I have a 1998 f-150 4x4 with 5.4 litre. It has 116000 miles on it just yesterday I started to hear a ticking sound. It sounds like it is comming from passenger side front of engine near the valve cover but cant pinpoint the sound. truck runs great no missing or anything. Any ideas before I take to Ford and get ape raped.....

 

Look for broken studs on the exhaust manifolds. They seem to be a problem on these trucks

 

That was the first thing I checked. Just replaced driver side exhaust manifold boy was that ever fun this actually sounds like its comming from under the valve cover.

 

it is possible that it is just a lifter tick, does it go away after a while, the other thing i would check to to make sure your plugs are all tight and sealed good.

 

My truck had the same noise coming from the engine. I had to replace the exhaust manifolds on both sides.

 

I have a similar "tick". I'm pretty sure it's an injector so I've learned to ignore it.

 

my engined ticked for a couple seconds after the first time i started it up with amsoil...then it stopped and havent heard since

 

Sounds like an exhaust leak. Does it go away after the truck gets to normal operating temperatures? Check your exhaust manifolds, look for missing nuts/studs. These tend to rust away over time and will eventually break off letting exhaust leak past the gasket. The solution is to replace the gaskets and all of the studs/nuts with the updated parts from Ford which are stainless steel. Don't let this go for too long, it can etch a groove into the cylinder head over time causing the cylinder head to need replacement as well. Good luck!

 

I think it is a lifter tick. I put a guart of oil in and the tick went away for about 15 min then gradually came back. Could it be bad oil I used guaker state 10w30 when I changed it. And the temp out side has dropped 30deg since. put about 1000 miles since oil change and tick started....

 

Took truck to local repair shop and cert mechanic stated that I have a dead lifter because it has lost the ability to keep oil pressure. Is this a big job?

 

Ok I removed the valve cover and found that most of the lifters are varnished up. I am going to replace all with new ones. my other question is when the engine is idling are the lifters supposed to squirt alot of oil out like the old push rod lifters did. I understand that they are hydrolic lifters but im concearned if enough oil is comming out of them. also what is the best thing i can run through the engine to flush it out real well without harming it. Is flushing out a possibility to correct the varnished valve lash lifters if I dont want to get new ones. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED