if u can check the sparkplugs, i think maybe that might be the cause, just a suggestion, i had weird noise in my engine till a plug blew and after replacing the head i never heard it again.

 

I have changed the fuel filter and air filter recently, so it is not that. The truck is bone stock, as in no chip or pulley's, so it can't be related to that. I have used all kinds of different gas from all different brands and stations, and the noise does not change. So that is not a factor.

Cud be the plugs, but they are a nightmare to get to, so if it is, I would rather have the dealer deal with it, since I don't even have the necessary tools to take em out, and the truck is under warrenty.

I love the truck, i mean really love it. Considering that it is a specialty vehicle, it doesn't even bother me so much when things go wrong. I just ask that the problems are fixed quickly and that both the vehicle and myself are treated with respect. This has yet to happen. The vehicle had had damage to the paint EVERY SINGLE TIME it is been in for warrenty work, at THREE different dealers! Problems are not fixed, without an argument, and the truck has sat at the dealer for over a month. These are the things I will NOT accept. I was about to buy a SVT focus. Not anymore.

 

You are expecting too much from a car dealer.

 

All mod motors up until the 03 Cobra had nasty piston slap. Im not sure of the build tolerances but some make more noise then the others.

If you wanted perfection, you should of bought a Mercedes.

 

Isn't there a "lemon law" where you live? I thought that if you took a new vehicle to the dealer for the same problem x number of times, then they had to give you another of equal value cause the original was a lemon. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

You are correct...but they got around that by never admitting that there is a problem.

Nah **** if I wanted perfection, woulda bought a lexus. Mercedes quality is crap nowadays.

 

I tend to agree with **** that it could be piston slap which has been very common with the 5.4 engine. If that's the case, then their is nothing that can be done and you will have to live with it. It seems unlikely that it's detonation if it's been happening for as long as you say. Have any of the dealers acknowledged that there is even a noise? If so, what do they attribute the noise to? Car repairs can be frustrating, but I've been on the other side of the coin also when my dad had his shop. Customers would insist that there was a problem , but we could never find anything wrong. I would think the dealers would be eager to repair it if they could find a problem, as they would get paid more for the warranty work than they get for troubleshooting the truck. Good luck and keep us posted as to the outcome.

 

This has nothing to do with your problem but a recommendation for INSURING there is no paint damage and no dings or dents when you pick your vehicle up. Just do as I do.

I take the service manager, or who ever is in charge of the shop for a freaking tour of my truck, we do a nice walk around looking at the pretty shinny paint. I point out there is no scratches in it, no dings, no dents and NO freaking grease hand prints on it, not even dust. I take my cal duster to it right before walking in.

We then do a little tour of the inside of the truck. I point out to him/her how the interior is spotless, no torn seats, no grease or dirt on the seats, no grease or dirt on the steering wheel, or the stick shift, or the door handles or the radio *****, or the sun visor. You get the idea.

I then make him/her write down our adventure for the day stating that NO damage of any kind was found on the outside, no dirt, no grease, and that the inside was like a freaking shrine…

Thus if I pick it up and found anything wrong, could be a real bad day for someone should I happen to go postal…

The fact I have it in writing really brightens my day…

 

Now, if I was fortunate enough to own a Lightning it would be a real bitch. I would make myself an added accessory to the interior. Basically planting my *** in the passenger seat for a little field day adventure. Now and then I would ask the tech how everything was going while eating my field day snacks…

 

The rattle,

Not everyone will understand your dilemma here.

You are expecting too much from a car dealer? If you wanted perfection, you should of bought a Mercedes? I think they call that destructive criticism.

I remember reading somewhere before a person had a similar problem and it was instability with the speed the water runs through the heater core. They put a valve on the heater hose to control water flow. Stopped the noise.

To get your truck back with scratches on it is just ridicules.
Just keep looking for a good mechanic who respects their client’s property.