I hate to start yet another thread about ticking in the 5.4 engine, but I am suspecting that mine is an injector tick. 2006 F250, 83K, started about 1K ago while towing in the mountains.

The tick is only under load so I really can't hear it except when driving. The common consensus is that this is an exhaust manifold leak, but after replacing both gaskets (only a tiny leak found in one) there is no change. No apparent problems with the manifolds themselves, they look solid.

After reading the horror stories about shooting out sparkplugs I decided that mine could probably stand to be replaced at 83,000 miles. They certainly weren't loose, quite the opposite. I now own the $100 tool to pull out broken plugs, as well as a $200 bore camera to figure out why the extractor tool wasn't grabbing the plug.

The tick sounds like it is coming from one cylinder (passenger side I think), so I don't see how it can be cam phasers. That should affect the whole cylinder bank, right? Also, any valve train noise should not be load related.

More specifically, the loudness is directly related to throttle position. Same volume across all engine speeds. Since I have a stick shift I can get about any combination of engine speed and throttle position that I want, and the only thing that changes the tick volume is the throttle position. Ticks are of course more frequent at higher speeds, but I believe that the volume of each tick is only changed by throttle setting.

This seems to leave a fuel injector as the culprit, but it seems pretty loud to be an injector. I have already spent a bunch on "common" causes, I would like a little reassurance before I start replacing injectors as another stab in the dark.

Sorry to write a novel, I just didn't want someone to say, "yeah, cam phasers" or something when I think we can rule that out.

 

My first comment is, saying the exhaust manifolds "looked" fine is stupid. If you didn't check then with a straight edge or have them resurfaced at a machine shop you do know if they are sealing properly. Putting another gasket on a warped manifold won't seal it.

As for your injector and the suspected noise, while I disagree with your logic, it seems to me that the prudent thing to do would be to move the injector you think is making noise and see if the noise follows it.

 

OK, let me reassure you a little more about the manifolds. First, there was only a tiny leak evident, even with the flimsy Ford excuse for a gasket. No hole blown in the gasket, just a little seepage. All of the studs were there and all of the nuts were tight. Replacing with FelPro gaskets with some thickness should have at least changed the sound, but it is exactly the same.

 

An injector can be loud. I had one on my V10. Thought it was a lifter but my neighbour(mechanic) came over listened to it for a few minutes and said it was definitely an injector. Took it in and sure enough it was. The only difference is with mine it would do it for 10 minutes, then quit for a half hour, then do it again for 40 minutes and so on. Was really annoying.

 

Very loud just before they fail.

 

Same issue here......5.4....injectors ticking, runs fine

When it fails will engine miss or just run rough ?

Is it it best to replace all 8 ??

120k miles F350 06

Thx

 

I'd just replace the loud one the other are probably just fine
Jim

 

fishg92 - did you find out the problem? I have done all the same things as you the last three weeks ive replaced the vct sensors, idler pulley, belt, pcv tube, and i am still ticking only when hitting the gas more than 1/4 throttle. i don't have the diesel knock- when i purchased the truck there was a little sludge on oil cap i think that is either the cause or it has to be an injector im changing the oil with motorkraft every 500 mi till clean i refused to use a cleaner to avoid clogging up my oil pump - sometimes i will accelerate perfectly to 80 mph and sometimes it cuts out that also makes me think all the parts i replaced never needed changing. i never thought a 05 f250 would have all these problems. 11 mi a gallon to go so slow with an embarrassing tick. I have read every post on this site the last two week this ? has still never been figured out over 7 years? All these blogs go into oils and filters common sense stuff warranty crap or ford fig it out? my truck had 180 when i got it for $2800 5 weeks ago turns out it was a fleet vhiecle i thought that was a good thing for good maintance turns out fleet companys may only change the filter who knows about there shady crap. I prev owned a Jeep srt8 that i bought brand new and sold once i paid it off to open my own company which failed. my oil in that came out perfectly clean every 3k i put 100k on that. im so sad about my ford

 

I agree it's not the manifold.

 

I agree.......

 

Broken piston? They are sensitive to loads.