I6 300 ROUGH IDLE

[RonD]

If you apply vacuum to the EGR Valve it should cause idling engine to stumble and eventually die

You should not have to plug the EGR Valve's hose with finger, as it should have NO vacuum at idle from EGR solenoid, if it did the solenoid valve was leaking

EGR systems are only used after warm up and then only when engine has a load, i.e. driving, so no vacuum to EGR valve at idle ever, on any vehicle

 

[4x4prepper]

> I thought it was due to a new oil filter so I tried a different one, but same thing

Are you using a Motorcraft FL-1A ? Many knocking noises at start up where solved by just swapping in a real (not counterfeit) FL-1A filter. The only other filter I would consider other then that would be a Mobil 1, which is basically what the FL-1A is (or it was). The cheasp filters just seem to have improper by pass valves or whatever.


Same sort of thing with tune-ups at the Chevy dealership. People would come in after a tune-up at Sears with knocking and drive-ability problems and many of them went away just with swapping in the original proper AC-Delco plugs.

After redoing tune-ups done by other people with the wrong plugs or oil filters, I pretty much follow this rule of thumb:

Ford only Motorcraft oil filters and plugs (except my 2.8L I will use Autolite)
Chevy only AC-Delco for plugs and oil filter
My pro Husqvarna and Stihl chainsaws only NGK spark plugs.
I try to use OEM 02 sensors or Bosch, using anything else can lead to less then optimal results. Same thing with MAF and MAP sensors.

Though I might use Champion or whatever gizmo plug they have at an auto store for a Poulan chainsaw or B&S engine.

Except maybe a 4.0L with bad wrist pins, many older (pre 2000) Ford engines with start up knocks are from a bad oil filter, from experience. If it says WIX, you've been FRAMed :-D

One thing that can cause a "knock" at start up and then go away is a bad slack adjuster/idler on the serpentine belt. Put a 1/2" (3/8"?) wrench on it and move it to remove enough tension to see if the wheel flops around or is hard to turn. Then put it back and try to move the idler by hand, if you can easily move it, it is bad. Those are the only two things I can think of at the moment that would cause a knock at start up that then goes away except bad (crank) bearings, but, I do not think you have that.

 

[4x4prepper]

FWIW: I quit YT, Twitter, and Facebook when they censored a sitting POTUS, I nuked my channels and started up again elsewhere. So, I avoid watching anything on YT/fakebook, and Twitter whenever possible, which includes the videos in this thread, unless I have to.

I decided to bite the bullet and watch the ones in this thread, even though I disliked doing it. The squeaking in the video in post #4, that can be heard in post #1 too, imho, that is your idler pulley or tensioner.

1987 FORD F-150 4.9L 300cid L6 Belt Tensioner | RockAuto

RockAuto ships auto parts and body parts from over 300 manufacturers to customers' doors worldwide, all at warehouse prices. Easy to use parts catalog.

www.rockauto.com

You need to fix whatever that metal squeak/squeal is.

Sounds like you have an exhaust leak.

 

[Mhfco6]

If you apply vacuum to the EGR Valve it should cause idling engine to stumble and eventually die

You should not have to plug the EGR Valve's hose with finger, as it should have NO vacuum at idle from EGR solenoid, if it did the solenoid valve was leaking

EGR systems are only used after warm up and then only when engine has a load, i.e. driving, so no vacuum to EGR valve at idle ever, on any vehicle

Ron, would you say because the truck did not idle like trash when the EGR had a vacuum applied that something is not working properly? How can I further test the EGR?

 

[Mhfco6]

FWIW: I quit YT, Twitter, and Facebook when they censored a sitting POTUS, I nuked my channels and started up again elsewhere. So, I avoid watching anything on YT/fakebook, and Twitter whenever possible, which includes the videos in this thread, unless I have to.

I decided to bite the bullet and watch the ones in this thread, even though I disliked doing it. The squeaking in the video in post #4, that can be heard in post #1 too, imho, that is your idler pulley or tensioner.

1987 FORD F-150 4.9L 300cid L6 Belt Tensioner | RockAuto

RockAuto ships auto parts and body parts from over 300 manufacturers to customers' doors worldwide, all at warehouse prices. Easy to use parts catalog.

www.rockauto.com

You need to fix whatever that metal squeak/squeal is.

Sounds like you have an exhaust leak.

Haha, I thank you for going against your morals and watching these videos. I too rid of all social media, then got FB for marketplace and ended up back in the poison trap with the FB reels. They are truly addicting. I have a new GATES belt in the cab and wondered if the tensioner should be next due to the squeak. I got rid of a Chevrolet once because it wouldn’t run right unless I went broke buying only ACDelco parts (plugs, coil packs etc..) So this truck is the same way huh? The plugs wires are motorcraft and plugs are 5125 autolite (not sure is platinum or copper) all replaced last year. Oil filter is a WIX.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Ron, would you say because the truck did not idle like trash when the EGR had a vacuum applied that something is not working properly? How can I further test the EGR?

Applying vacuum to the EGR should open the valve and cause it to lean out, which would cause it to idle like shit (or shittier) then it was originally up to the point of stalling.

If it made no change i would guess the valve is stuck open.

Other option might be the egr port being blocked by carbon. My 2.9 did this and i literally had to hammer and chisel (well, with an old briggs head bolt playing the chisel part) out.

