Hey there! New owner annndddd issues

[Guardian1fox2]

Hey guys! Been lurking a while…and finally decided to join to see if I can get some opinions.

I got a 2022 Black Diamond, 2.3L MT in Eruption Green, 6K miles.

So when I crank it after it sits for a few hours, there’s a loud rattle like sound coming from engine…almost makes it sound like a diesel. My wife had an expedition that had the cam phaser issue but it’s not that. It goes away after about 2 min. If you give it some gas it’ll backfire and kind of miss. Once warm none of this is an issue.

Ive also noticed a “clunk” sound when engaging and disengaging clutch from first to second, but no other times. Also seems to disappear once warm. (Odd right?).

Was at dealer today; and I’m having to schedule another more in depth appt. They looked at it today and gave me a free oil change while they checked it out. They say it’s not normal in their opinion, but they haven’t seen any other 2.3 manuals to compare, or another 2.3 in general. They’re currently speculating that it may not be issue just that the high pressure fuel system may just be taking more time to get lubricated or whatever (sounds like BS to me), but genuinely don’t want to give me an answer until they can further diagnose. They couldn’t replicate the trans issue while it was there but wrote it down to investigate when it’s in.

Looking through this site I see various issues with noises and the 2.3, from BPV and tube speculations but nothing definitive. I’ll post video below of the noise and I’ll try and capture the “clunk” sound tomorrow. Best I can describe the clunk as it is like a u joint sound in an old car when you put it in gear, but I checked it myself and it’s tight.

All in all I love the bronco, and I know it’ll get figured out. My dealer has always treated me well even buying back a truck I had an issue with in the past that needed a swap.

For anyone interested I got: 35s, 2.5” lift, soft top (really wanting hardtop cause of 2 kids if someone wants to trade or sell one! I’ll even drive a ways…I’m in Louisiana!), wash out interior and seats. Really wishing I would’ve went badlands because of the larger screen, non-poverty lights (as my friends call them), and front lockers and other goodies…but I’ll just mostly be doing simple trails and dirt roads/beaches, no hardcore stuff or mud, so I figured what I have is fine for now! See how it all plays out. Also, got black steelies and chrome lug nuts and it looks really good with 35s and spacer with the dark green paint!

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[Guardian1fox2]

Oh btw video was pre-lift, if anyone is curious how it looks I’ll take pics tomorrow!

 

[mike8675309]

No issues on mine. There is no sound or clunking noise on the 1 to 2 shift for me. Definitely have a dealer take a look.

 

[RagnarKon]

So when I crank it after it sits for a few hours, there’s a loud rattle like sound coming from engine…almost makes it sound like a diesel. My wife had an expedition that had the cam phaser issue but it’s not that. It goes away after about 2 min. If you give it some gas it’ll backfire and kind of miss. Once warm none of this is an issue.

This is fairly normal on Ford's smaller engines with turbos. My uncle-in-law owns an HVAC business has a fleet of Ford Rangers and Transit vans—and they all do this when cold. My wife's 1.5L EcoBoost in her Escape also does that, sounds like a little diesel engine for the first 30 seconds or so until it warms up.

I have been told that Ford has programmed the engines to run a little on the rich immediately after cold start to warm up the catalytic converters faster, which makes them more efficient from an emissions standpoint. It is true that catalytic converters do function better when warm, but personally somewhat skeptical about the reasoning. Although... now that you reminded me, I'll text my dad (retired Ford engineer) to see if he has any insight.

The other issue with the clunking noise sounds and the clutch sounds much less normal to me... but I don't have a whole lot of seat time in the manual transmission Bronco yet. Hopefully that changes in the next month or so (scheduled for beginning of August).

 

[Guardian1fox2]

This is fairly normal on Ford's smaller engines with turbos. My uncle-in-law owns an HVAC business has a fleet of Ford Rangers and Transit vans—and they all do this when cold. My wife's 1.5L EcoBoost in her Escape also does that, sounds like a little diesel engine for the first 30 seconds or so until it warms up.

I have been told that Ford has programmed the engines to run a little on the rich immediately after cold start to warm up the catalytic converters faster, which makes them more efficient from an emissions standpoint. It is true that catalytic converters do function better when warm, but personally somewhat skeptical about the reasoning. Although... now that you reminded me, I'll text my dad (retired Ford engineer) to see if he has any insight.

The other issue with the clunking noise sounds and the clutch sounds much less normal to me... but I don't have a whole lot of seat time in the manual transmission Bronco yet. Hopefully that changes in the next month or so (scheduled for beginning of August).

