Alright guys looking for ideas. I have an 06 5.4 3v that had a ticking sound, on conclusion of all the tests we did the only thing we could come up with is that it was the phaser issue. So tore the motor apart, 2 new phasers, and com cams limiters installed. Was good for about a month now the tick is back. The best way to describe it is a metal on metal valve tick. Louder on the drivers side but you can hear it all around the truck as well. I know its not an injector, plugs are new, doesn't seem to be the exhaust either. The part that throws me is that it was good for about a month and now its back. I even switched the solenoids for the phasers from one side to the other so if it was a solenoid, the noise should be on the pass side now. Bounce some ideas for me please!

 

My 2001 F150 had a tick that drove me nuts... it was a small manifold leak as near I could tell. It did it from about 40,000 miles and still does at 130,000+. My son is driving it now.

Now that you know it i there... it is going to bother you even more... that is how it worked with me.

 

I had the same on my 04 F-150 and had to have the head milled or exhaust manifold. then the other side started!

 

The injectors tend to chatter a bit as well, I don't know how loud it is, but they have a light tick like you described.

 

I feel like every older model F-150 has this issue...from like 04-07...all my friends trucks do it...

 

you checked the manifolds?