Ominous clicking/tapping

[brentlewiis3000]

Hey there...

Thanks for the replies so far. I can say based on my 14 months/35 k miles in the car that this noise is not "normal" tappet or injector noise (I've become familiar with those). It's a loud clatter, most audible between 1750 and 2000 rpm, from the right front of the engine. I am beginning to think it migh be the alternator, as that is located immediately below where the noise seems to be coming from. Does anyone have any experience with the noise produced by an about-to-fail alternator in these cars? In my experience alternator failure is frequently preceded by whining and grinding sounds, but these sounds do not usually seem most evident at a certain place in the rev scale as in this case. The noise is MUCH louder than the normal HDLA clatter, and frankly has me a bit spooked. I drive the car 600 miles a week average, and would like to remedy this problem (whatever it might turn out to be) before failure occurs. My thanks to everyone for your input.

Regards,

brentlewiis3000

[Mike]

My F150 went through 3 alternators and all 3 started the whining noise a day
or so before it quit charging. Never any clatter. If it's as pronounced as
you say, I'd be making a trip to a shop soon. Is the crank shaft pulley
wobbling at all? This is something that needs to be checked on 1990 and
early 1991's.

Post by brentlewiis3000
Hey there...
Thanks for the replies so far. I can say based on my 14 months/35 k miles

in the car that this noise is not "normal" tappet or injector noise (I've
become familiar with those). It's a loud clatter, most audible between 1750
and 2000 rpm, from the right front of the engine. I am beginning to think
it migh be the alternator, as that is located immediately below where the
noise seems to be coming from. Does anyone have any experience with the
noise produced by an about-to-fail alternator in these cars? In my
experience alternator failure is frequently preceded by whining and grinding
sounds, but these sounds do not usually seem most evident at a certain place
in the rev scale as in this case. The noise is MUCH louder than the normal
HDLA clatter, and frankly has me a bit spooked. I drive the car 600 miles a
week average, and would like to remedy this problem (whatever it might turn
out to be) before failure occurs. My thanks to everyone for your input.

Post by brentlewiis3000
Regards,
brentlewiis3000