Ford E-250 van engine clicks

Answer 1

you can eliminate a lot of unknowns by removing the serpentine belt and starting the engine. That will eliminated all of the belt driven items if it continues. Two things to look and listen to when you have removed the belt is the harmonic damper on the crankshaft. It is rubber mounted and when it wears out the metal portion will be rubbing on the front of the engine. If you have no noise there, listen in the area or the camshaft. The 4.9 uses timing gears instead of a chain. Those gears do wear out. If those check out put the belt back on and use a long screwdriver as a tuning fork and put it on different items like p/s pump, a/c compressor and try to pinpoint the noise that way.