Hi all,
Have a '99 Expedition with 5.4L - on a cold start, have what I thought was piston slap, but...... you dont really hear it until you put it in gear, it stays for 2-5 minutes until the engine warms up (and is more noticeable the more you get on it), is much louder on cold mornings - never heard it til the most recent cold weather hit.

I saw some people mention lifter noise, but didnt see any details - could this be it, or do I have piston slap? what does Ford say about the lifter noise?

Build date for vehicle is: 7/99, need to check engine build date

Thanks!

 

txg8rs,
I am having the EXACT symptoms you are and have also wondered if this is a valvetrain problem or piston slap. Am working on going to the dealer to get this diagnosed. My engine build date is 6/99. I wonder if anyone else with a build date near ours is having this problem? I thought I was all alone on this problem but after reading your post I thought that you were describing my engine!
After your engine warms up, does it have a growl when you get on it that sounds like a slight exhaust manifold leak? I didn't notice this noise until after I started hearing the slap/lifter noise. Maybe this growl just indicates that it's a mean 5.4.
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99.5 4x4 S/C Lariat, ORP, Flairside,5.4l 3.73 rear, oxford white, 4 wheel disc, 4 wheel ABS,factory nerf bars, 6 disc changer, keyless entry

To mod or not to mod....that is the question!




[This message has been edited by J.J. Middleton (edited 01-13-2000).]

 

I also have the exact same sound as is being described (only while in gear) I do not think it is piston slap since it is not noticeable in park or neutral, all previous posts say the piston slap noise is only when the truck is out of gear and lasts only for a few seconds. The noise in my truck also lasts for a few minutes. I think this is only "cold engine noise" also no growl when warm. I will however monitor this for the next 3 years. This noise has been here from day one and it may be a little worse when very cold but everything sounds worse when very cold. If you get this diagnosed as anything serious please post (engine date----8-99)

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2000 F-150, XLT, SC, 5.4, 4X4, 355 LS, ORP, Black/Silver, class III, single CD, '93 Harley Fatboy Black & tons of chrome

[This message has been edited by Bubbadewsky (edited 01-14-2000).]

 

I heard the same noise on my 98 Expy 5.4. It sounded EXACTLY like a manifold leak when I was accelerating with the engine cold. How did I fix this? I don't accelerate with a cold engine! I do have the piston slap problem too! Its currently in the dealership waiting for its new heart!
The piston slap ONLY happened after 10 seconds on cold start and lasted 15 seconds. This noise sounds more like a "KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK" than the fluttering sound like a manifold leak.
Are they related? I gots no idea!
Can't be good though???

 

I also have this fluttering sound for about 1st minute, under acceleration when it is cold. The sound is most evident when the trans is in OD and I hit the gas enough to accelerate, but not enough to make it shift out of OD. On a cold start it sounds fine at idle, I need to start going to hear any thing. I thought it was an exhaust leak also. I don't think it is piston slap. It has been warm lately, so I have not been thinking about it much.

Nick

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'99 F-150 XLT SC 4x4 5.4L Auto 3.55LS Tow pkg skid plates , Superchip, Gibson cat-back, K&N filter

 

Ihave a 5.4 expy with what I think is a piston slap (what does a piston slap sound like?) the dealership and Ford engineering calls it a spark knock and that "they all do that" Mine used to be worse in the cold but now it does it all the time. On acceleration you hear a roll that sounds like an old vw beetle. My engine build date is 6/99 as well.

 

Does anyone find it ironic that we all seem to have the same problem? Does anyone live in Atlanta, GA? Unless I have my radio loud the vw beetle noise (manifold noise) drives me nuts. It really makes me hate this truck. But it looks so nice in the driveway!!!

 

Lemon,

What engine do you have? THe piston slap is common in the 5.4l, and V10, and some windsor 4.6l. THere are alot of threads here on piston slap,etc . if ya look around.

 

Well I am glad (i think) to see that I am not the only one....maybe it is a normal sound....no growl when warm, tho

JJ - if you get to dealer, pls post what they say - I am going to put in synthetic at 10k miles, and we'll see if it has any effect. Waiting to see if something else goes wrong to bring it in to the dealer.

BTW - I had a '91 Acura Integra that made a helluva lot of noise when cold, and took 15-20 min to go away. It was a good thing I lived in S. FL, or it would have driven me crazy!! Since then, about a third of the Hondas that I have heard starting up have varying degrees of the same noise - when I got rid of the car it had 90K miles with no problems whatsoever

 

I noticed that txg8rs did not really get a response to his question. I do not know as much about the new engine line txg8rs, but from the descriptions, it sounds like the lifters.

 

See below for my theory on txg8rs's issue.

I have a Y2K F250 SuperDuty with the 5.4L.
No piston slap, but I do have the
'VW Beetle' sound on acceleration. Its easier for me to hear cause I have a manual 5sp tranny.

I've only got 3K miles on the truck thus far, and have not had it into the dealer yet. I think its possible that the sound is normal, but it is annoying that some folks have the sound and others don't.

Now, heres my theory on txg8rs:
He is hearing the same 'spark knock' that I am , however not as bad.
The reasons he's hearing it now:
a. its colder outside now
b. Many states run oxengenated(sp) fuel blends in the winter months. So the fuel isn't as good..
c. If you listen for it closely, it seems to get louder.. Just human nature, you get your ears tuned to hear it.

Y2K F250 XLT SC 4x2 5.4L 5sp 4.10LS