My 97 F-150 Super Cab 4X4, 5.4L, had what I thought was a lifter tick. Took it to a Local mechanic, and he says its not a lifter ??

1. Might be a Catalytic Converter noise?? About $1300 to fix

2. Might be a Lower End Knock !!?? Well ya know ! $????????


Really loud when cold, gets better when warmed up. Oil pressure is good and does not vary, Ford Pressure Guage. Says its not the chain tensioners, lifters or in the front of the engine. Any ideas anyone ???


Vince

 

My bet would be a broken exhaust manifold stud(s). Take a look on both sides and make sure you have all 8 nuts on the studs...

I've got a couple missing on mine.... I've got that parts to fix it, but just haven't done the job yet.. Someday!

Mitch

 

You gotuh know , - that's a fun one. That's why the parts are on the back shelf

I say the same, those exhaust leaks can mimic a metal ticking sound. The fact that it lessons when warm is a clue. Expansion will seal her some

 

Yep! I almost had the motivation to do it over Thanksgiving, but it didn't happen.... The parts have been on the shelf for almost 2 years now!

I'm mostly fearing the already busted studs. One is flush with the manifold (easy), but the other is broken in the head (hard). Plus the unknown ones that are going to break while I'm taking them off!

i'm just living with the tick noise!

 

Well mechanic could still not hear it this morning, I couldn't either, DOH !!! Exhaust manifolds not leaking, but really rusted. At this point I will wait to see what breaks, until then, tick, tiick, tick !!!!

 

Get an inexpensive mechanics stethescope and find the source yourself. If the noise is louder at the oil pan then you can suspect a rod bearing, etc. If the exhaust is loudest then suspect the exhaust manifolds. Sometimes just smelling exhaust gases is a tip off. My exhaust studs were getting real bad so when I had to replace head gaskets it was an opportunity to replace the manifolds at the same time. Know how you feel about tackling that job. I would still be living with leaking exhaust if I wasn't forced to pull the heads. One other thought is the cat shields. Mine were making intermittent noises until I yanked them off. They can change sound based on temperature as well. Take care.

 

These engines do not have lifters, they have adjusters.....if your mechanic says it isn't lifters I would be kinda suspect on his expertise on a modular engine. I had a tick I was chasing for a while too....end up being the back lash adjuster which I promptly changed all 8 on one side of the engine and my ticks are a thing of the past. If your problem isn't a broken sud (mostly likely it is) then look at the latter which sounds simular to an exhaust leak but a bit more metal sound.

 

- Mine looked like hell, even cleaned up, -they looked like hell -



But, at least they were in one piece when I pulled them lol -

 

its the manifolds.. either cracked or broken studs... near the rear of the engine you'll prolly see a few missing ones...

with the engine cold, duct tape a shop vac to the tail pipe, set it on blow and spray soapy water around the head/manifold..... also can be a head gasket leaking compression...

 

Said there were not any broken studs or exhaust leaks that they could see. And of course it was loud as could be the next morning. Well I will give it a little more time and I am going to do some crawling and checking on my own when I can. More later I guess. DOH !