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2004 Navigator Knock from Engine (detailed)

10K views 11 replies 4 participants last post by  chrisut 
#1 ·
A couple of weeks ago I found a great deal on an 04 Navigator and bought it sight unseen. Has 138000 miles. On the way home the oil light came on then went off a couple of times so I shut it down and put 3 quarts in it as the oil was not on the dipstick. It also had a miss.

I pulled the codes and found P0303 (cylinder 3 misfire) and P0300 (multiple cylinder misfire). I also found a hole in the front of the timing cover that was leaking oil, and after some inspection determined the car had been in an accident.

I ordered new coils and plugs, after some research it looked like coils and plugs were a huge ordeal so I thought I would work on just the problem areas. I replaced the coils on the right (1-4) bank and checked the plugs. It had ok looking iridium plugs so I left them. I fixed the hole in the timing cover. I put new 10w-30 oil (even though it calls for 5-20, 10w30 was the closest I had and I generally don't like thin oils).

After this I got a P0354 (coil D primary/secondary failure) code and a P2198 (right bank 02 sensor stuck open), with a noticeable miss. I replaced the plug on cylinder 4 after swapping another coil without solving the issue. I then swapped the 4 plugs on that side with the stock motorcraft plugs so they are all new coils and plugs on that side. All CEL were gone, was running great. I decided to drive it to the shop to steam off all of the oil from the leak.

This is about a 30 mile drive. About 25 miles into the drive at freeway speed the truck bucks and loses power for a second, nothing else. I step off the throttle and it sounds like a small noise coming from the right side of the car, but seems to be running fine. The oil light flashes for a second and goes off so I decide to get it to the shop to see if I can figure out the problem.

Coming off the offramp to the freeway, the oil pressure light comes on again and stays on for a couple of seconds so I shut it off and coasted to a stop. I checked the oil which was full and restarted. no lights but there is a knock coming from the right side of the motor. I started to go and the oil pressure light came on so I shut it off again got out and looked again, listened and all seemed ok other than the knock.

I drove the 3 miles to the shop with the knock in the engine. As I pulled into the shop the oil light came on again flashed on then off then stayed on so I shut it down again and coasted in.

No check engine lights, no pending codes. My initial thought was rod knock, but talked to a friend who told me the Ford engine was notorious for a bad cam phaser (which looks to be the SOHC not the DOHC) and that a plugged cat can do this.

Any thoughts or tips to diagnose before I put a motor into it?
 
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#5 ·
Well that's not a problematic motor that I'm aware of. With the oil light coming on like it does I would start by actually checking oil pressure. Said the timing cover was cracked,said maybe an accident. How did the timing components look with the cover off?
 
#6 ·
Hello, New to this forum, but not to Navigators. My money is on Timing Component issue. as stated above, start with compression checks. knocking can also be caused by low or no oil flow (oil pressure and pump). drop the pan and check for debris blocking the oil pickup tube. You may also find timing guide debris as they are notorious for failing (timing chain symptoms.). Also there are no phasers in the DOHC Intec, Code R Engine. correct me if im wrong, that is on the expedition engines.
 
#7 ·
I agree with r-clar. Considering you have a knock and the oil light coming on then the first issue is to check oil pressure.

Are you sure the hole in the timing cover has come from an accident or is it possible it has come from the inside by a failing chain or guide as the 5.4 does have some timing chain guide problems.

You may have 2 different problems to sort out.
 
#8 ·
I was able to fix the timing chain problem without having to take the cover off. It is entirely possible that there is a problem with the timing chain. The problem with the timing chain cover was right behind the oil filter seemingly on the flange where the cover bolts to the motor. I thought it may be a timing chain however when watching the motor run I could see oil coming there but could not see any timing chains.

from what I am hearing, it appears the first step I should take is to pull the oil pan, see what problems there may be there and see if that leads me anywhere. I should be able at that point to tell if there is a loose rod or spun rod bearing.

any tips on pulling the oil pan, or is it a straightforward job? Any estimate on how long it should take me to pull?

after I pulled the oil pan, assuming that I find some plastic bits or something that may be timing chain guides, how difficult is it to fix the timing chain problem? Or to put new guides and or chains?
 
#9 ·
I would still start with an oil pressure test. You need to know what it is to start diagnosis. Hot pressures would be best. Without us hearing the noise hard to narrow down. Are you sure it's not an accessory drive component making noise? Don't usually recommend jumping in to pulling motor apart. If you see nothing with the pan off you have to reassemble to then start diagnosis.
 
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