I'm a 56 years old boy who gave himself the toy of a lifetime for his 50 year birthday. So I purchased this brand new F-150 in 2006, had 10 km on it at purchasing. Neddless to say that I pampered my toy at the dealer until it reached the 100,000 km warranty mark, and did servicing myself after. It has now 158,000km and had no major issues until I noticed a ticking or knocking noise coming from the passenger top side of the engine right after refueling during this year Holidays. First reaction was to check oil level and there was a bit on the dipstick (was still hot when I checked), but not to take any chances, added a quart (5W20) although the oil pressure never dropped. No cure, noise still in there. Talked to a mechanic, he believed that it was the cam sprocket that came loose, as reported on many cases. Went there, nothing wrong with either camshaft, sprocket, cam support, etc., except that 7 out of 8 lifters were not charged properly, but still lubricated. Told me that reason for this may be an obstructed oil passage. So he changed the oil and filter, and added one quart of transmission oil, in order to clean oil passages. He also noticed that there were some shiny particles in the bottom of filter. He immediately claimed that damages had been done to the crankshaft (the shiny particles), reducing oil pressure, and not having enough oil to charge the lifter properly. The only thing he could come up with is either an engine rebuild (over 3 K) or an engine replacement (somewhere around 4 to 5 K...) . Personnaly, I find this hard to believe that only one head lifters are not charging. If crankshasft was damaged, wouldn't I see oil pressure drop or fluctuation? Any advice anyone??? Is there something we missed?? HELLLP...

 

Hmmm, 53 views, but no replies or answers. Would have tought I would find answers in here. Apparently not. Carry on boys, I won't disturb anyone here.....................

 

But those 53 views were in less than an HOUR? Give it time.

It does sound a bit out of sorts for a problem like this in a 4.6 at only 158,000 KM (that's not even 100,000 miles). That's not to say it can't be the case .... just "odd". I mean .... those 4.6s are rock solid dependable.

I don't believe that the 2007 F-150 4.6 is a 3V motor (pretty sure 2009 was the first year for it in a F-150) .... but if it is, maybe it's a cam phaser (CVT) issue?
https://www.ford-trucks.com/tsb/full...php?tsb=06-4-7


Have you used a stethascope or long hard wood stick against the ear to touch different areas (areas that don't move) to listen to / for the noise better?

The shiney metal isn't likely to be crankshaft, but it may be bearing material. I'm sitting here wondering if maybe just the bearing surfaces on that right side cylinder head where that camshaft rides maybe wearing prematurely?

I'm just guessing too .... and I think it's up over 60 now.

 

It was actually 5 min less than 25 hours.

But this isn't the most active forum, so help comes slowly at times.

Stewart

 

Thanks Tbear. Sorry about my impatience, but again this is a toy of a lifetime that is going down the drain according to my own brother (a 20 + year car mechanic) and a another thrusted car mechanic.

I guess I need to conduct more testing, as I never loss any engine power, just that knocking noise. I mean, I've experienced some years ago an oil pump failure on a 300 6 cyl F-150, seazing the crank within a street block. No need to say this is not the case here as the oil pressure never dropped, thus questionning my bro and this car mechanic diagnosis. To top this, although being real nervous driving the thing, it's been about 500 miles since I've first notice those symptoms, and the engine still runs good beside that noise. If this would have been a crankshaft issue, the engine would have been gone long time ago, not???

The stetoscope idea is another thing that I've not tought of. Will do this this week-end, and remove both valve covers to see by myself what's what.

I've seen in another post that there were oil screens somewhere in the oil circuit. Do you know where those are?