Thanks for the info! I’m hoping it’s normal as well. Ima try to get a good video tomorrow when I leave in the morning to dealer I forgot I actually gotta go in the drivers side tension cable was broken when I got it and they ordered replacement and tomorrow it gets installed. Finally won’t have a hole when driving 60mph on drivers side lol.

I’m hoping trans is normal too, I looked under it yesterday not having seen a modern manual trans before (always owned antique manuals, 1934 being oldest and my current 1923 racer notwithstanding cause it’s not conventional lol), and you can’t even see the clutch or anything, there’s no inspection cover to pull or anything that I could see. I didn’t get to look all that good though.

One thing I do find, is that if trying to increase speed quickly, man it doesn’t like that. It jerks and just seems like it’s slamming gears idk how to describe it. Gradual shifting up and down, smooth as butter. I guess maybe I’m used to old school non hydraulic stuff lol, but you gotta be smooth in and out constant pedal speed no quick release etc with clutch, too quick and it doesn’t like it.
Another thing I noticed, manual says shift at 3k, but 1st is so short…shifting it at 3k, 2nd drops it to 1.5 or so, and it’ll jerk. Shifting at 2.5 in first however…SMOOTH as butter. It’s just taking some getting used to I think and learning the car. I just don’t wanna mess anything up lol. downshifting it’s very different I’m guessing cause of turbo lag? I’m not trying to race or heel toe anything, I stay in same gear until 1k and then clutch and go to gear I need to be in for a turn (most of the time releasing clutch in the turn bad I know hard habit to break), rev matching if needed, but really only time matching is when slowing down in straight away due to traffic. If I know I’m coming to a complete stop I’ll put in neutral and just brake and put into first when I almost come to stop. You know whatever conditions call for. But anyways you can’t just tap throttle cause you won’t get any revs…you gotta hold it just a bit longer than you think you should to get what you want. No complaints just observations and definitely have a lot more to learn driving it. It throws me off with the auto throttle in first, sometimes it gives enough sometimes it doesn’t so you gotta not get into habit of letting the bronco do the work. I do wish there was a handbrake instead of under dash, make steep hills or trails a lot easier when starting lol.

Sorry newb talk

 

[Guardian1fox2]

Update: another dealership looked at it and apparently had 2 other customers report the same concern. After a week long goose chase of diagnostics etc, they ran out of steam and got Ford involved. They found out that it’s a normal noise after comparing it to multiple 2.3 broncos and other vehicles with this engine. Ford also stated it’s normal and part of high pressure fuel system. I hope that’s the case and gonna leave it at that.

Annoyingly though, the tension cable on drivers side came loose out of whatever holds it, brought it in today to be fixed…and it broke again. Sucks, luckily it was while still at dealership and they’re gonna have to get another.

 

[TavisB]

Sounds normal to me.

 

[RainbowStix]

For the rattle-like sound on startup, it’s normal. The 2.3 has a more lawnmower tone to it til it warms up and starts to develop a more vaccuum cleaner esque harmony like the 2.7.

I got a 2.3 after the 2.7 so was a bit surprised when I first heard it too.

 

[thesocalexplorer]

In watching your video, mine sounds exactly the same. I've always chaulked it up to be a combination of noisy DI injectors + running rich (not at operating temp just yet). Mine stays at high idle for a minute or so, afterwards quiets down.

As far as your MT concerns, the 1-2 shift is a bit clunky for me too, but I'm also thinking it might just be the cable shifter & its linkages versus a direct shifter setup.

 

[Rick Astley]

We had a lot of driveline chatter in our Ranger when it was new (I know, different transmission) but it smoothed out over time. I prefer to let an engine come up to temp before driving and these tiny little 2.3 blocks only take a few minutes.

There had been some significant driveshaft phasing and balancing issue with the Rangers but so far that hasn't come up with Bronco.

 

[Guardian1fox2]

In watching your video, mine sounds exactly the same. I've always chaulked it up to be a combination of noisy DI injectors + running rich (not at operating temp just yet). Mine stays at high idle for a minute or so, afterwards quiets down.

As far as your MT concerns, the 1-2 shift is a bit clunky for me too, but I'm also thinking it might just be the cable shifter & its linkages versus a direct shifter setup.

That’s good to know it’s not just me and normal. I’ve been actively trying to record the sound the MT makes but haven’t been able to capture it all the sudden (go figure) but when I do ima post it. It’s always when I’m not ready for some reason lol

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