You expertise is what? Some old Excursions? Members should not give any tips, that may harm or damage a Expedition. I personally believe the problem is the high idle, right after start up. I have driven many 4.6L, 6.8l v10 and a couple 5.4l. All slightly rev high when cold, but my 2001 inteh 32V 4.6l, revs really high(for about 5sec), right after starting. It also had a slight rattle or tick for a 1-2 seconds. The switch to mobil 1 and a non-paper filter(mobil 1, ultra synthetic fram) fixed the noise. Synthetic oil flows quicker and new filters, are less restrictive. Does anyone know how to adjust, the cold start engine rpm? There has been a couple of times, I was running late and had to sit there for around 15-20 sec for the idle to to drop below 1400. I have been told by a dealer, it's best to leave it alone and normal.Not always. As I said before sometimes things don't work by the normal parameters like we would expect. Also, while modular Ford do you have smaller oil passages 10 W 30 doesn't starve the top end on a modular. 10w30 still flows quite well unless you get down to temperatures below 15 degrees or so... especially if it's a full synthetic.
and this poster situation though we're not talking about cam followers. The most likely problem is the tensioner gasket seal is leaking so the tensioner does it stay pumped up with oil after it sits and it leaks a little bit when the oil pressure hits it so it takes a few seconds 4 it to push the tensioner foot out to tighten up the chain. And these situations many people have found that a thicker oil works better, bypasses the gasket less, and makes the engine quieter quicker after startup then with a thinner oil.
But as I said my last post that is not always the case. You would pretty much have to try a 5w20 and then a 10w30 to see exactly how it works on each specific engine.
But the overall point remains that it doesn't hurt and is often a good idea to try different weights of oil within reason and also Tri standard conventional oil and synthetic to see if one makes it better.
People always say synthetic will always be better but not necessarily. Sometimes synthetic is so slippery that are all drains off and ends up in the pan more or as conventional oil lingers and fills the voids and places inside the tensioner better so when you start it up it pushes the foot out faster.