Looking at buying a 1999 Expedition with I hope just minor engine issues

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BrandonB

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So I had another set of ears listen to the thing today to see what they thought. He thinks the sound might be coming from the mid/front of the engine - maybe the alternator, idler pulley, something around there. What do you think the possibility of that causing it is? The idler pulley can be spun without effort by hand, seems pretty loose.

Thanks!
 

Yudaman

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There are two belt idler pulley's. The bearings will fail on them over time. Napa sells just the pulley's with bearings in them for about $25 each. But that typically gives you a high pitched squeal.
Can you take a video of it and post it for us?
 
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BrandonB

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Update -- so I bought a stethoscope today and probed around to see if I could figure out where the tick is coming from. When probing the valve covers both sides sound the same, when I put the probe on the intake it gets loud. It sounds the same on both sides of the intake. Since there is nothing under the intake in this engine it leads me to believe its possibly the water pump or maybe a cam chain causing the sound. Any suggestions? The sound wasn't very loud when I put it on the valve cover right over the cam sprocket.

I had to stop for the day on my other project - flushing the engine, dropping the pan to clean screen, pan, etc, changing the pressure sensor, etc. Got the sensor changed and the engine flushed but didn't have an extension long enough to get the bolt on the pan right above the frame in the most inconvenient position possible, so i'll do that tomorrow.
 

98Navi

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Wondering if you ever got anywhere with this as I think I've got a very similar problem. Your video clip sounds alot like mine.
 
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BrandonB

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Wondering if you ever got anywhere with this as I think I've got a very similar problem. Your video clip sounds alot like mine.

It was my timing chain guides. They were broken and the plastic was clogging the oil pump screen causing low oil pressure and lack of oil reaching the heads. Damaged my drivers side head, which has lead me to my current issue. I'm just rebuilding the whole engine since it's high mileage anyways.
 

98Navi

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It was my timing chain guides. They were broken and the plastic was clogging the oil pump screen causing low oil pressure and lack of oil reaching the heads. Damaged my drivers side head, which has lead me to my current issue. I'm just rebuilding the whole engine since it's high mileage anyways.

Thanks for the update! Pretty sure that's my issue also, the broken chain guides. Planning to replace them, have a timing set on the way.
 
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