O.T. 99 escort 2.0 engine knocking (long)

I got a call from the wife this afternoon. She was getting near home and said her car was making noise and didn't have the normal power on hills. She made it home without incident. After supper I started it up and it sounded ok. I drive it a mile down the gravel and turned around. With it in neutral on quick acceleration, there was a knocking sound. At constant speeds it sounded normal. I drove it home and sitting still with it in drive, it idled pretty slow. When I put power to it the knock came back. Also when I turned the heater fan on, it would barely stay running and did die several times. I checked the motor mounts and exhaust system to see if there was something hitting under power. The front motor mount is kind of loose, but is not metal on metal. The top motor mount is good and tight. I didn't check the transmission mount as the noise was located around the engine. I had my son bring out his stethoscope and he went down in the grease pit to listen to it after he had gone over all around the top areas. He said the noise seemed fairly consistent all around the engine. We pulled the pan off and checked for loose rod and main bearings. None showed any damage. There were some small grooves as I would expect from a 4 cylinder with a 160 thousand miles on it. Tomorrow if time permits, I am going to "plastigage" the bearings to see if there is excessive clearance. I did pull out the spark plugs and they all looked fine, clean burning and correct gap.
Any other ideas as what to check? 2 years ago it dropped a valve seat and bent a valve, broke a piston and bent a rod. it has been running fine since I fixed it. Probably about 25 thousand miles. I glanced at the flex plate on the transmission and it did not appear to have any cracks. I didn't inspect it real close, but will check it again when I turn it over again. I also took off the serpentine belt to see if it was a driven component noise, but it did not change. If the bearings check out, I will probably put a pressure gage in the oil gallery to check pressure.

Dieing when the heater fan goes on Hmm, could be low on electricity alternator or? and causing "Brain" issues (possibly resulting in timing issues) just a thought if it persists. Jim

Roy,
What you are describing sounds about what happened to my daughters Dodge Dakota. Made noise like a piston was coming thru the block when power was added to the engine,really knocked bad. Son pulled the transmission off and the flex plate was cracked/broke, the bolts holding the torque converter to the flex plate was loose. He replaced the flex plate and redrilled and tapped the torque converter for one size bigger bolts and loctited them on. Put it back together and it working fine ever since. If this is your problem, you will have some time involved to repair.Make sure to check the bolts and flex plate carefully,almost couldn't see my daughters until it was pulled apart.
Hope you find out what it is.
Regards,
LOU

Ia Roy,

I don't know for 100% if they are the same, but I have a 1998 escort with a SOHC 2.0 that I just got finished doing a complete rebuild on. Long story short, the SOHC engines are notoriously famous for dropping exhaust valve seats out of the head (do a google search and you will read plenty of horror stories). When mine let go, it bent the #4 rod and blew the piston to pieces, but some arn't that violent. Again, I don't know if you have the DOHC or the SOHC, or this is your problem. Just my .02 cents and recent experience. If this happens to be the problem, and you want to fix it, reply and I can give you a few details that may save you some pain that I had to go through.

Looks like i should have read closer Roy, I see you have been through the valve seat issue. Sorry about that. Keep us posted on what you find.

I had a 97 that the ignition module went bad in, it would knock and be gutless occasionally. I would try a code reader on it just to make sure it isn't a computer type issue.

This probably not your problem as it does not affect power, but check the flexible exhaust coupling under neath. It is a wire mesh type pipe with a crimped on ring at each end, and the rings tend to come loose making a knocking/rattling noise as they move up and down the solid exhaust pipe.

We purchased a 2000 Escort with the motor already pulled, previous owner reported engine knock, turned out the flywheel was cracked. We replaced flywheel and car ran great.

I checked the bearing clearances tonite and they are all within tolerance. I talked to the Ford service manager in Hudson on the way home. he wondered about the crankshaft pulley. It is three pieces with a rubber spacer between the inner and outer sections. The pulley has gear teeth on it to work with the crankshaft position sensor. I took it off and didn't have time to check it out. The flex plate appears to be ok.
I may have to take it to a shop to get it analyzed.

(quoted from post at 03:27:10 12/11/14) I checked the bearing clearances tonite and they are all within tolerance. I talked to the Ford service manager in Hudson on the way home. he wondered about the crankshaft pulley. It is three pieces with a rubber spacer between the inner and outer sections. The pulley has gear teeth on it to work with the crankshaft position sensor. I took it off and didn't have time to check it out. The flex plate appears to be ok.
I may have to take it to a shop to get it analyzed.

Click to expand...

This. I have replaced several of these.

hotwrench!
Replaced what? picture did not come thru

(quoted from post at 16:04:33 12/11/14) hotwrench!
Replaced what? picture did not come thru

Click to expand...

Picture didn't come through because I didn't post one. :lol:

What I meant by "this" is what you said about the crank pully/harmonic balancer. The rubber deteriorates and allows movement and will "knock".

I can't recall if the tonewheel for the crank sensor is mounted to the inner or the outer part of the balancer, if on the outer, movement could affect engine timing and performance.

Not gonna come right out and say this is definately your problem but it is a very good possibility.

thanks hotwrench. I wasn't sure that is what you were talking about.
I think the gear and serpentine belt pulley is separated from the inner drive hub by rubber. I am not sure how to tell where it should be. I guess I need to look at some pictures.

Find anything yet?