Anyone else have that slight tick when the engine is cold?

 

It's probably the electronic clicking of the injectors. Perfectly normal.

 

It doesn't sound like an injector tick, it sounds like vale noise on a push rod engine. Low RPM, when it's cold.

 

What oil and filter are you using? Possibly an exhaust leak... fairly common. Could be injector pulse. Could be a plug about to pop out. Could be timing chain noise.. a bearing... Could be numerous things. Snag u pa mechanics stethoscope and see if you can pin point where it is coming from.

 

I use a premium car quest filter, and schaeffers oil.. No exhaust leaks.. I just recently did the plugs, and the motor is fresh. With new timing chains and sliders.

 

maybe it's piston slap

https://www.f150online.com/forums/v8...n-summary.html

 

new pistons and rings.

 

If that Carquest filter is made by Fram, it's crap.

 

I don't believe it is, I will check tomorrow then. We use them on a lot of our engines, except race engines when we use wix filters.
I was trying to hear it today, and actually think it's the Cat's or one of them.. I went under the hood and couldn't hear it.. It was louder by the driver door, got underneath it and then it went away..

More investigating tomorrow.

 

By your last description I'd be willing to bet it's an exhaust issue of sorts that is sealing up when it warms up due to the metal expanding and sealing the leak.

 

I've had some exhaust leaks at the manifold, and yes.. they do seal up when they aren't horribly bad once they heat up. But, with some slight revs sound more like a slapping sound. At idle they will sound like a tick. Best thing to do is to get a mechanics stethoscope and try to pin point where it is coming from. My exhaust leak sealed up so good when it was warm that when I took it into an exhaust shop to have an estimate done, they told me it did not leak. Once I explained they needed to let it cool down and start it, they found the leak and fixed it.

 

so was it an exhaust leak, my 03 5.4 does the same i was was suggested to use a motorcraft filter and motorcraft oil, which i have done the last 2 oil changes and still same problem

 

I had that 'tick' too and I thought it was a exhaust leak, until one day I started it and the engine spit a plug out of the head..... You may want to check the torque of your plugs

 

i did just have them replaced by the dealer so I assume they are torques correctly, but who knows??

 

From what I've read from all these helpful people on here, is sometimes the dealer does not torque them or worse, they use anti-seize. From what everyone says on here, plus my own personal experience, 26ft/lb with no anti-seize and you are safe from spark plug blow out. The way I was able to tell if the plugs are ok and not about to spit out, take a long extension and place one end on the coil and the other end to your ear. You will hear compression slipping past the plug, that is how I found out one of mine was loose and about to eject.