Need some help with my 5.4

[wakeboarderNH]

Hey gang.

I got a 99 5.4, 151k on it. When its cold in the morning, it almost sounds like it has a knock. The motor runs strong as hell. Already has 2 new manifolds. I've been reading about the whole egr thing, but sometimes when I add oil it goes away. Could it still be the EGR? Or could it be somthing along the lines of a lifter or something mechanical in the engine.
Anyone have an experience with this that could help me out?

Thanks guys

 

[ydopen]

Sounds fine to me, I was worried about mine doing it when I purchased it 4 years ago with 188k on it, 4 years later still going strong and Still does it now with 225k. Everyone I talked to about it says its a 5.4 thing?

 

[JTKustoms]

not sure if its the same sound i have, but when mine is cold it has a very noticeable ticking that corresponds to the rpms....once its warmed up it goes away. it hasnt given me any problems, just somthing i notice all the time though

 

[wakeboarderNH]

Yeah thats what mine is doing. I wonder what the hell it is

 

[FordandPolaris]

If you have done new manifolds, then it is probably not an exhaust tick. I have read that is something with the "followers" that operate the valves. Mine has a noticeable top end tick when it is cold, but as soon as the oil warms up, it goes away. And I know mine is not an exhaust leak either. Seems to run just fine, and its been doing it since before I started driving it, so I don't worry about it too much.

 

[JTKustoms]

i'll get a video of it next time i'm home from school so you guys can see if its the same thing you have

 

[hades02]

Knock

This sounds a lot like the problem my 2005 5.4 F150 had. At around 50k it started to knock like a diesel whenever it started cold when sitting for awhile (a few hours to overnight). Was told this is an inherent problem with the 5.4 due to a bad design but that it does not cause any problems. Not sure, as I got rid of the F150 after a few years. Do a search for Ford 5.4 or Ford 5.4 150 and you will see many stories like this.

 

[rburch]

Its another one of those Ford things! Every 5.4 Ive heard when it was cold out and the engine was cold has this same sound! Might try a different oil filter with anti drainback valve.

 

[Lane24]

Mine too. I was worried the first time I heard it. Now I'd be worried if I didn't hear it on a cold morning. The gap guards I put in after my body lift muffled the sound coming from my passenger side wheel well a bit.

 

[Jay87LX]

mine does the same thing with 109K on it- runs strong, as soon as it warms up it goes away, as long as it has oil and the manifolds are done just drive it

 

[superexpy]

Its another one of those Ford things! Every 5.4 Ive heard when it was cold out and the engine was cold has this same sound! Might try a different oil filter with anti drainback valve.

I heard of this happening to alot of the 5.4 if you use a fram or some other cheap oil filter. make sure you use a good one with a anti drain back like motorcraft or something like that. I have never had this problem with my expeditions but I have always used motor craft filters and fully synthetic moble1 oil

 

[whowey]

Fram does have anti-drainback valves.... they just happen to be made of cardboard. They have a scary tendency to collapse after there are a number of miles on the filter.

The 5.4 uses a hydraulic lifter so if they are oil starved it will make a click noise until the lifter refills.

You say this happens when cold... what viscosity of oil are you using and are you using any additives??

Many oil additives are just a massive does of one type of modifier and not much else. If you are using a thickening agent like Lucas Oil Stabilizer it will make a 'dry lifter' issue worse.

 

[rburch]

Not intended to offend you whowey, but its actually called a hydraulic lash adjuster as it does no lifting. It adjusts the lash between the cam follower and the cam lobe with engine oil pressure to keep the cam follower against the cam lobe. They tend to get clogged so they dont get any oil. The oil feed passages that feed them are usually small and dont provide enough oil and often get clogged with sludge also.

I know about this all too well since im a former DSMer. Most of the time it gets diagnosed a injector ticking.

 

[whowey]

Thanks.. and I'm not offended. I should have used the correct terminology for it. I realize they don't lift anything like a traditional lifter. It is the piece that replaces the function of one.

 

[BakerEdition]

my 2000 5.4 does the same thing no matter filter or the oil...I have a 100k on mine...what i have found in mine when under the hood listing...i feel its the timing chain or the guides for the chains or both...my noise is up front and is not a tick like a dry lifter or exhaust leak..