2006 - Limited Expedition - Ticking sound that speeds up when accelerator is pressed - and lack of power

[zablalbaz]

Hey Folks,

2006 Ford Expedition Ltd
156,000 miles
2 wheel drive

I have my Expedition scheduled to be seen by the dealer. I'm not going to mess around with this on my own. But I was wondering if any of you might be able to give me ideas what the problem may be so I can be prepared in advance of the dealer looking at it? Also, the dealer can't get me in for 3 weeks! So I'd like to know if I can still safely drive the vehicle while I am waiting or if I am in danger of throwing a rod.

There has always been a slight rhythmic ticking sound from the engine since I purchased the vehicle back in 2010. But the dealer told me that it was normal back then, and they even had a FAQ on their website talking about it. Apparently a lot of customers were complaining about it because they could hear it when they were waiting in fast food lines for their orders. And that was true for me as well. The noise was always more audible when I was idling next to a building. So I really didn't think anything about it after that.

Fast forward 11 years...

A couple weeks ago, I noticed that my Expedition was not accelerating properly. The engine began working harder to get the vehicle up to speed and I could see the tachometer bumping up to 5,000 rpm before the gear shifted. This is especially noticeable at stop lights when I accelerate. At first I thought that I had a transmission issue. But when I got home from work one afternoon, I sat in the car and noticed the ticking sound had gotten much louder.

When I press on the accelerator, the ticking sound gets even louder and speeds up as I increase speed or give it gas in neutral. There are no fluid leaks. I just got the oil changed last month, and it is full. Transmission fluid is full. I keep the engine maintained and get all my services done on a regular basis.

Do any of you folks have any ideas what the problem could be? Can I still drive the car as long as I am not pushing it too hard while I am waiting to be seen by the dealership?

Thanks!

 

[riphip]

Spark Plug(s) loose in head (Cause of low power) + check right exhaust manifold for leaks (not the cause of low power)

 

[zablalbaz]

You know what?? That makes sense. I had a low power issue a few years ago. The problem was really manifesting when I was coasting. The car would lose power and I would have to give it gas. It was pretty bad. Took the dealer a long time to figure it out too. They eventually had to replace a cylinder head because it was stripped and spark plugs installed in it were loose. But I had no clicking like this back then. Thanks!

 

[Uberexpy]

I had 2 loose spark plugs (installed by the stealership for $700) that caused a loss of power and “exhaust “ noise on the driver’s side. I also hah an internal tick for about 30k miles before it grew to a knock. That wound up being a siezed roller follower bearing on the #2 back intake valve. Because my 5.4 3v was an early production engine, I replaced all the roller followers and lash adjusters with the later style ones that were redesigned due to low oil pressure in the heads.

 

[zablalbaz]

Just wanted to tell folks what my problem was eventually diagnosed to be. The dealership broke down the engine as far as they could with removing it. And they diagnosed it as piston slap and recommended a new engine. 8-10 week waiting period and $8-$9k. So I had to let the old girl go. Got a 2018 F150 and making monthly payments again. :-( Thanks for all the advice through the years. This forum has been really helpful.

 

[JExpedition07]

Most techs dont care enough to diagnose these newer engines unfortunately. I had to show my shop how to work on my 3-valve and tell them what was wrong when I had issues. Hate being that guy but I had to be…it was painful to watch. Anyway, glad you got a newer nicer ride.