Ford Ranger 3.2 engine rattle when cold

[Benr]

Our 66 plate ranger seems to be rattling more and more when you accelerate from low revs for about the first 10 minutes.
I recorded it this afternoon on the link below, you can just hear it.

Always give it a bit of time to warm and go gently until warm but it seems to be getting worse. Any ideas what it could be? Expensive?

 

[FIL46]

M thats a short clip sounds like injectors missing, is she down on power, any smoke, or worst case may be big end bearings How is the oil level

 

[michael N123]

It’s fecked

 

[Benr]

M thats a short clip sounds like injectors missing, is she down on power, any smoke, or worst case may be big end bearings How is the oil level

No power fine, no smoke. Once it has warmed up the noise completely goes.
Yep oil checked regularly, we have had it from new and serviced on time etc.
Is it much of a job for a garage to see if it is an injector?

 

[Benr]

Would it be an injector only when it is cold?

 

[FIL46]

Mm sounds like it could be a glow plug issue, is it starting ok or it it winding a bit before it starts

 

[Stw88]

Mine is exactly the same!

 

[Cowabunga]

I'd get it checked at a dealer ASAP. A faulty injector will soon cause a piston to melt and/or dilute and add to the sump oil.

 

[Benr]

Mm sounds like it could be a glow plug issue, is it starting ok or it it winding a bit before it starts

No doesn’t start very well when it is cold and is really lumpy for a bit

 

[FIL46]

Don't hold me to it but what you have described I would say Glow plugs, I see the 3.2 is a 5 pot so you may have more than on faulty glow plug, get someone to take them out and test them, take it easy when removing them lots of wd40 ect they can snap on removal be gentle, It may be a injector but Defo start with glow plugs first

 

[Farmer mk1]

Be an injector leaking back over night. Glow plug only does the heating for starting, doesn’t contribute to how the actual engine runs unless there is a hole in it and losing pressure but you say it runs fine once warm so I’d say injector. Get a leak back test done. Or just take them out and send to a diesel man to check them over.

 

[itsalwaysme]

Faulty glow plugs will probably trigger a fault code and warning light, especially if they are used during regen (not sure what system the Ranger has)

 

[FIL46]

Some engines the glow plugs will run on till the engine is to a preset temp you can sometimes here the relay ticking on and of for a few seconds it may not put up a warning light as it will try and fix the issue by running the glow plugs longer, as said it will depend on the ecu software

 

[Benr]

Update - two glow plugs had failed, they were only £15 each so changed the lot and it is a lot better. Thanks for your advice

 

[Drillman]

Faulty glow plugs will probably trigger a fault code and warning light, especially if they are used during regen (not sure what system the Ranger has)

Faulty glow plugs don’t trigger a warning light. And I do know a batch of 3.2s went out with faulty glow plugs because mine was one of them. It took some getting started on a cold morning but Has been fine since they were replaced

 

[Benr]

Faulty glow plugs don’t trigger a warning light. And I do know a batch of 3.2s went out with faulty glow plugs because mine was one of them. It took some getting started on a cold morning but Has been fine since they were replaced

Funny you say that, I think ours has always been faulty as it has always been bad to start on a cold morning even when it was a few months old. Sent it back to Ford and they said nothing wrong - our local ford dealer is crap, which is a shame because it puts me off having another one even though I think it is the best truck by a long way.

 

[Drillman]

Funny you say that, I think ours has always been faulty as it has always been bad to start on a cold morning even when it was a few months old. Sent it back to Ford and they said nothing wrong - our local ford dealer is crap, which is a shame because it puts me off having another one even though I think it is the best truck by a long way.

Mine is one where if you flick the key and let go it will crank till it starts. Wen glow plugs were faulty it would crank for so long then stop. Flick the key and repeat. Some mornings it needed several attempts if it was cold before it started. And yes mine was obviously faulty from day 1 only got it sorted at a year old wen it went for a service as like yourself I just couldn’t be bothered dealing with ford dealers and there service depts.

 

[Benr]

Ours is the same - flick the key... it was never that bad but would turn over 8 or 10 times and then would be rough as anything for a bit.
It’s been pretty cold here the last few mornings and it has started up like you would expect a modern vehicle to and been lovely and smooth.
pee'd me off it wasn’t done under warranty

 

[Smith31]

Ford engines seem to be nothing but trouble, got a 18 month old transit here with ongoing engine issues,worst motor we have ever purchased. Local civils firm have 2 waiting for new engines both vans under 3 years old.

 

[TripleSix]

You can unplug the glow plugs on a Ford TDCi and it won't illuminate the MIL.

It will throw a code though.

I've full Ford diagnostics if anyone local wants codes reading, static regens, pilot learns etc etc...