slight engine raddle,top end noise, also problems with ping

[Hiveman]

I bought my E35o a 96, on a windy day 2008, so i didnt hear a slight dinging or raddle, a sound similar to light throttle pinging but its not that. It sounds light ,like top end, piston slap, or wristpin, smallend rod something making a light raddle. I call it darkly,"the dinner bell" sound. You really here it most driving next to a wall slight incline lower speed. light to med throttle.
like the soft shallow hills of Pacific grove. Its been doing this for 30 k miles now but it bothers me. cant tell if its getting worse. Its definitely not getting better. The Van also developed a problem with, intermittent pinging or detinataion under light throttle, ANOTHER SOUND obviously, but doesnt do it all the time. Smetimes putting my foot in it will clear it. The dinner bell sound is always there light throttle, slight incline. Yes i use premium to rule out that.

[Ford_6L_E350]

I'd first have to guess that if it has been doing it for 30,000 miles, it is not a serious or fatal problem.

Does it do it at idle? Or only under a load? How about off throttle, as going downhill?

It could be a simple rocker arm rattle, or a bent pushrod or?

Can you narrow it down to passenger or driver side? Front or rear of the engine? Will it make the sound when the engine is revved up and the hood is open - that way maybe you could isolate the sound.

Other possibilities:

- Fuel pump
- Power Steering pump
- Exhaust leak (especially at the manifold)

It is very difficult to troubleshoot a sound even when hearing it, nearly impossible without hearing it.

From your description, I'd lean towards the exhaust leak.

Mike

[LenS]

15 years old, how many miles?? Without hearing it, can't say. Piston slap is a possibility. My experience with that is it is usually worse on cold start and decreases with engine warm up.

Wrist pin on rod journal bearing knock will not go away with warm up, might get louder.