Mexican Noise Maker

Alright, so this will likely be about the most vague thing I've ever described ...


So I drove my rig to work today. Drove fine. Drove it home. Drove fine. That's about 60 miles. Picked up the wife and son and drive down to the store and the minute I hit the gas on the street and from 10-30 there's a sound that can only be described like a mexican noise maker. It's slow to start and gets louder and faster as I drive faster. It sounds like plastic clicking, and its happening under the front half of the rig from what I could tell through our front windows, but more like under us or no farther up then the front axle. The sound doesn't sound muffled, ie external not inside something ... if that makes sense.

If I drive faster than 30 then it disappears all together.

Any suggestions on how I can figure out whats happening since I have to drive fast enough to see what it is?

Thanks!

Dont drive under 30

Or have someone else drive and crawl around

Put it on jack stand and 4hi and have a look around

20jeep00 said:

Put it on jack stand and 4hi and have a look around

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DO NOT DO THIS! I would check front driveshaft and axle shafts to see if there is anything that might have gotten caught in there. Next check u joints. They can make some wierd noises.

Zip tie on the driveshaft?

bails85 said:

DO NOT DO THIS! I would check front driveshaft and axle shafts to see if there is anything that might have gotten caught in there. Next check u joints. They can make some wierd noises.

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Why not? 4 jack stands and someone in the vehicle should be ok. I would suggest a lift but not everyonebhas access to one.

20jeep00 said:

Why not?

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because the torque from the engine could throw the vehicle off the stands and KILL YOU. probably? no. possible? yes.

check the fan shrouds, both the mechanical and electric. make sure the tabs on the bottom haven't busted loose, this will let the shroud hit the fan (for the mechanical one) or the power steering pump pulley (the electric one). either of these could cause the problem you are describing because airflow through the radiator would force them back towards the engine.

Yea I see the point. Anything is possible.

go check to make sure the electric fan isn't missing any blade and isn't contacting anything.

I had a similar noise when my downstream O2 sensor lead came unplugged. loose connector end flopped around hitting the driveshaft - sounds like it comes from directly underneath you. My noise went away before I found it when the ds finally caught the connector and ripped the wires in two.

Rubber coming loose inside the harmonic balancer slapping the main fan?

Had an issue like this a while back ... whenever I hit the gas to accelerate there was a rattling something fierce. Thought it was a al loose heat shield ... couldn't find it. It made my rig sound like it was falling apart when I hit the gas starting off and up to about 35-40km'h.

Then oe day I noticed the bottom of my mechanical fan shroud was not attached (I forgot to set the lower tabs in right I guess) ... fixed that and the sound disappeared forever.

mako my day said:

Zip tie on the driveshaft?

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Hahaha. I love doing that......