Clicking noise captured on video

[Chiefthepup]

https://www.broncosportforum.com/forum/threads/sputtering-and-no-acceleration.10770/post-185171

I haven’t found a full description for the engine compartment fuse box

Thank you! I feel annoying as hell as I search for potential causes so bear with me haha.

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[Dude]

Hope you figure it out!!

if the sound occurs when the vehicle is parked you may be able to use a solid metal rod with one end at your ear and the other end on parts of the vehicle like the engine fuse box. Just be careful of course with moving parts under the hood,

 

[Chiefthepup]

Hope you figure it out!!

if the sound occurs when the vehicle is parked you may be able to use a solid metal rod with one end at your ear and the other end on parts of the vehicle like the engine fuse box. Just be careful of course with moving parts under the hood,

I WISH it happened when it was parked haha. That’s the most maddening part of this noise is it’s impossible to replicate outside of accelerating to 35 mph and it’ll stop doing it after 5 minutes sometimes. Gonna do a full sweep today of everything I can. Heat shield, exhaust, cv joint, etc. but all I can do is hope that visually something is off

 

[Chiefthepup]

Update: found a random ford tech on Instagram by searching ford technician ? he told me to reset the KAM(keep alive memory) and do a proper relearn process. I then
Disconnected negative cable for 20 minutes and after reconnecting let idle for another 20 minutes. I guess it’s super important to give the system a firm baseline of data during that initial idle to be sure it’s operating at its best.
took for a 20 minute drive to let it learn more and not once did it click. He said adaptive learning strategy is very real and it could have been a solenoid glitching out from bad data.
which is where I explain that part. If the clicking is indeed gone from relearning the computer and not from temperatures getting warm, than it would be due to me being a complete dumbass and after installing any of my auxiliary lights and dash cam etc. I’ve never given it a proper relearn process. I’ve always just reconnected negative cable and just drove the next time I had to leave. Will get back to you guys if the clicking returns upon temperatures coming back down but as of right now it drives like a dream after resetting/relearning.
This video is one example of how important letting your system learn from data correctly is. And that’s just for the throttle body. Who knows what else is needing proper data

 

[Chiefthepup]

Okay final update after this mornings test drive, clicking is 100% gone!! Much like when your deciding if the hiccups you’ve been fighting are actually gone, I’m still apprehensive but that KAM reset and relearn did something.
Thinking out loud here after some reading on a subject I couldn’t dream of fully understanding but it’s got me wondering,
Not only did I never do a proper relearn after disconnecting battery to add lights etc. I also have always extremely babied the throttle. I’ve never owned a nice vehicle so from day 1 I assumed being extremely light on the throttle means good. And I’ve read that just driving “normal” prevents the computer from hesitating and shifting a little weird. Like the rapid clicking could have been a solenoid confused from A. Bad data B. Being so light on the throttle that it was throwing it off? Terrible breakdown of the subject but with this relearn I’ve made a point of accelerating normally and not light as a feather/extremely slowly. Like I was holding up traffic coming out of red lights some times before. And maybe it’s placebo but today’s drive was the first time I didn’t feel the transmission hesitating or “bucking” as some people have described it. Rant done. Will update if clicking returns.

 

[Mark S.]

I’ve made a point of accelerating normally and not light as a feather/extremely slowly.

There is SOME evidence that the ole Italian tune-up can sometimes be beneficial.



BTW, "decarboxylation" is my new favorite word. The next time your significant other gets annoyed with your lead foot you can say, "But honey, I'm just decarboxylating!"

 

[Chiefthepup]

There is SOME evidence that the ole Italian tune-up can sometimes be beneficial.



BTW, "decarboxylation" is my new favorite word. The next time your significant other gets annoyed with your lead foot you can say, "But honey, I'm just decarboxylating!"

That’s super interesting! Hahah that word is referenced in a completely different context in my line of work. I work at a cannabis farm and decarbing is the process of activating thc by bringing the plant material to a specific temperature. Aka a lighter ?
(No I do not partake I just enjoy working with plants)
Also, the clicking is back but significantly quieter and goes away after the first time it shifts through gears instead of every time I go to accelerate after a stop. Much more like it was when I purchased it so I’m at a total loss

 

[Chiefthepup]

@Mark S. so after reading your post somewhere else on here about being sure not to over fill gas tank I did some research. Please everyone forgive me for being an absolute idiot I just genuinely had no idea but since new, I’ve always added more fuel after the gas pump clicks.
This video of an EVAP purge solenoid malfunctioning sounds just like my sound but drawn out a bit longer.
I do have an appointment next week but maybe due to my stupid mistake this is the cause.
After resetting the battery and driving a bit harder on the gas pedal it hadn’t made this clicking noise for the past 3 weeks but now it’s back

 

[Mark S.]

@Mark S. so after reading your post somewhere else on here about being sure not to over fill gas tank I did some research. Please everyone forgive me for being an absolute idiot I just genuinely had no idea but since new, I’ve always added more fuel after the gas pump clicks.
This video of an EVAP purge solenoid malfunctioning sounds just like my sound but drawn out a bit longer.
I do have an appointment next week but maybe due to my stupid mistake this is the cause.
After resetting the battery and driving a bit harder on the gas pedal it hadn’t made this clicking noise for the past 3 weeks but now it’s back

Generally speaking, if your EVAP purge valve malfunctions you'll see a DTC (diagnostic trouble code). Other symptoms include unstable idle and/or unintended engine shutdown immediately following a fill up.

