I got a new Black 04 Lariat 4x4 with the stick, a moon roof and the audiophile sound down in Garland, TX. They treat you well. The truck runs great, feels like it is nailed to the road, but with the extra 600 lbs you do not notice the increased horsepower. (I had the same model in an 01).

Since the first day it has made a noise which is most predominant when idling in gear. The dealer said it is the bigger and wider fuel injectors. He even took me to the lot and started another new one and it appeared to make the same sound. It sounds like tappets. Anyone else have a similar experience?

 

I went and test drove a Lariat SC yesterday. The salesman was walking around blabbing and the truck was running. I had the doors open and was lookingat the interior under sun light and as I was bent over looking under the seats and things i noticed the sound was more pronounced, sounded like a tapping.. I dared not ask the saleman about it for fear i would hear even more stuff I already knew...the best way to see for yourself if that noise is injector noise is to take a LONG thin shank screwdrive, place the screw end on the injector and put your ear next to the plastic handle end, you will hear the tapping in the plastic if it is...that is an old school way of checking but it has worked every time for me...if you don't hear it, thenyou have an injector problem..lol hopefully not on a new truck though.

later

 

Yep, this has been discussed on two other threads and it is a known problem that the 5.4´s tick. According to ford there is nothing wrong with them and they only need to have miles put on them but if you will look here you might see another possibility according to another member.

 

Thanks for the reply.

In this instance I now have 2,000 miles on this one and still have this marked noise.

 

But in my case, the ticking wasn't there when I bought it....only after the trans heated up.

 

Yes beastboy, you have a point but the one I most recently witnessed didn´t make a noise either until after some miles. I like the explanation you were given, although much more involved, then what they told this customer. Makes more sense and means they might need to do some changes. Instead of having to drive it and wonder. I saw it back in service yesterday so i will have to go and find out what became of it and tell them what you were told.

 

See my new thread, broly.

 

Well, I took my truck to my local mechanic who has served me well in the past when I have had issues with Ford. He said the ticking really was the fuel injectors above the engine and not the valves in the engine. He said that BMW had a similar problem a few years ago and I should not worry about it. This is the same explaination I got from the Ford service manager.

I am really to call this good

 

With all this talk of ticking noises from the 5.4's, it makes me think it might be best to wait for the '05's. I thought this truck was supposed to be the quitest truck on the planet, Ford?

 

I know several owners that do not have this problem. I think there may have had a problem early....but are correcting it in the plant.

 

My new XLT 5.4L makes a noise when idling in gear, right around 550 RPM. It sounds like a buzzing, like a loose piece of plastic resonating against something at that particualr RPM. Give it a few rev's and it goes away. It is certainly not a ticking noise. I was going to get the dealer to look at it and tighten whatever piece is buzzing, next time I brought it in.

 

"With all this talk of ticking noises from the 5.4's,
it makes me think it might be best to wait for
the '05's. I thought this truck was supposed to
be the quitest truck on the planet, Ford?"

The truck is great inside. Much less wind noise and you cannot hear the ticking. You only notice the noise when you are listening by putting your ear to the wheelwell.

 

Sorry about the old signature. I don't know how the change it to the new one.

 

Well, I now have 86,000 miles on it and, although it runs great and does not burn any oil, the ticking noise is louder. Yesterday, I was idling along side of a parked car and it sounded real loud with the widows down. Still love the truck, though