My truck sounds HORRIBLE!!

[Poppa Wheelie]

There is a clacking noise from my engine, sounds like on the passenger's side. It used to do this only right after starting, but now it's all the time. It happens at engine speed, not wheel speed. I thought it might be a stuck valve or lifter, so I topped off the oil with RISLONE, which the guy at Baxter's recommended. yes, I did check the oil level first, and no it is not overfilled. Still there....
I love my truck and this sucks because it sounds like a broken old forklift or something. What worries me now is that yesterday I could feel a slight vibration through the throttle pedal that coincided with the click noise, that can't be good. I will be taking it in to my shop on Monday, unless somebody has any ideas.
BTW, I am obviously NOT a mechanic. I know how things work, but hate working on engines where there is no room to operate. I should get my beautiful wife to rev the truck so I can try to listen and narrow it down, what are the chances it's just a little exhaust leak, or a manifold stud?

 

[97EB5.4]

Your exhaust manifold is the first thing that I would check as the passenger side rattle is usually from the studs being broken off. I would bet that if you put the right front corner on a jackstand, remove the tire and pry up the wheelwell liner that you will see some broke off studs or at least a bunch of studs that used to be thick now rusted, shriveled up pieces of metal. Get your wife to rev the truck a little just off of idle and get a spray bottle of soapy water. Try to use the stream not the spray part of the nozzle and shoot it at the location between the head and the manifold. If i am correct than you should see little bubbles. The job isnt too bad to replace them but it is a very common issue. I just did it this winter. Wound up having to do it my way since three of my studs on the passenger side and two on the drivers side wouldnt come out and i didnt want to break them off further. THe only true way to remove the messed up studs would be to remove the heads, have them taken to a machine shop to be drilled out and retapped. I will assume that the shop will tell you everything i just did and so you can be prepared it will cost a good penny. Good luck.

 

[Poppa Wheelie]

Thanks, I was planning on looking at it today, but stayed up too late last night and you know how that goes.
We'll see what happens.....
Also, my wife's custom German front license plate looks really good on her new AUDI. I'll put up a pic sometime.

 

[Poppa Wheelie]

Update-----
Passenger side exhaust manifold gasket is shot, I can see where there is soot where it has been farting out of there. So really no big deal.
Thanks

 

[Poppa Wheelie]

So got the rig back from the shop today and it sounds great. Only 2 broken studs, but he said the manifold was VERY warped. I guess what happens is the manifold warps, and starts pulling the studs which weakens them and there you go, broken studs.

 

[97EB5.4]

Pretty much. I learned that from doing searches for a long time. Glad its fixed though. I went ahead and put on aftermarket headers and a catback exhaust too. Ha ha. Good excuse i thought..
Congrats though. Just keep an eye out for the drivers side. May not be too far behind.

 

[panda24619]

mine had that problem for a while. i took it in to a shop my uncle went to he said both manifold were shot. had the biggest cracks in them. right in the middle between the 4 exhaust ports or wht ever they are called. anyways i wanted headers. my dad said no cause he was paying for it all. okay. but i had like 12 studs that had to be torched out and drilled out and retapped. he charged us for 3. he was a kool guy. plus it took longer cause i guess on the drivers side manifold theres a sensor or something that has to go there and ford never sent him the correct piece and they kept sending him the wrong piece till he called a place in LA that was like here you go. so it was in the shop an extra 3 or 4 days. but now shes louder then ever. got the Bullet muffler at the same time.