Well I've run my Screw up to 35500 miles and so I thought I'd find out what the lads at my Ford dealership think about my "piston slap". I dropped off my beloved truck yesterday and they called today and said "well there is a definitely a knock in the motor". They want to keep it the weekend until they can come to some sort of arrangement with Ford. I guess on Monday I'' hear something. Interesting.............

 

The diagnosis is piston slap. The dealership is still talking with ford after today. Alternatives are a remanned FQR? by Fred Jones or maybe just an extended warranty to 100k. Any thoughts on either?

 

Is the noise supposed to stop on its own before 100,000K or do they hope you will sell it before then? I wonder why Ford doesn't just fix it properly?

 

Actually I suggested the warranty thinking that if the slap doesn't affect the longevity of the motor then why take the chance on putting a reman in there. I'm sure dollars are the reason they don't act more proactively. I have heard that if they would use forged pistons this wouldn't happen.

 

As long as it isn't that bad and goes away after less than a minute for warm up. I wouldn't lose a lot of sleep over it.

Now if it's really bad then demand that they do everything they can to get it fixed. Make them sign something that your brought it in at under 36,000 miles so you can get on with your life while they think about the problem. Then you can have your truck until they get off there butts and replace the engine or maybe change out the sleves or the pistons????????????

 

You guys worry too much about it. All the trucks sound like that. It doesnt affect longevity, or performance, etc.

 

my truck doesn't have piston slap...and believe me i'd know it if it did!!

 

I would take the 100k mile warranty and keep the "slapper". Piston slap does not seem to cause any problems, and YOU'LL GET A 100K MILE WARRANTY that covers the entire drivetrain.....just because your engine makes a racket for a little while when you start it up!

Sounds like a sweet deal to me.

 

I agree with RebelYell, get the 100K warrenty and live with the noise at start up.

Several of the Chevy engines have had some piston slap noise on start up as well, it's a tolerance thing where the engine componets are such a tight tolerance that the expansion of the metals on startup will cause some parts to fit together diffrently when hot and when cold.

We may see more and more of this in newer engines as the tolerances get even closer.

 

It's a thought. In fact I am kind of leaning that way. Seems a waste to install an FQR for a little noise that goes away after 3 minutes and doesn't affect longevity. Sounds like the dealership wants to put in a FQR for a profit. If I don't get the warranty offer should I go with the FQR?

 

Screwdriver,

I'm interested in your resolution of this. Did you get another engine or extended warranty?

My 2002 F150 5.4L started the piston slap business after about 1500 miles. Now that it is colder in the morning and the truck has 8000 miles the noise is very apparent. Everyone that has head it swears I have a diesel. I like my truck overall, but every morning I'm reminded of this problem in a very annoying way.

 

I DID NOT KNOW YOU COULD HEAR A BITCH SLAP.

 

I had a '97 piston slapper. Try putting Mobil 1 full synthetic in it and take the warranty. It cured mine!

 

I would also take the extended warranty. This problem has been going on for a long time without major failure's. Just get all the documentation of when you were there and how many mile's were on the truck. Tell them you want the warranty to cover the complete drivetrain and not just the motor.

 

My 98 4.6 slaps on cold mornings but i DID notice that it does it less when i run Mobil 1 full syn 5w30. I have 51,000 miles - I wonder if they'd give me a extended warrenty....