I've got a noise in my 02 5.4 that has me worried. It only happens once the motor has cooled completely, and is worse in cold weather. If the weather is not cold, sometimes this won't happen, even after setting overnight. It was 19 degrees when I got off work tonight and this was the loudest and longest I have ever heard it. It occurs for the first 5-10 seconds the engine is running once it is started cold. I would describe it as ticking, or even knocking. If I don't let the engine sit and idle for a minute or two, I hear a noise under load while driving (don't know if it is related? sounds the same, though) until I get out of the neighborhood, then it dissapears.

The gauge always shows oil pressure to go right up, but I don't know how accurate that gauge is.


Is this piston slap? From everything I have read it seems that the cold-start piston-slap was supposed to be remedied in 2000, but my truck is an 02 with 68k miles. I bought the truck used this summer, so I don't know how long it has been happening. I never heard it until the temps started dropping.

 

cold start...
nothing to worry about just a dry lifter nocking my trucks done it for about 80,000 miles now.. no problems.

 

sure sound like piston slap. i have it and it doesn't worry me anymore.
you could install a block heater to help with the cold start ups.

 

Err...forgive me if I'm wrong, but aren't lifters only associated with a pushrod design...

So if it is piston slap, it doesn't hurt anything? It is hard to believe that a noise such as this isn't hurting anything, but I hope it isn't if there is nothing I can do about it...

Also, I guess this isn't just limited to 97-99 model trucks?

 

I found a website devoted to GM piston slap. Are they known for knocking only on cold start-up too, or do they always knock like that? They have a sound clip there, but it sounds like a different, much worse noise than what I've got. This clip sounds like a diesel idling. Mine sound more along the lines of an exhaust leak ticking, and goes away once the RPM settles down to a slower idle. Is this clip what ford piston slap sounds like, as well? If not, I'm looking at the wrong thing...

http://www.pistonslap.com/photos.htm

 

The piston slap on the GM's is worse (IMO). They do it all the time. And as you can see from that website, it causes damage to the engine.

At work we have a bunch of Chevies, and just about all of them have piston slap/knock. And this is at any and every temperature (over the summer temps would get up to 110, the other day temps were in the 40s-60s). Its rather loud too. And on some of them the engine idles a little rough, but it doesnt seem to have any association with the PS/knocking.
My roommate has a Chevy, his does it too.
Coincidentally, they are all '02s.

In any case, it sounds like you have piston slap, and I would not worry about it. Especially since it doesnt last very long. Sometimes mine lasts until I get to the next block or longer.

 

Look at your oil filter. Fram, cheap imposter? Change it out. They are known to cause knocking. Look at the manuel, states right there.

 

I'm using a Motorcraft filter with 5w20 Mobil 1 full syn.

It is hard to determine what the symptoms of PS on these trucks are. Some guys say it only happens for the first few seconds of a cold start-up, and some say it happens under load for a block or two. I seem to have both symptoms, both cases are worse the colder it is. It sounds a lot like an exhaust leak, but I can't find one anywhere unless the manifold itself is cracked, which I have seen happen before but that is a long shot.

I guess its just one of those things I can't do anything about and have to live with. Luckily it is rarely this cold in TX. Still, I have a hard time accepting things like this but I guess I'll just have to get over it...

 

I've got the same with my 2003 5.4

When it becomes cold out I hear the same kinda ticking noise. Until the truck has been at idel for around 40sec.

In the summer I do not hear the noise as bad.. I find in the winter if I plug in the truck this helps a little bit..

I was kinda starting to wonder if something could be done to slove it...

 

I have a noise (more of a ticking) that only appears when the truck is good and warmed up. Ice cold, start up and everything sounds normal. But after driving for a while, if I get out with the engine running, there it is.

It's not loud enough to hear when driving, just when I am outside the truck, standing up front.

I was worried it could be the water pump going but I think that would make the noise if hot or cold. So I'm wondering if it could be a noisy lifter or even a belt.

Any ideas?

(I'm not driving a Ford these days. It's a Dodge. :o )

 

noises are hard to pinpoint. especially when someone is describing it. A ticking noise sounds like exhaust leak. check the exhaust manifold for broken studs.

 

So I just got an '02 Lariat SCab with a 5.4; and it makes what is probably the very same noise for the first minute of a cold start. Sounds just like one lifter "pumping up" in the 406-powered '72 F100 I had many years ago. After a minute, it's dead quiet. This is only the second OHC V8 I've driven more than twice; my ride at work is an '00 F150/4.6, which has so many annoying buzzes, squeaks and rattles that I'd be hard pressed to hear a blown plug.

So the question is: "Is the piston slap bad news, or is it something to be lived with?" The aforementioned 406 always had "a little slap" which grew and grew until it silenced itself permanently by sucking a #6 exhaust valve, cratering a piston and creating a miniaturized Grand Canyon down the cylinder wall. Not something I want to be facing!

Inquiring minds, and all that.

 

I would check all your plugs and be sure they are tight!!! 2nd i have had the notorious slap for 158,000 miles (same plugs and wires) and never been an issue. As long as it goes away after warming up you have little to worry about. Just drive it like you stole it...

 

Checked them 4 days ago, right after reading about that little problem. Didn't pull the coils and check torque; but used an old piece of 3/8" fuel line stuffed in my ear, other end at base of each plug, right at cold start. No hissing sound and no plugs were blowing in my ear. Yay.

 

When are you going to change those plugs?
I bet you would be pleasantly surprised if you change them now. The truck may not misfire, but the plugs can be worn down (after 158k they ARE worn down) and still work ok...generally speaking it can be hard to tell they are going out because it happens slowly so you dont notice the change.Just my $.02 :santa: