The Big Bang ??

[Gord]

OK, here’s a challenge for ya…
1999 F-250 Super duty V-10 auto.
Intermittently, usually after it’s been warm or cold and is cooling off or warming up, I hear a big bang coming from the dash somewhere. The problem is that it happens at random times that I can’t really predict and only once. I suspect it’s something expanding and contracting with temperature changes, but I don’t know what or even where to start.

It seemed to start after I had the windshield replaced but I took it back to the place that did the windshield and they said they had never heard of anything like that and weren’t too interested in investigating. The noise is quite loud, almost as loud as if the windshield was hit by a rock while driving, which is what I thought it was the first time I heard it. It happens when I’m driving and when it’s parked… I know that because it sometimes sets off the alarm. The vibration detector of the alarm goes off and I can see there is no one near the truck.

So, anyone have any ideas what to check or what might be causing this? As I said, I haven’t tried anything yet because I don’t know where to start.

Thanks for reading this and thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Gord

Topic

[Dennis]

I had a 98 Camaro do this after a cam swap. It ended up being a motor mount the rubber broke away form the metal and it would make a loud bang in the dash because the engie would hit the fire wall of the car. I would look at the fire wall to see if there are any marks where the motor is hitting the fire wall.

[george gonzalez]

That’s going to be hard to find. Plastic expands and contracts much more than metal, so there’s always a problem when plastic is screwed onto metal. You could just try tightening every bolt in sight, but it could well be some hidden bolt that you can only see if you remove the glove box, radio, and heater controls. Sometimes you just have to live with a vehicle’s quirks. Did you hear about the soda bottle in the door? Or the car that wouldn’t start if you’d just bought peanut-brickle ice cream?

[Gord]

Thanks for the suggestion but I don’t think my problem is related. It seems to happen if I’m driving or not.

[Gord]

Ya, I knew it was going to be a tough one. I thought, maybe, someone had this problem before… I’m going to have to take a close look under the dash, I guess. Seems to be coming from the passenger side so I’ll start there.

OK, I have to ask about the ‘peanut-brickle ice cream’!!!!??

[george gonzalez]

Click and Clack had this one. Turns out that the fuel line would vapor-lock, but only if you left the car sitting for 10 to 20 minutes. When the lady bought the other kinds of ice-cream, they had those in the cartons already. But the butter-brickle always had to be hand-packed which took a few more minutes.

[Gord]

hahahahaha
I like it!!

[EricTheCarGuy]

Just in case it isn’t the fuel rail, you might try removing the windshield wipers and the plastic at the bottom of the windshield to see if the noise goes away. I say this because you said it happened after the windshield replacement. If you remove some of the things they had to remove the replace the windshield, it might help you locate where the noise is coming from. Windshields can be tricky business. I’ve seen my fair share of botched installs that caused all kinds of issues. In the end the windshield may have to come back out. It actually rests on some plastic bosses that might be out of alignment. If it’s not in there just right, it can cause strange noises, water leaks, wind leaks, and other assorted issues.

http://www.ericthecarguy.com/faq/diagnosing-noises-in-your-car

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Author]

Replies