I also have a 2000 mustang 3.8 auto, when its hot and in gear only, I also give it a little gas just over idle and a eratic tapping noise appaers. sometime at idle it will happen if its been running long enough.take the belt off and it goes away! check for loose bolts pulleys and balancer all ok. definately coming from the front of the motor, from the water pump timing cover area.runs great no problems execpt for this noise. when i first heard it I thought for sure it was a loose torque converter bolt untill I traced the noise to the front of the engine any help or suggestions would be appreciated! I am also a tech by trade but this is stumping me as well!

What was the problem was it the water pump?

Thanks
mach1417

 

I have the same ENGINE NOISE with my 2000 mustang What was the problem and the fix?
Thanks

 

since it seems to be coming from the front of then engine, take the belt off and start the car see if it still makes the noise, if not then its a accessory drive problem i.e. water pump, tensioner/idler pulley, power steering pump, alt, idler for the ac compressor.

 

Try this first, everything else costs $$ this is only $2 to try and i bet it might fix the problem..or one of them :P

Click here for my original post:
https://mustangforums.com/forum/6850215-post7.html

 

my suggestion doesn't cost money and that's only a temporary fix for your car, it got worn out because 1999 - early 2001 mustang 3.8 valve covers had faulty oil baffles that cause excess oil to be sucked up. the new pcv valve is basically a band-aid.

 

I sure wish the OP had posted what the solution was for this issue, it's exactly what my '96 is doing....the hubby and I thought it was the badly-needing-replaced rear brake calipers and discs possibly rubbing/catching on something creating the occasional rumbly sound, and when we replaced those the sound stopped for about 3 weeks, but now it's back. It's only when I am going 35 mph or more that the rumble happens when I press the accelerator, and only happens sometimes. I let up on it with my foot and it stops immediately. VERY confused about this but some of the suggestions posted seem worth trying. Any more thoughts on this? Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

 

when was the last time it had a tune up? how many miles? do you have to top off the coolant/oil regularly? has the trans fluid/filter been changed recently?

 

Been awhile since last tune up, probably should go for that....Roxy has 173,000 miles on her but has always run like a champ. I check the fluids regularly but rarely ever have to top them off. The oil has been changed recently (last month) but the trans fluid/filter hasn't.

The valve cover possibility is one worth considering as well, especially since it seems to be a running theme with Mustangs, from what I've seen on this forum.