Temp

:shrug:

Sponsored

 

[Tomster]

After you drive the car, shut the motor off and sit there and listen. The brakes make a noise like that as they cool down. Are you sure you are not hearing your brakes contracting? Get those brakes nice and warm and check it out.

I would look at all other options before I had someone start tearing into the motor.

 

[Relak]

After you drive the car, shut the motor off and sit there and listen. The brakes make a noise like that as they cool down. Are you sure you are not hearing your brakes contracting? Get those brakes nice and warm and check it out.

I would look at all other options before I had someone start tearing into the motor.

There's not way this is brakes.. It's on acceleration and when the engine is rev'd in neutral.

 

[Tomster]

There's not way this is brakes.. It's on acceleration and when the engine is rev'd in neutral.

ok. It sounded like that characteristic "tick" to me.

Best of luck

 

[Relak]

ok. It sounded like that characteristic "tick" to me.

Best of luck

Thanks, I wish it were the case. It's pretty embarrassing sitting at a stop light or driving through my neighborhood with the engine sounding like a 50cc one-stroker. There's no demished power that I've noticed, it just sounds horrendous, (worse in person than in the video)

 

[AmericanLegend]

Sounds like something in the valve train.

Hopefully it's an easy fix. Good luck!

Post up what it was once you know....

 

[Relak]

Starting to wonder if it's possibly to have a bad lifter on a new car? They used a stethoscope to determine if the noise was leaking external to the engine and they're not able to find any exhaust leak or crack. Next option is to open up the engine and replace the lifters... Dealer is waiting to hear back from Ford corporate on their recommendation before we go that route.

 

[cking]

just to make sure push the clutch in see if it changes. If so its throwout bearing

 

[oldmachguy]

It's at half crank speed. That and the higher pitch suggest valve train. Just my .02

 

[sigintel]

No codes?

Cracked plug blow by?
Carefully check plugs. First Blow out plug well w compressed air and vacuum in case cracked ceramic micro shards in there.

Failed valve seal? Blowby into valve cover? Remove valve cover breather w lots of rags or junk towels and see if it sputters real bad one side. Noise will get hella louder.

Really sounds like exhaust leak. Or cylinder firing cross head into neighbor cylinder w exhaust valve open.
Pull plug leads until you narrow it to one cylinder. Engine will run rough but focus on in exhaust noise stops.

Pull oil filter and cut. Could be crap blocking oil passageway starving heads for oil.

 

[johnny1]

That is what warranty is for. Make them keep after it till they find it. If you mess with it they could try to pass the problem onto you doing something wrong even though you didn't. Document every thing being done. And if they drag there feet call Ford and make them get a district rep in there.

 

[stanglife]

timing/valvetrain or...it's hard to tell sometimes but it could also be exhaust. As someone else mentioned, get a stethoscope and find out where it's coming from.

 

[Relak]

It's going back to the shop next Monday. They've determined that it's NOT an exhaust leak (even though thats what it sounds like to me), and will first attempt to figure out which cylinder is causing the noise/diagnose/fix, repeat if necessary...Didn't start making this noise until after I got it back from the AC condensor being replaced. Not too happy with having the car in the shop most of the summer.

 

[Relak]

Dropped the car off this morning and on the drive in the ticking was really pronounced. Seems to be when the oil temps go over 200 so I think it's a bad lifter. Will find out in a few days.

 

[Relak]

Just heard back from the dealer after 3 days with no information. They've checked a number of things and were initially thinking it was bad lifters but have now determined it's something else. They pulled the oil filter off and found a good amount of metal shavings so the next step is to pull the oil pan. Unfortunately, according to Ford, this requires removal of the engine.

At this point I'm past my knowledge of engines and what could cause the issues I've been having but doesn't sound good. Especially unhappy that they're having to remove the engine because of the time/labor/and room for error during reinstallation.

Anyone with any mechanical knowledge able to provide a hypothesis? Dealer is thinking a new short block might be in order, but I've got no idea what that means in terms of difficulty/further issues.. :shrug:

Sponsored