Loud engine knock/tick this morning

[pagluy]

Just started happening this morning, last night car was perfect. Engine is louder than normal, and there's a knock coming that speeds up/slows down with the rev of the engine. Car wasn't really running rough, but acceleration was definitely a little funky - I can't really explain it better than that.

Any ideas what my problem might be? The Lincoln dealer can't see the car until tomorrow morning.

 

[pagluy]

I just took it for a drive around the block to check it out, and it seemed to be back to normal now. Engine seemed smooth and there wasn't a loud knock. Still taking it for service tomorrow, still wondering wtf it is.

 

[rickztahone]

what gas are you using?

 

[01LSVT]

From my experience, it 'sounds' like a spun bearing. Had it happen to my SVT Contour, and that's exactly what it sounded like. BUT, I've also heard of people having a louder ticking, with a sticky injector.

Mark

 

[pagluy]

92+, I've only had the car about 3 weeks now.

 

[pagluy]

Just got a call back from Lincoln. They find nothing wrong with the engine, diagnostics show all injectors working & cylinders firing, and no issues with the engine otherwise. Maybe it is bad gas? Maybe bad gas, combined with some 63k mi injectors, combined with cold weather? Or maybe early signs of a failing injector.

Either way, I've got about 1/4 tank of gas left and I'm gonna go burn it out on the highway tonight, try a different brand (going for Amoco this time) and some quality injector cleaners and hope my issues clear up.

 

[97stscaddy]

A sticking lifter comes to mind, what engine do you have?

 

[pagluy]

I have the V8.

I did some more thinking about it, and another thing that I think might be the culprit is the cold air intake. On my last car I had one, and sometimes on really really cold mornings here in Ohio it would be rough, and I figured out that it was the intake covered in a little ice/condensation from the cold, and once it was blown off the car was 100% fine.

I think that might have been the cause of my problems with the LS, because it came with the K&N short throw intake, and that might have been why my engine seemed a lot louder, and could explain the reduced power I had. I think.

When I picked it up at the dealer yesterday it was driving normally. I drove it quite a bit on the highway last night (to burn through the rest of my gas so I can try a new brand, and to test out the car) and it felt 100% normal. I even pushed it some with some quick acceleration and everything was fine.

The dealer did tell me though that my front passenger wheel bearing is bad, which explains the slight vibration I've felt a couple of times too, so it wasn't a wasted trip.