I usually just look at forums and never post but I need too. Few months ago I replaced my phasers due to the knocking found the tensioner gasket blown on drivers side put back together. No more knocking but I can hear a ticking now. Went to ford and got followers and lash adjusters " lifters" . Went to put them in last night and all of the lifters were collapsed yes everyone of them, no spring action . Thought I was good but the ford place gave me only 8 lash adjusters and followers. Worked on 4 adjusters til I got them working ,brake cleaner and oil and got them working again . But cranked up and still have a tick on back of the head. This head is the side that had the blown gasket when replacing the phasers and had poor oil flow to valve train on drivers side. So I will be getting 4 more and pray that the tick will be gone. Lifter tick noise knock lash adjuster follower phaser 5.4 3 valve

 

How are your cam lobes? Any wear on the lobes where it ramps up off the base circle(lowest part) will cause a tick. What about the rockers(followers)? Did you see any play in the roller? That will also cause a tick.

Which 4 lifters and followers did you not replace? Are they located near where the tick is coming from? Or does it seem to be coming from a cylinder that you've replaced everything on?

I find it hard to believe that the lifters you worked on would be reliable once you run the engine again. They have already collapsed once, and under the pressures of a cam lobe, will collapse again. Replace the last 4, with new rockers and run the engine again.

 

I will be replacing the remaining 4 soon had to get it back together to get home. Will inspect the cam lobes better when I tear it apart again. All my followers were tight with no play .