I have a 2006 FX4 SCREW 5.4. I recently switched to a full synthectic oil which seemed like a good idea at the time. The same day I switched the oil over I loaded up my new Travel trailer (7K lbs) and headed off to the mountains of PA for some camping. I ran the truck pretty hard getting to the top of one of the mountains. By pretty hard I mean 4200 RPM for about 5 minutes give or take a minute. I was really focused on the Trans temp for some reason and never even looked at the engine temp. I know that the trans never got over 220 degrees. After returning from this trip I noticed this ticking near the front passenger side wheelwell. I thought that I could have popped the exhaust manifold gasket but I just don't see anything that would tell me for sure. Is there an easy way to check for a leak that would not have me taking off the manifold. The ticking gets louder and follows RPM's up and down. It never seems to go away and it is there at start up. It's almost like the injector noise that you hear under the hood but its louder. Any ideas?

 

4200 RPM for 5 minutes shouldn't be anything for a 5.4. Are you sure the oil is full, what weight, and what kind of filter?

Mike

 

Well, I would say it could just be injector noise...but then you mentioned hearing it from the front passenger wheelwell...and that is synonymous with cam phaser ticking.

When you changed the oil what filter did you use? What weight oil?

 

The oil that I used was 5W20 Valvoline Synpower full synthetic. The fillter was also Valvoline replacement.

 

You can use a mechanics' stethoscope and hear better where the noise is coming from. Or you could use a long screw driver from the engine to your ear. That works nearly as well. I would never use anything but Motorcraft filters on my Fords. They don't cost much more than the aftermarket ones and are exactly what Ford recommends and are to Ford specs.

 

Replace that oil filter with the Motorcraft filter, soon...only use the motorcraft filters. These engines are finicky and tend to do some weird stuff if you don't use the motorcraft filter.

 

Ouch...Navigator came in for this today...using a "FloPro" filter, and just as the SSM says: restricted #4 cam bearing oil passage due to aftermarket filter deterioration. Lack of oil to the valvetrain.

20780 1997-2009 MULTIPLE VEHICLE - 4.6L/5.4L - ENGINE TICKING AND/OR RATTLE NOISE
MULTIPLE VEHICLE LINES WITH 4.6L OR 5.4L ENGINE MAY EXPERIENCE AN ENGINE TICKING OR RATTLE NOISE THAT SOUNDS LIKE A STUCK TAPPET (HLA). THIS MAY BE DUE TO THE DETERIORATION OF AN AFTERMARKET OIL FILTER. VEHICLES WITH THIS CONDITION HAVE LOW OIL PRESSURE AT ONE CYLINDER HEAD ONLY, WHILE MAIN PRESSURES ARE NORMAL. DISLODGED MATERIAL FROM THE AFTERMARKET OIL FILTER BLOCKS THE CAM CAP OIL PASSAGE, EITHER AT CYLINDER #4 (RIGHT BANK REAR) OR CYLINDER #5 (LEFT BANK FRONT).FOR VCT EQUIPPED ENGINES, INSPECT THE VCT VALVE BODY AND THE OIL PASSAGES UNDER THE FIRST CAM CAP. FORD RECOMMENDS THE USE OF FORD APPROVED FILTERS ONLY. DAMAGE TO ENGINES CAUSED BY AFTERMARKET OIL FILTERS ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.
EFFECTIVE DATE: 05/01/2009

 

oops double post

 

That's good information right there...worth a double post!

 

Yeah, it wasted the cam bearing caps and the head itself. It was tapping LOUD!!! Had no power either. When the valve cover came off after a 10 minute drive, one would expect the RH cyl head to be full of oil...nope nothing but burnt oil residue. It is weird however that it didn't throw a VCT code.

 

I don't think that I would have any deterioration after only running the filter for 10 days or so. What do you guys think? I will go ahead and change it out either way. Has anyone else noticed anything strange after switching to Synthetic oil? Is Valvoline bad stuff?

 

My cam phaser sound was the typical one that everybody describes. It wouldn't tick on a cold engine just after warmed up and only at idle. If I would give it a little gas, the knocking from the left front fender would go away. When it was knocking good, you could easily hear it from 50 ft away, if you know what you were listening for. The dealer just replaced mine last week under extended warranty (64,000 on the truck now) for the 100 deductible. I'm happy! If your sound is constantly ticking throughout the rpm range, might be more on the lines of manifold leak or something else.

 

That's what I was thinking but I can't seem to find the leak. I'll dig into it this weekend. If I find anything I'll post it. I just wonder if it could be the summer gas causing a ping. The tank's empty. I'll put in some high octane stuff to see. I've never heard the truck ping before and the noise really doesn't sound like a nock or a ping. It sounds just like my old mustang did when I had a leak at the header flange (bad gasket, Loose header bolts, ect...).

 

Your initial post states that it ticks at all engine speeds including idle. Doubt engine is pinging at idle.... exhaust, injector or valve train. Phaser only knocks at idle and warm engine.