My 04 Screw, 32k miles, has lately started making a 2 second racket upon cold startup. The noise sounds something like a pound of nuts and bolts being shaken in a metal bucket. Sound is very loud, then goes completely away after 2 seconds or so, and truck then runs normally. No CEL. Shutting down and then restarting the noise does not recur, but after sitting for three or four hours then the noise will occur. I took the truck into the dealer last Monday, and it was reported by them that timing chain tensioner(s) are probably bad and will need R/R, along with any other things inside that are revealed by visual inspection.

My question is, has anyone else had this problem?

 

Some owner's had cam phazer problem, which sounds like what you are going through...if you serach the site, you'll the topic....good luck at the dealer

 

Cam Phaser knock only happens after warm up. What oil filter are you using? If you aren't using an oil filter with the correct anti-drainback valve you are having dry startup noise from no oil in the engine.

 

My thought exactly. I had to have my cam phasers replaced on both sides and that noise only happens at idle on a warm engine. This sounds exactly like an aftermarket oil filter problem with no anti drainback valve. I put one in a pinch one time on mine and it sounded like hell on cold startup...changed that out real quick!

 

I've never used anything but oem Ford filters and, for that matter, Ford motor oil, 5W20 like the book says. No one but me has ever changed the oil on this vehicle, so I know exactly what has been used at each change. I always prefill the new filter with oil before installing it. This motor makes absolutely no unusual noise whatever when it is warm, unless it has been allowed to sit for an hour or so. The service guy mentioned cam phasers when he called me back, but at that point they hadn't yet pulled anything off the motor, so it was conjecture. If the cam phaser problem is warm motor only, then that isn't my problem for sure.

In any case, I get the truck back tomorrow and will see what they did to it, and hopefully all unusual noises are gone, never to return. Heck, I can live with the racket as long as I know there isn't anything bad going on inside. It's only for about a second or two on cold start, and then all is normal after that. Truck runs great.

 

OK FYI I got the truck back from the shop this afternoon. Took them five days. They replaced the cam phasers, one was cracked, both were "old style". They replaced two timing chain tensioners. And of course all the gaskets. Had to evacuate the ac system, drain the coolant, motor oil. So far so good, the motor is much quieter than before. It used to tick tick tick at idle, but that appears to be gone now. I'll know about the cold start noise tomorrow morning.

 

I've had several older 4.6s in cars before where the timing chains ate through the chain guides, mostly because of neglect. The tensioners would get sludged up and start backing off the guides, allowing the chains to flop around and eat the guides up. Haven't heard any newer engines or engines that were taken care of do this though, but I suppose anything's possible. Good to see your dealer got you squared away.

 

Quintin, define neglect in this case please? Are you talking long time on oil changes, wrong oil, run low on oil or lack of some adjustments? Thanks
Chris

 

Yes. I'm starting to have that happen right now.

Great. I've never had any other problems with this truck. What's even odder is that I have almost exactly 32K on it.

 

Evidently there are TSBs on both the chain tensioner(s) and the cam phasers. You might as well take it on in.

 

Lack of oil changes mostly, Chris. Lots of short trips without letting the engine reach full temperature can be faulted as well.

 

I logged on tonight to post a thread on the same exact subject. Mine is knocking on start-up as well. I thought maybe my oil was low, so I checked, but it's at normal level. Mine's about to role 40k though and i'm SOL on the warranty. Was wondering though if I were to have the cam phasers replaced and timing chain tensioners, etc. what would this all cost?? Thanks

 

The work my shop did would've cost just a hair under $2k according to the service adviser.

 

WOW ...thats a chunk of change. Not a long enough warranty on these trucks.

 

Wait now. I change my oil religiously every 2500 to 3000 miles. I use Mobil 1 EVERY change. I always allow the engine to warm up. I have just 32K on it with 10 oil changes so far.

After I bought my Bronco, and started only driving the F150 on the weekends did this problem start to happen. I'm thinking that it's a problem that occurs from the engine going "dry" while sitting, and not taking a cold start well.