Your owner's manual warns against overfilling the tank; it's specifically listed as a fire hazard. The fuel tank is supposed to be a sealed system to prevent fuel vapors escaping into the atmosphere. If the tank is completely full and the fuel expands enough, raw fuel may be forced out of the tank through the filler port or vent system, hence the fire hazard. Manufacturers are obviously aware of this possibility, so they build into the tank a bit of extra space to accommodate fuel expansion and warn owners to stop filling after the first click. Some interpret the built-in expansion area as a license to add fuel for a click or two after the first, and you can probably get away with it due to all the variables involved (how far you insert the nozzle, pressure & flow differences between pumps, temperature when you fill up, etc.). My view is that Ford determined the size of the expansion area to afford enough room under ALL likely conditions and variables, and unless you know precisely how much extra room in the tank you have vs how much extra fuel you're putting in during a given fill up, you should simply stop at the first click.

All of that is to say given the lack of a DTC or other symptoms, your issue probably isn't due to overfilling the tank.

 

[Chiefthepup]

Generally speaking, if your EVAP purge valve malfunctions you'll see a DTC (diagnostic trouble code). Other symptoms include unstable idle and/or unintended engine shutdown immediately following a fill up.

Your owner's manual warns against overfilling the tank; it's specifically listed as a fire hazard. The fuel tank is supposed to be a sealed system to prevent fuel vapors escaping into the atmosphere. If the tank is completely full and the fuel expands enough, raw fuel may be forced out of the tank through the filler port or vent system, hence the fire hazard. Manufacturers are obviously aware of this possibility, so they build into the tank a bit of extra space to accommodate fuel expansion and warn owners to stop filling after the first click. Some interpret the built-in expansion area as a license to add fuel for a click or two after the first, and you can probably get away with it due to all the variables involved (how far you insert the nozzle, pressure & flow differences between pumps, temperature when you fill up, etc.). My view is that Ford determined the size of the expansion area to afford enough room under ALL likely conditions and variables, and unless you know precisely how much extra room in the tank you have vs how much extra fuel you're putting in during a given fill up, you should simply stop at the first click.

All of that is to say given the lack of a DTC or other symptoms, your issue probably isn't due to overfilling the tank.

This is exactly why I reach out to you I appreciate your input thank you!!!

 

[Chiefthepup]

Update: got the car back from its appointment. Had a “powertrain malfunction/reduced power” code pop up. No effect on anything, went away after restart. Has happened 3x in the past year the exact same way.
Work order says it was a loose ground(I’m an idiot and although I do the best I can I’m not a professional. I thought I had the ground tightened and optimal but I guess not. Was very nervous to strip anything so makes sense. Feel very dumb now haha)
Clicking is gone.
But what’s interesting is in my dashcam clip the conversation goes as follows
“Look what I found here though”
Moves to be what I assume is my ground
“With all this add on shit I wonder if they stripped the nut”
Tech 2 “what’s the code”
Tech 1 “coolant bypass”

I’m confused cause the work order states nothing about a code or coolant bypass or anything of the sort. Not that it really matters. I’m assuming my faulty ground was causing the clicking and effecting the coolant bypass(which idk if coolant bypass would make that sound?)

Lesson learned. Gonna beat myself up for a bit over it haha but for future readers. Check your ground always.

 

[Dynamo]

Update: got the car back from its appointment. Had a “powertrain malfunction/reduced power” code pop up. No effect on anything, went away after restart. Has happened 3x in the past year the exact same way.
Work order says it was a loose ground(I’m an idiot and although I do the best I can I’m not a professional. I thought I had the ground tightened and optimal but I guess not. Was very nervous to strip anything so makes sense. Feel very dumb now haha)
Clicking is gone.
But what’s interesting is in my dashcam clip the conversation goes as follows
“Look what I found here though”
Moves to be what I assume is my ground
“With all this add on shit I wonder if they stripped the nut”
Tech 2 “what’s the code”
Tech 1 “coolant bypass”

I’m confused cause the work order states nothing about a code or coolant bypass or anything of the sort. Not that it really matters. I’m assuming my faulty ground was causing the clicking and effecting the coolant bypass(which idk if coolant bypass would make that sound?)

Lesson learned. Gonna beat myself up for a bit over it haha but for future readers. Check your ground always.

So clicking is fixed and the reasons for those noises due to loose ground? As far as I understand, was it ground near (under) the engine compartment fuse box?

 

[Chiefthepup]

So clicking is fixed and the reasons for those noises due to loose ground? As far as I understand, was it ground near (under) the engine compartment fuse box?

Yes sorry for not being super clear about that. I believe it was the ground up top where the negative battery cable runs too. I had it secure but in the video you see the tech move something so maybe due to me being afraid of stripping it I didn’t have it fastened tight enough or it was off just enough to cause issues. Whatever they did stopped the clicking completely and according to the work order it was tightening that ground.

 

[Dynamo]

Yes sorry for not being super clear about that. I believe it was the ground up top where the negative battery cable runs too. I had it secure but in the video you see the tech move something so maybe due to me being afraid of stripping it I didn’t have it fastened tight enough or it was off just enough to cause issues. Whatever they did stopped the clicking completely and according to the work order it was tightening that ground.

One more clarification for me pls
First, you reset KAM, and after clicking noise is gone.
After some period of time, it's returned?
And after, Ford technicians did something with the ground and again noise is gone?

 

[Chiefthepup]

One more clarification for me pls
First, you reset KAM, and after clicking noise is gone.
After some period of time, it's returned?
And after, Ford technicians did something with the ground and again noise is gone?

Exactly! I’m so sorry for being all over the place with my story.
I thought it was there since new but I installed my aux lights shortly after getting it so my memory is probably mistaken and it started after screwing with that ground.
Did KAM reset and it went away. Than it came back but super quiet and even more intermittent shortly after.
Took to dealership and it’s gone completely after what they said was tightening that ground.

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