I have an 01 SCAB 4x4 w/5.4L motor with 121,000 miles on it. Now I'm starting to hear what sounds like valve tapping. With the hood open I don't hear much, when I'm underneath the motor, I hear it clearly. What do you think the possibilities are? Thanks for you input.

 

what kinda oil pressure you getting. cause i had a tapping noise and thought it was a bad valve or lifter in a ranger i had but the mechanic said when he got underneath and looked at it it was really loud and turned out to be my oil pump went out.

just a thought i had.

 

Does it sound the same on both sides of the motor? When your underneath - Listen for it in the exhaust between the forward and rear cat on both sides .

Does the tick echo in both sides?

 

My oil pressure gauge in the dash always reads good but I'm not sure how reliable it is, it never moves. The sound is not coming from the exhaust. It sounds like it's coming right out of the oil pan. I would think that if the valves were tapping, that I would hear it from the top of the motor, but I don't. It's definitely coming the bottom end.

 

Start vehicle allow to warm up idle then crawl under truck with hollowed tube and listen to cats on both sides and oil pan. Then report back.

Oh Be Safe.. use e-brake and someone you trust if you need to rev motor!

 

Yea , that's different. I referred to the exhaust because mine does that and it took forever to figure out what was ticking. Ended up being the Type 3 injectors echoing in thru the Long tubes believe it or not.

Your problem sounds like it might be the timing chain, if your hearing it down there. Maybe you lost a guide or a piece of it and it's sitting inside the motor in front of the oil pan - The chain may be coming in contact with that.

Your main seal isn't leaking is it?

All I can think of down there.

Good Luck.

 

update: I took it over to a shop I like. He used a listening device in different areas and determined that it was a rod bearing. But get this, I took my son to his baseball game this a.m., when I parked I noticed that the tapping sound was gone. After the game, which we won BTW, I started the truck and OMG, what a noise, I thought the engine was done. When I came back to get my stuff out before calling the tow truck, I gave it one more try to look under the hood to find the problem. Sure nuff, I found a coil pack that came off, then shortly after, I found the spark plug laying right there. I put it all back together and the truck runs great. Even the tapping sound is gone, WUWT? I'm but very happy that I don't have to buy a new engine. I totally expect the tapping sound to come back sometime but for now, it's gone.

 

The tapping noise is still gone, the engine is running great. So now I need to get a new coil pack cause when the spark plug blew out, it broke the screw holes were it mounts to the manifold. Any ideas where I can get one? Thanks.

 

I have to ask...

Were you able to get the torque up to spec on that plug when you put it back in?

How many miles on your '01? How many since the last plug change?

Just saw a similar thread last week or so where after reinstalling the ejected plug, seemingly fixing the problem, the engine re-ejected (or is that rejected) it again a day or so later. I hope you have better luck, let us know.

BTW, Global COPs work well. eBay has them for under $100 delivered for all 8, and I think I even saw them selling individual coils for like $12 + shipping. I got some last winter, ordered on Monday nite and got them Friday.

 

It's been about 3 years since I changed the plugs, when I installed the Procharger. I no longer have the blower but I kept the plugs in. I didn't torque it down yet cause I'm going to replace all of them in a couple of days along with the COP. The engine has almost 122,000 miles and still runs like it's new. I do have the fear that any time now that plug will pop out again. At least I'll know what to look for.

 

So they lasted 55-60K after changing before your blowout, eh? Do you remember what you installed them to torque wise? I'm starting to wonder if I need to pull COPs & check torque on my Y2K halfway thru my change interval to be safe. I installed mine with a torque wrench to 13 ft-lb and no antiseize almost 8K ago..

 

I had this problem tonight. I just changed my oil last month at a local shop since i was getting my inspection anyway. I used a mechanical stethoscope to listen for a change in sound on the oil pan and exhaust manifolds. There was no difference in sound.

My heart dropped because I knew it had to be my engine knocking.

Just like your truck, my oil pressure gauge read perfect, but also hadn't moved.

After taking it to a ford dealership for a quote for a new engine, the technician checked out my vehicle and quoted me...

Later that night it was still eating at me that this had happened so I went out and did the one thing nobody else had checked...the oil (since i had just gotten it changed, i totally disregarded the idea)

My oil pan was bone dry. After filling up the oil tank, the knocking was gone and the gauge read the same as always.

Skip the nonsense that I went through and check the oil if you already haven't :P

On another note, The fact that my oil pan was dry, and there was no leakage on my driveway, AND i just got it changed last month. I'm at a loss as to what could have happened to my oil.

 

You're oil did a Houdini Now that''s bizarre. My oil is full, but I'm using a full synthetic. My mechanic recommends going back to dino juice, just a heavier weight than the 5W20. But as I said, the tapping noise is gone. Does that mean that it was the spark plug coming loose? You couldn't hear it from the top of the motor, only the from the bottom or standing along side the front end. I guess this is what I get for not using my torque wrench.

 

if the sound wasnt everywhere, then it isnt an internal engine problem. When the sound is isolated it could be a number of things.

When the sound went away when your spark plug went back in, then you have now fixed the problem

 

That's what I'm hoping, I don't understand how a loose spark plug can cause such a noise. Oh well, as long as it's gone and never comes back.