I have a 2001 f150 and it has the 4.6L In it and when I first start it up it makes a ticking noise then after about 10-20 seconds it goes away, then you can slightly hear it when you accelerate. its not noticeable unless your outside of the truck or have the windows down. is this a loose or bad spark plug or a manifold leak?

 

It would not hurt to check the spark plugs...or replace them if they haven't been...torque to 28 ftlbs, dry, no anti-seeze. This also depends on how many miles are on your truck.

1st, I would make sure that oil level is correct. if oil level is correct. and if it has higher miles like above 150k. Then your timing chain tensioners are more likely the suspect. It also may have exhaust manifold cracked.

 

I checked my oil and it's good. The trucks got 183k on it, how much is it estimate do you think the timing tensioner are?

 

to the tensioners & timing chain it'll be a all day affair...maybe more maybe less depending on how things go in the shop. If it was mine I'd also replace the oil pump while it was open and check the oil pan and pickup screen for extra piece of mind.

out of curiosity are you running aftermarket oil filter? or higher viscosity oil then recommended?

 

Just the 5/20 the factory recommends for the engine

 

My grandpa had them put a new engine in its at 153k cause someone put the wrong engine oil in before and burnt it up, so the engine it's self has 30k on it

 

Is it new or rebuilt engine? if you can get the info what was done would be good.

Hope fully you're not running a Fram oil filter. Their quality , or lack there of, is notorious .

If it was a quality rebuild or new engine, it shouldn't be making noise ...check the oil presure with a mechanical gauge. If is that good, then maybe you have something in the valve train that needs re-torqued.

Or...try this, make sure that your A/C is off and restart and see if the noise is still there. Better yet, slip off the serpentine belt and restart & see if it is still there. If not, then you narrowed it down something driven by the belt.

Are you sure that you don't have a cracked exhaust manifold?

 

My grandpa said that the engine put in was like a crate engine that had very little milege that was refurbished. ive also noticed that it ticks more noticeably when the AC is engaged. He and I think it is possible the serpentine belt.