OK, this is going to be fairly vague because I have no video so I know it's not quite as helpful to your ability to help me but here's what I got.

'96 Mustang, GT, 4.6 V8, 5 Speed manual

Intake manifold cracked a bit back, was dumping coolant like a big dog and there was this odd grinding noise towards the front of the motor. I put money on it being the water pump.

So, get the manifold and water pump, take it all apart, notice the alternator had a bit of a grind to it as well. Figured why the fuck not, it's never been replaced, let's do it all. So last night I replaced the manifold, alt and water pump myself. Everything went nice and smooth, no issues etc. Turn it on, starts up like a champ, running great, all happy. Let it idle for a second, it starts to grind again. I'm looking at it like what the fuck else (hoping for not a big problem). I start looking at things and one of the idler pulleys is grindy as fuck when I spin it by hand. I replace that today and much to my disappointment, it's still grinding.

The noise seems to be in the front left portion under the hood. My dad is thinking AC now, I'm not so optimistic and thinking it's inside. From this shitty, no video/noise description, can anyone shed any light on this situation?

The best way I can describe the noise is a hollow grind that varies in intensity not in sync with the engine.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I'm out of ideas and I really don't want to take it to Ford so they can stick it in dry with charges just to diagnose it.

As you mentioned without seeing it first hand it is almost impossible to tell you.

As for the AC if you want an easy way to check that it to watch and see if the clutch is actuating properly. While it's running you can physically see if it is or is not engaged.
Engaged the entire pulley spins, not engaged only the outer portion of it will spin. Just have someone turn the AC on and off and watch the AC compressor and see if that pulley switches back and forth.

Have you checked out the power steering pump?

I didn't even think of the AC. The noise was there clear as day when the AC was off, turned it on, the noise was all but gone (still there but hardly noticeable). I'm thinking that's the culprit. Worst case scenario, replace that, noise is still there, new AC unit in there lol.

if you change it make sure to post here to confirm that was it randy. i cant think of anything else but the ac pump

Will do. Won't be for a few weeks though, already splurged away all my play money for this project as of now lol.

Pretty much 99% sure that the AC is in fact causing the noise. It's literally the only thing left upfront there that I haven't touched. Going to just change out the entire thing, never done an AC before.

Any way you can get a smaller belt and bypass the ac and see if it's still there?


Could be the clutch in the ac pump


Also, u may have to have some one evacuate the ac system

This post was edited by KoJ on Oct 23 2013 07:34pm

Yeah that's what I was planning on doing and yeah that's what I meant, I think it's the clutch but I can't see anyway to just replace that without taking the entire unit off so I figured why not just do it all?

And yeah I was wondering about that. Idk anyway to evac it properly. I have a mechanic that I trust pretty well, was going to have him do it or show me or at least just evac it so I can do the rest.

Pick and pull?

If hate to have u replace it if that's not it



Mechanical or electric fan?