[mustangracer2g]

i was driving my car more than normal this week, it started making a slight ticking noise, then at a light, it bogged out and died when i turned the front window defroster on. I cranked it, started up, but... it made a pretty loud like cranking sound and when i put it in gear it sounded pretty bad, i shifted, sounds kinda went away a lil bit, ticking still there. decided to drive it home, up a hill on freeway the check engine light starts blinking, ive never seen that before, does anyone know what that means? ive seen it just come on and stay on, but not blink. it made this weird sound when it came on... like rattling, and then stopped cuz i had to downshift so it wouldnt die... i barely made it home, car is just sitting, still ticks (noticeably) when i turn it on. Does anybody have any idea what this could be? the CEL is still on, not blinking anymore, just on, so im thinkin i could find someone to check that and diagnose this? Any help would be great, thanks in advance, much appreciated.

[StangGT96]

someone told me the other day that you can take it to autozone and plug the computer in and get the code its reading. You can get a feel for whats wrong at that.

[StangGT96]

thats if you can make it to an autozone.

[mustangracer2g]

they dont do that around here, some law or something changed a while back, and they stopped doing that for free... it sucks cuz it costs like 30-60 just to get it plugged into a machine around here, i know a mechanic im gonna try and call who has one of those code readers, but yeah, if anyone does have an idea as to what could possibly be wrong, that'd be a lot of help, thanks.

[07 STROKER]

hows the oil level?

[2002 BLK GT]

I would check your spark plugs first, then use an stethoscope and try to listen for a weird sound on the valve covers, but the very first thing will be to have those codes read.

[ndfrspd]

knock or loose spring. thats why you change your oil often and dont use some shitty ass oil.

[tmoney78]

check out oil it could be low, but the worst thing would be that one of your cylnder piston is going, or bad gas, TSB valva train. take it some where to scan it because t could be a lot of things
good luck

[mustangracer2g]

the engine's oil level is good, i had the engine put in just a couple months ago, it only had 40k on it, from a 2003 police interceptor. i just changed the spark plugs and got rid of a midfire it had about a month or so ago... i will def have the code read first, it seems the easiest route to start with. when it was installed i had the timing set changed because the lash adjusters were broken and it was making a really loud noise. I am hoping that the engine is not going bad... but if it is its time to get a new car... cuz this is too much money to be dropping on a 12/13 year old car...

[mustangracer2g]

so today a mechanic friend came over to look at the car, he didnt have a code reader with him, but he listened to the car, and said it sounded like a starter had stuck, OR like a piston might be loose? how does that sound? isnt that called piston slap? ive never heard it b4... the sound kinda goes away every now and then... but yeah im not sure still... im kinda starting to give up on this stang right now... any input would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

[2002 BLK GT]

The stethoscope will be your friend to tell you if its really a piston or not....