My L is 1250 miles and a little over 3 weeks old, and it has started to sound like a bloody diesel at cold start. It has a guttural ratchety uvular clatter at idle, which mostly goes away after the engine is run long enough to get fully heat-soaked. Not so bad now, but definitely audible. Is this the dreaded piston slap? TIA.

-tvw



[This message has been edited by tvw (edited 05-10-2000).]

 

Uvular - I love this board!

How about the tintinabulation of the pistons as they caressingly crash against the sides of the piston walls!

It sounds like piston slap to me.

And I'm not giving you a hard time. It is a treat to read words with more than one syllable. Many if not most on this board exhibit this multisyllabic trait and it is a joy to behold!

adp
#1530
Black '99

 

tvw Had the same sound on my 99 last year. Ford pit in a new motor, and guess what? At about 1000mi it too began to sound like a diesel on warm up. Some guys think its a "normal" sound for a forged piston due to extra tolerence allowed for greater expansion range. Its hard to believe that I could get two in a row with the same problem. Im going to sit on this one until I have about 35000 miles befre brng it back
Goodluck on yours.Drop me a note at pnbod2020@webtv.net with your progress on this.
thanx
Peter

 

I too had the "sounds like a diesel" when started cold. But after a few months and a few thousand miles it went away, now all I hear on cold starts is a sporatic mild ticking as though a lifter has collapsed and is pumping back up.

The ticking started at about 5,000 miles and is still doing it with a little over 6,000 miles on the odometer. Before anyone asks, Mobil 1 5W-30 and a Ford filter, so I don't think it's oil drain back causing it. Just to be sure though when it first started doing it I replaced the filter with another factory one, which made no difference, it still ticks.

Give it some time for the internal parts to settle in. It may go away. Mine did.

 

The ticking can be those big #47 injectors firing. get a mechanics stethoscope from pep boys and verify the noise, and then you can get some sleep

 

I just did a search on the ENGINES message board and they list a bunch of messages concerning piston slap. The last one appears to have two Technical Service Bulletins listed (#12798 and 12799) under the topic, "TSB For Piston Slap". From what I have read here in the past, the problem is generic to the 5.4L engines and not just Lightning 5.4L engines.
Might be worth your while to check out this out.

 

Thanks MRBBQMAN, I wondered about the injectors too but it only ticks if it sits for at least three hours. That's what led me to think lifters, but you are right I need to dig around in my tool box, find my old stethoscope and do a real check.

 

'cept the engine has no lifters...

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Red '00 Lightning,
Adopted 4/19/00,
PSP Filter,
Sound effects provided by Flowmaster,
Track time pending...

 

No lifters? How does the valve train maintain the correct lash? I'm sure it's not a pure mechanical setup. Many overhead cam engines have the "lifter" on the side of the rocker opposite the valve and it acts to change the pivot point and thereby maintain correct clearances. Some have them built into the end of the rocker arm itself, but I will look into it. Gotta make those Helms' books pay for themselves somehow. Thanks

 

I know what you're saying Hawkeye but what the cam strikes is called something else that I can't pull off the top of my head at the moment. Sorry. Techs?...

------------------
Red '00 Lightning,
Adopted 4/19/00,
PSP Filter,
Sound effects provided by Flowmaster,
Track time pending...

 

I finally remembered to look this up. They are now called lash adjusters, not lifters (showing my age, again) but as I thought they are located on the opposite side of the head from the valves. That is, the lash adjusters are on one side of the cam and the valves are on the other. And just like lifters in a push rod engine they pump up with oil to maintain correct valve adjustment.

Thanks 4D THNDR for stimulating the old grey matter.

 

Thnx for looking it up. Now I know too.

------------------
Red '00 Lightning,
Adopted 4/19/00,
PSP Filter,
Sound effects provided by Flowmaster,
Track time pending...

 

My pleasure 4D THNDR, anytime.

I just noticed you live in Chesapeake Virginia, I grew up in the Hamptom Roads area, and earned my degree at ODU. Nice to know good folks still live there.

Take care

 

u·vu·lar (yvy-lr)
adj.

Of, relating to, or associated with the uvula.
Linguistics. Articulated by vibration of the uvula or with the back of the tongue near or touching the uvula.

Sheesh! Jest wen eye wuz getteng too understend the messeges threw al of the spilling misteaks on this bored, yew go in use a word that i had two loock up.



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Y2K™

XLT SC SB 5.4L E4x4 AW-Disc, 3.73LS, Skid, 7700# HD Towing, Chrome LT-245, Steps, Captain's, 6CD, Tonneau, keyless, Toreador Red, called "Nick"