 

[Mhfco6]

Applying vacuum to the EGR should open the valve and cause it to lean out, which would cause it to idle like shit (or shittier) then it was originally up to the point of stalling.

If it made no change i would guess the valve is stuck open.

Other option might be the egr port being blocked by carbon. My 2.9 did this and i literally had to hammer and chisel (well, with an old briggs head bolt playing the chisel part) out.

I’ll remove the EGRand clean/play with it to see if it could be

If you apply vacuum to the EGR Valve it should cause idling engine to stumble and eventually die

You should not have to plug the EGR Valve's hose with finger, as it should have NO vacuum at idle from EGR solenoid, if it did the solenoid valve was leaking

EGR systems are only used after warm up and then only when engine has a load, i.e. driving, so no vacuum to EGR valve at idle ever, on any vehicle

I replaced the belt and no more squeak, however the knocking still exists at startup. I removed the EGR valve and the plunger was so stuck I had to soak in carb cleaner and knock it loose with a small socket & hammer.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I’ll remove the EGRand clean/play with it to see if it could be

I replaced the belt and no more squeak, however the knocking still exists at startup. I removed the EGR valve and the plunger was so stuck I had to soak in carb cleaner and knock it loose with a small socket & hammer.

What oil filter you running and what weight oil?

 

[RonD]

Try "Clear Flooded Engine" mode for start up and see if knock at start up goes away

All EFI computers have Clear Flooded Engine in their software, its a way to crank the engine over without adding fuel from the injectors, to dry engine out if its Flooded

Key on
Press gas pedal to the floor and hold it down all the way
(Throttle wide open + 0 RPM = Turn OFF fuel injectors)
Turn key to START
Engine should just crank and not fire, spark is on, but no fuel from injectors

I use this every morning to start my high mile 4.0l, to get oil circulated prior to start up, eliminated the lifter "ticks" I was getting on start up, after shutdown warm oil was draining out of upper engine, so very little oil on cold start the next day
Crank for 5 seconds then release gas pedal and engine starts, no ticks or knocks


If engine starts with gas pedal down to the floor then your throttle cable has stretched and you are not getting Wide Open Throttle(WOT) on the TPS(throttle position sensor)

Key off, lol
Push gas pedal down to the floor, use a stick or ?? to hold it down
Go to engine and see if you can manually open throttle a bit more, if so then cable is stretched, Google: Ranger throttle cable mod
Simple fix, works on most Fords

 

[Mhfco6]

What oil filter you running and what weight oil?

WIX 51515 filter and Napa 5w-30 oil

 

[rusty ol ranger]

WIX 51515 filter and Napa 5w-30 oil

Change the oil with a motorcraft FL1A and some name brand 10w40

My 460 will tick (not nearly like yours was knocking though) on a cold start for a few seconds if i run anything besides a FL1A

Lucas might help to

 

[Mhfco6]

Change the oil with a motorcraft FL1A and some name brand 10w40

My 460 will tick (not nearly like yours was knocking though) on a cold start for a few seconds if i run anything besides a FL1A

Lucas might help to

Okay I will try it out. When I first got this truck running 2 years ago it did not knock like this and I had a cheap FRAM oil filter. When I switched to a NAPA gold it started and has been doing it ever since. I’ll try a 10w40 as well. Thanks.

 

[Mhfco6]

Try "Clear Flooded Engine" mode for start up and see if knock at start up goes away

All EFI computers have Clear Flooded Engine in their software, its a way to crank the engine over without adding fuel from the injectors, to dry engine out if its Flooded

Key on
Press gas pedal to the floor and hold it down all the way
(Throttle wide open + 0 RPM = Turn OFF fuel injectors)
Turn key to START
Engine should just crank and not fire, spark is on, but no fuel from injectors

I use this every morning to start my high mile 4.0l, to get oil circulated prior to start up, eliminated the lifter "ticks" I was getting on start up, after shutdown warm oil was draining out of upper engine, so very little oil on cold start the next day
Crank for 5 seconds then release gas pedal and engine starts, no ticks or knocks


If engine starts with gas pedal down to the floor then your throttle cable has stretched and you are not getting Wide Open Throttle(WOT) on the TPS(throttle position sensor)

Key off, lol
Push gas pedal down to the floor, use a stick or ?? to hold it down
Go to engine and see if you can manually open throttle a bit more, if so then cable is stretched, Google: Ranger throttle cable mod
Simple fix, works on most Fords

The truck still starts if gas pedal is floored beforehand and I don’t have any more room left to go up at the throttle plate. I added 4 zip ties with the ranger throttle pedal mod and it still starts. I stretched the cable back out as much as I could before it hit the stop on the back side and it still starts with throttle pedal pushed down. This truck has a T18 trans, does that matter? I just tried on a 2001 Toyota with manual trans and it starts right up too..

 

[Mhfco6]

On a positive note, all my EEC codes are gone. Except 67 for the neutral safety switch - truck will start without clutch being pushed in.

 

[RonD]

The truck still starts if gas pedal is floored beforehand and I don’t have any more room left to go up at the throttle plate. I added 4 zip ties with the ranger throttle pedal mod and it still starts. I stretched the cable back out as much as I could before it hit the stop on the back side and it still starts with throttle pedal pushed down. This truck has a T18 trans, does that matter? I just tried on a 2001 Toyota with manual trans and it starts right up too..

That is odd for Ford, never tried Toyota