Need a quick opinion….

[underwhelmed]

This morning I noticed a plastic rattling sound coming from engine bay. I have a short video below so you can hear the sound and a pic of what I think maybe the culprit. The pic is taken straight down behind the fan. The piece I think is rattling is right between fan and engine. Has a sensor or two and is around the connection from fan to block. Seems really loose and I can’t find a way to tighten it. Anyone heard or seen this issue or have another suggestion for culprit. Plan on making a 6 hour drive tomorrow to go hunting for weekend. Opinions and thoughts appreciated.

Sponsored

 

[got3fords]

After reading about the catastrophic failures some have seen regarding that assembly, I would definitely not take it on a 6 hour trip. You should plan on another way to get there.

 

[underwhelmed]

After reading about the catastrophic failures some have seen regarding that assembly, I would definitely not take it on a 6 hour trip. You should plan on another way to get there.

Got any links regarding "catastrophic failure" you mentioned?

 

[JasonTremor]

I don't hear anything other than direct fuel injection pump and injector noise in the video. Based on that, I would say no abnormal noise heard.

 

[underwhelmed]

Thanks for the replies. Based off the response regarding DI pump I was able to research and it sounds like this is pretty normal. I’ll just turn the blower fan up a notch and/or crank the radio a notch.. pretty annoying outside the vehicle when it cranks. First DI vehicle I’ve had.

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/engine-sound.2734/

 

[FX4rd]

The catastrophic failure that other guy was talking about was pertaining to the horrible Fan Clutch Assembly failure. Your symptoms could potentially be an early warning of just that.

Basically if it fails it could destroy that whole wiring harness with some costly repairs.

Heres one of a few threads about it:
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/thre...ence-a-fan-clutch-going-bad.25821/post-592062

 

[underwhelmed]

The catastrophic failure that other guy was talking about was pertaining to the horrible Fan Clutch Assembly failure. Your symptoms could potentially be an early warning of just that.

Basically if it fails it could destroy that whole wiring harness with some costly repairs.

Heres one of a few threads about it:
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/thre...ence-a-fan-clutch-going-bad.25821/post-592062

Thanks for your reply. Is the sound (someone referred to it as a chirp) different than the Injector pump noise? Mine sounds like the sound in the video posted in the DI noise thread I linked. Now my worry about my six hour drive is back ?

 

[got3fords]

You say something seems really loose. What are you referring to? I just checked the assembly that attaches to the fan clutch, it moves a little, but not very loose. Is the hose firmly attached at both ends?

 

[NotBudule]

I think the one that blew apart and twisted everything up was a belt tensioner that failed and took the fan with it , which was the first one that we know of , but several have had fan clutch issues I believe...

 

[underwhelmed]

You say something seems really loose. What are you referring to? I just checked the assembly that attaches to the fan clutch, it moves a little, but not very loose. Is the hose firmly attached at both ends?

Yeah, that’s it. Not super loose, but I thought it might be the source of the noise. Y’all have been a great help. Not concerned with this “normal-ish” sound anymore. Starting my 6 hour drive to SC low country as scheduled in the early AM.

 

[airline tech]

Yes, the sound bite you posted appears to be just the HPFP noise, louder at start up and once the pressure equalizes it quiets down, within a minute or so after start up.
No engine cover = equals the louder it is, no foam cover absorbing and muffling the sound.

Now, the area and part you are describing is the fan clutch, the black electronic module on the back side of the Fan-Clutch is designed to float and it is not a rigid secure mount.
With engine off, you can rock it side to side, however with engine running it should pretty much be stationary.
This is the unresolved theory on the Fan Clutch failure, what precisely is causing the hose to break, is it degradation of the hose or is it the Fan Clutch putting too much stress on the support hose.
Or a combination of both.

