My '04 (3v 5.4) is intermittently making a rather loud and horrible rattling or clattering noise. It sounds like it’s toward the front top of the engine on the passenger side. The key word is intermittently. Sometimes it’ll do it several times a day. Sometimes it’ll go several days without a peep. Sometimes it’s at startup, sometimes after running a while, sometimes for just a few seconds, sometimes for extended periods and after multiple engine restarts. It rattles at idle, at increased RPM, while parked, while driving, etc.

My Dad, who retired as a tech at a dealership several years ago, heard it and said it sounded like a lifter, but I understand the 3v 5.4 doesn’t have lifters. I’ve tried taking it to my dealership twice, but both times it quit the noise before they could hear it. I don’t really want to leave it with them, because it may be days or even weeks before it does it again. Any ideas?

 

Sounds like a cam phaser to me.

http://www.justanswer.com/questions/...-f150-5-4l-eng

 

Timing chain tensioners.............mine is doing it as well. It will do it on start up and if im going slow maybe around a parking lot giving it a little gas. However, it will not do this until the engine is hot. But there is always rattle at start up .........hot or cold. Ford techs. told me that the tensioners are bad causing slack in the chain. Of course they said everything would have to be replaced that had anything to do with the timing compartment.......a $2400 bill.

Not saying that is whats wrong with yours.....but it kinda sounds like mine.

 

Definitely not a cam phaser from what you have described. Cam phasers whether good or bad make a knock only at idle when the engine is at normal operating temperatures.

 

Cam phasers can also cause valve noise which sounds like marbles in a can. It's a rattling noise for sure. I know. I have two "questionable" cam phasers and it sounds "chainy" at times. Definitely a rattling. The only knock I get is at startup.

 

I finally made it to the dealer while the truck was making the noise today. Service manager immediately said it was the cam phaser. I said I didn't think so, my truck has had the cam phaser sound (sounds like a diesel) for a long time now, and this new sound just started recently and it comes and goes. He insisted it is the cam phaser and gave me a price of $1,528 to replace the cam phasers, the timing chain, tensioners and guides. He said ALL of those had to be replaced or it might not fix the problem. I tend to agree with UofKboy, sounds more like timing chain slap from slack in the tensioners. Can the cam phasers cause slack in the timing chain when they make adjustments?

What really irks me is that I took the truck in to the same dealership when it was still under warranty because of the diesel knocking sound. They listened to it and told me it was the cam phasers and that it was normal and wouldn't hurt anything and therefore not covered under warranty. Now that my warranty is out, they say I have to replace them.

My noise might sound like marbles in a can - if you were to put in a handful of tiny marbles and shake pretty vigorously

 

If it sounds like a chain then perhaps it's poor oil control, i.e. oil pump. That would cause a lot of problems.

On your last oil change did you select a thinner oil? This can happen when you choose synthetics or blends.

Here's a test. Get Restore Engine treatment and see if the noise goes way down. If it does, it's an oil control issue. If it doesn't it's a cam phaser issue:

http://shop.oreillyauto.com/ProductD...egoryCode=2049

 

I've always changed the oil myself every 5k, and always used what Ford recommends - Motorcraft FL820S filter and Motorcraft 5w-20 semi-synthetic. I have just over 56,000 miles.

Also, a couple of days ago my engine light came on (first time ever). I took it to Autozone, and they pulled just one code: P0351 - Ignition Coil A Primary/Secondary Circuit Malfunction. We reset the engine light, and it came on again yesterday morning. I took it to Autozone again to see if we would get the same code, and we did. That's when the noise started, so we didn't reset the light that time, and I went straight to the dealership to let them hear the noise. The service manager said they pulled the code and it said.....cam phaser. I said "did you also get P0351 for Ignition Coil"? He said no, they only got one code and it was for bad cam phaser.

 

does it sound like this?

my truck has had this problem for awhile, don't know what it is and can't afford to take it to the dealer to find out.

 

Yep. Mine sounds the same. Rattle rattle rattle. Tick tick tick. Annoying, but it hasn't gotten worse since 150 miles on the ODO and I'm supercharged (now at 45,000 lead-footed miles).

I would say if it doesn't get any worse and you don't notice a performance loss, keep an eye on it but don't get overly concerned about it. If it does get worse, take it in and have the cam phasors replaced.

Bear in mind, however, it could sound like that several months after the repair, as some on here have reported already.

 

These model trucks are are famous for the "dry start-up" rattle. Everybody says its normal...........but its not. Now, some days I don't have the rattle at start-up. But the one constant is the bad rattle I'm getting after its been drove for about an hour. The chain will not rattle until its been drove at highway speeds or until its reaches its normal driving temp. Speaking of the codes, mine throws a PO345 code which means "camshaft position sensor bank 2" and both Ford techs said it had to do with the timing chain. Like I said before, both dealerships gave me a estimate of around $2400. However, I do believe that the camphasers have a lot to do with it too.

 

That doesn't sound like a cam phaser to me, but I have only heard mine, and I'm no Ford Tech.

 

yea i have no idea what it is.
i was just wondering if his sounded the same maybe i could start to try and pin point what is wrong with mine.

mine only does it sometimes and it's always when i'm stopped, parked, or idling under 15MPH. the moment i give it gas it's gone.

it doesn't bother me as much as it use to but i'll def. be getting it checked out whenever i get back to work...god only knows when that'll be haha

 

The startup "rattle" sound is not the same as what's on the video. What you're referring to is piston slap. Most modular motors exhibit this, at least every now and then. Or it's a dry sump. Either one is common.

Timing chain rattle is a very distinct sound. It has more of a constant clanking/scratching sound.

The sound on the video is really sounds like its cam and/or valve related.

 

Didn't really or couldn't tell the sound on the video to make a comment on that sound. I was just reffering to what mine does. You can definatly tell the difference in piston slap and chain rattle. Chain rattle sounds just like its name. Its also the same sound I get when I first start it up.