I recently purchased a '99 F250, 5.4L, 93,000 miles. I have what sounds like a lifter tick on one side. Some days I can hardly hear the sound and other days it is louder. The dealership changed oil before I brought it home but I do not know what they used.

My question concerns oil additives and your opinions of how well they work especially eliminating lifter noise. Is there an additive that really could help with eliminating the lifter problem? I plan to change oil this week so I will know what I have but I am waiting for some suggestions in case I need to add an additive or something. I normally use valvoline 10W30.

Please advise. Thanks.

 

Can't help on the additive, don't use em. However, Just about a year ago I was having a ticking on the passenge side of the engine. It went on for about 3 months. Then come winter I changed from Mobil 1 10W30 to 0W30 and haven't heard a sound since. I did go back to 10W30 this summer and still no ticking.

 

Now that I have found out that the 5.4 does not have lifters it would seem like the noise is not connected to a trash or sludge build up problem. I will replace plugs this weekend to see if that is the problem (loose plug).