This could be caused by something inside the engine bay rattling or vibrating, but could also be linked to the exhaust system or its heat-shielding doing the same thing. When you hit the accelerator up a hill, the engine and driveline (and exhaust) are suddenly put under a lot of stress which can be passed along any mechanical link or fixture, making things flex or vibrate that don’t normally do so when they aren’t subjected to the same stresses and loads.

When the engine is cold, have a feel around the engine bay to find anything loose or poorly mounted that could contribute to such vibrations. It could be as simple as a poorly located clamp of a loose piece of trunking or internal panelling vibrating against another part. Often these noises will be conveyed into the cabin via the fresh air vents, making them sound even louder.

Just be sure not to confuse a rattle with the normal cacophony of noises a modern turbo-diesel produces as part of operating under load.

Start with the basics. Is the coolant level correct (and the radiator overflow tank intact)? Are the fan belts that drive the water pump tight and not slipping? Is the electric fan turning on? Is the second electric fan turning on with the air conditioning? Are the radiator hoses in good condition and not collapsing when you rev the engine? Are the car’s brakes dragging and causing the engine to work harder than it should? Is the radiator clean and flowing properly? Is the radiator cap holding the correct pressure? Is there a build-up of mud, bugs and grass on the radiator’s surface? All these things can lead to overheating.

If all that checks out, you might have to dig a bit deeper, including a check of whether the water pump is pulling its weight (and not worn internally) whether the thermostat is operating correctly and even a test to see whether the head gasket has failed. Ford’s Ranger engines have also ben known to experience failures of the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve’s cooler which is part of the overall cooling system. The 2.2-litre and 3.2-litre Ranger engines seem more susceptible to this, but it shouldn’t be automatically ruled out on the 2.0-litre engine.

Good news. Instead of a rubber toother timing belt, the engine in your Ranger has a timing chain. While the rubber belt type generally requires periodic replacement, the timing chain in your car should last the life of the engine.