Either way, per the service manuals there is zero guidance on the Fan Clutch failures expect for Code Only troubleshoot.
One way to tell for one that is Failing is to watch the operation and note how much rotational force is being applied to that hose.
This one failure item has sparked my interest and would love to get my hands on a failed clutch just to see what is actually happening or a documented dealer tech explanation as to why the intended or unintended outcome for a full fan clutch failure result is the hose and wiring harness being ripped out.
I have a hunch it is a bearing and or raceway causing the electronic module to hang and grab and is being forced in the direction of fan rotation, the support hose is only a support it is not designed to handle a great force being applied.

So, if my hunch is correct replacement of the hose is just a band-aid fix to the actual issue of a failing (expensive) fan clutch.
The reasoning for my hunch is that when I watch my fan clutch, I see zero rotation force on the module. It stays stationary,
The problem is I have not seen any failing fan clutches to do a side-by-side comparison and note any difference between them.
Is a good one different from one that has had the hose actually break?

 

[underwhelmed]

Yes, the sound bite you posted appears to be just the HPFP noise, louder at start up and once the pressure equalizes it quiets down, within a minute or so after start up.
No engine cover = equals the louder it is, no foam cover absorbing and muffling the sound.

Now, the area and part you are describing is the fan clutch, the black electronic module on the back side of the Fan-Clutch is designed to float and it is not a rigid secure mount.
With engine off, you can rock it side to side, however with engine running it should pretty much be stationary.
This is the unresolved theory on the Fan Clutch failure, what precisely is causing the hose to break, is it degradation of the hose or is it the Fan Clutch putting too much stress on the support hose.
Or a combination of both.

Either way, per the service manuals there is zero guidance on the Fan Clutch failures expect for Code Only troubleshoot.
One way to tell for one that is Failing is to watch the operation and note how much rotational force is being applied to that hose.
This one failure item has sparked my interest and would love to get my hands on a failed clutch just to see what is actually happening or a documented dealer tech explanation as to why the intended or unintended outcome for a full fan clutch failure result is the hose and wiring harness being ripped out.
I have a hunch it is a bearing and or raceway causing the electronic module to hang and grab and is being forced in the direction of fan rotation, the support hose is only a support it is not designed to handle a great force being applied.

So, if my hunch is correct replacement of the hose is just a band-aid fix to the actual issue of a failing (expensive) fan clutch.
The reasoning for my hunch is that when I watch my fan clutch, I see zero rotation force on the module. It stays stationary,
The problem is I have not seen any failing fan clutches to do a side-by-side comparison and note any difference between them.
Is a good one different from one that has had the hose actually break?

Thanks for your response and info. Appreciate it.

 

[got3fords]

Yeah, that’s it. Not super loose, but I thought it might be the source of the noise. Y’all have been a great help. Not concerned with this “normal-ish” sound anymore. Starting my 6 hour drive to SC low country as scheduled in the early AM.

Well it's great you checked in with us, and I am sorry if I scared you, but better safe than sorry.

 

[got3fords]

Yes, the sound bite you posted appears to be just the HPFP noise, louder at start up and once the pressure equalizes it quiets down, within a minute or so after start up.
No engine cover = equals the louder it is, no foam cover absorbing and muffling the sound.

Now, the area and part you are describing is the fan clutch, the black electronic module on the back side of the Fan-Clutch is designed to float and it is not a rigid secure mount.
With engine off, you can rock it side to side, however with engine running it should pretty much be stationary.
This is the unresolved theory on the Fan Clutch failure, what precisely is causing the hose to break, is it degradation of the hose or is it the Fan Clutch putting too much stress on the support hose.
Or a combination of both.
So, if my hunch is correct replacement of the hose is just a band-aid fix to the actual issue of a failing (expensive) fan clutch.

If I understand your 'hunch' is that under normal operating conditions, the stock set up could be just fine, but when the clutch itself fails, it's gonna wipe it all out.

 

[MarioCart]

I'm still going to follow this thread.
For some reason in a few days I feel we are going to hear about a grenaded transmission.

Sponsored