But what if you have an 04 out of warranty and all i have is the other warranty til 60 or 72k miles


Anyone who gets it fixed, let me know so I guess I can fix it myself

I think if you read back through this thread you're going to find that there's a number of different "whistles" folks are talking about. I believe there's at least two main types here: 1) A noise when the vehicle is cold - regardless of engine RPM - and it goes away when the vehicle warms up, and 2) a noise only right around 1,800 RPM when it's cold - that never goes away unless you change the engine speed. Warming the vehicle up has absolutley no effect on this one.

Here's the important part. The TSB just posted up does not deal with the second condition. I'd seen this TSB a while ago and actually purchased the part - along with a new alternator. (I had condition #2.) We put the alternator in first and it solved the whole problem. I took the other part back. So, before you run out and do something silly ...

oh yeah its the first situation, I found that out. It only happens when its very cold and i start driving it, but goes away when it warms up but I feel that it can't be good for my truck so I plan on fixing it soon, once I know how.

Whistle while I head to work...
 

My truck whistles when its 20 degrees or colder. The local Ford dealership replaced my throttle body plate and it still whistles. They can't figure out how to fix it. They've heard the noise but want to see it again when its cold. Why can't anyone firgure it out, the trucks a 2006 (three years later). No such problems with the 2004 I had, same F150 and 5.4L engine.

My 2004 5.4 does it! I think all the new F150 does it. Some peeps are lucky and don't get the whistle. I wonder will the 2009 be affected with this annoyance.

my 05 does it on the HWY when it is really cold. I thought I was hearing a tornado siren outside. Kept coming and going and kind of freaking me out. Very high pitched squeal. Would go away gradually if I changed the engine RPM.

You might want to go back through this (very long) thread and see if your symptoms match mine. I posted in waaay back with a detailed description of my symptoms. My dealer couldn't seem to figure it out either - while the truck was under warranty. As soon as I pulled the serpentine belt and spun the pulley on the alternator though, I knew I had the problem in hand.

As I've stated several times here, somebody in Purchasing at Ford should be very proud of the $0.02 per unit they saved on alternator bearings from Burma.

I agree. In fact if people would search the forum they will see that most of these turn out to be the alternator.

So if I have problem number 2, it means I need a new alternator? Mine just started doing this in this cold weather.

As I stated before mine stopped and has not been back. The recall number TBS 08-4-2 fixed my problem. It is an idler pulley. I know some of you say this is not the problem, but it fixed mine and it is a recall. The pulley part number is 6L3Z-6C348-A. This is just my two cents, take it for what you will...

TSB 08-4-2 fixed mine as well. However, a TSB is NOT a recall.

As I stated earlier, if your symptoms match the detailed description I posted much earlier, it's very likely the alternator. If you want to go the conservative route though, try the pulley - it's cheaper. While you have the sperpentine belt off though, give the alternator pulley spin. I could tell mine was shot with one easy spin.

Isn't the TSB for 07-08 trucks only.....alot of these are 04-05

I have an 02, not a NBS, don't know if this matters, just saying. But, Is this a sign of a bad part, or just an annoying noise? Mine only does it once or twice in the morning. Not everyday. And has only done it like 3 times in a wk. It will make a little wistle, I just hit the gas a little more, and its gone.

At work we have 2 dodge stratus that do it a lot more often. Warm or cold. They have been going for at least 2 years like this.

I have the whistle when it's cold out. Seems like its the idler pulley!