Hold a stethoscope on the fuel injectors and you will find the tick! This is normal lol!
Valve Train Tick
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From: Lakewood, Colorado
Valve Train Tick
Dad has a 2010 F150 CC SB. it has the 5.4 in it. Ever since day one it has had a noticeable tick in the valve train. But it can only be heard inside the truck when there is no other noise... Open the hood and its not there. Ford dealer told dad that it was normal, and that the firewalls are just not thick enough where it gets really close to the engine and that the sound is transferred to the firewall.
Does this happen to you guys aswell? And does the explanation sound true?
NEXT question... Not always, but sometimes when the truck is started cold, it will puff white smoke.... Everytime dad has had it at the dealer they say they cannot ever see it. Curious if any of your trucks have this issue, before I take it back there with again, asking to go start every truck on the parking lot listening for the tick and the smoke...
Does this happen to you guys aswell? And does the explanation sound true?
NEXT question... Not always, but sometimes when the truck is started cold, it will puff white smoke.... Everytime dad has had it at the dealer they say they cannot ever see it. Curious if any of your trucks have this issue, before I take it back there with again, asking to go start every truck on the parking lot listening for the tick and the smoke...
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Big Canoe GA
White smoke is usually a sign of antifreeze in the combustion chamber. If the coolant level stays the same and no overheating we would not worry. next possibility may be a small amount of oil being sucked past the rings on shutdown burning off at startup, there again if no oil usage don't worry.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: Mississauga, ON, Canada
Dad has a 2010 F150 CC SB. it has the 5.4 in it. Ever since day one it has had a noticeable tick in the valve train. But it can only be heard inside the truck when there is no other noise... Open the hood and its not there. Ford dealer told dad that it was normal, and that the firewalls are just not thick enough where it gets really close to the engine and that the sound is transferred to the firewall.
Does this happen to you guys aswell? And does the explanation sound true?
NEXT question... Not always, but sometimes when the truck is started cold, it will puff white smoke.... Everytime dad has had it at the dealer they say they cannot ever see it. Curious if any of your trucks have this issue, before I take it back there with again, asking to go start every truck on the parking lot listening for the tick and the smoke...
Does this happen to you guys aswell? And does the explanation sound true?
NEXT question... Not always, but sometimes when the truck is started cold, it will puff white smoke.... Everytime dad has had it at the dealer they say they cannot ever see it. Curious if any of your trucks have this issue, before I take it back there with again, asking to go start every truck on the parking lot listening for the tick and the smoke...
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 264
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From: Big Canoe GA
I came on here to search for EXACTLY what you're describing. The other day I pulled my truck out of the driveway and parked it on the road to make some room. In doing that, the engine ran for no more than a minute after having been started in 0 deg. C (32F) weather. Two hours later I started it again and I heard what I know for sure was lifter noise. I know fuel injector ticking and I know lifter noise. I've been able to hear the fuel injectors ticking on this truck inside the cab since new - my wife even commented on it one time. This time, it was sounded like the usual Chrysler minivan clack, clack, clack just a lot more muffled. The REALLY disappointing thing was that while it was doing that, there was whiteish/blueish smoke and a strong burnt oil smell emanating from the back. The noise and smoke cleared up within 20 seconds, but it was still long enough to get me thinking. The truck has around 22,000 km (14k miles) and I'm really bummed out. For the time being I chalked it up to momentary flooding and burning off of excess fuel/oil off the cylinder walls caused by the cold start/stop situation....but so early in the game?
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: Mississauga, ON, Canada
I stand corrected on the lifter comment and should have researched before making any assumptions. Whatever happened that day is still a mystery and I haven't experienced that since then. I guess I'm going to keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best. It's all about positive thinking and a bit of luck...lol.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Montana
The tick could also be a cam phaser. They tend to make some noise, but it is no big deal... Normal in these engines. My dealer told me my tick was an injector noise too.
As for the white puff of "smoke" , what type of weather are you having where you live? Colder, wetter weather can leave some condensation in the exhaust system that will vaporize and turn to steam when it warms back up (ie- when the engine is started).
As for the white puff of "smoke" , what type of weather are you having where you live? Colder, wetter weather can leave some condensation in the exhaust system that will vaporize and turn to steam when it warms back up (ie- when the engine is started).
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Junior User
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: Mississauga, ON, Canada
On that particular day it never got warmer than 40F. It was between freezing and 35F when I first backed it out of the driveway and likely just under 40F when I restarted it. Whatever it was, it only happened once, but I'll try to reproduce it one of these days. Whatever came out of the tailpipe was not the usual condensate, but a heavier, smellier bluish tinge of smoke. It surprised me and even the wife noticed something unusual about it as she was standing next to the truck when it started. I'll keep an eye on it. The combination of noise and smoke seemed very odd. I'll see what happens as the temperature drops over the next few weeks.
New User
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Miami
any way to quiet the injector tick? mine has gotten louder and you're right, hold the stethoscope on the injector and the ice is loud and crisp, hold it on the valve cover, front cover, side of the block a very faint distant tick. where can i get some quitter injectors?
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Joined: Dec 2011
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Had the same problem with 2010 F-150. Had it back 3 times before they found a air conditionong line that went thru the firewall slightly connecting with the firewall. First was blamed on cam phaser, then normal injector noise. It would intenify with rpm, grove me crazy for awhile.
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Joined: Nov 2008
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From: Northfield, MI
For the blue smoke on startup, make sure the engine oil is not filled above the full mark, not even a millimeter. A high oil level causes excess oil to accumulate in the pcv system, which then drips into the intake after the engine is shut down. On startup, one or more cylinders gets a gulp of oil and pushes out a cloud of smoke.
If the cloud is white, its likely just condensation in the exhaust.
Jay
If the cloud is white, its likely just condensation in the exhaust.
Jay
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From: Lakewood, Colorado
Sense the thread from over a year ago is back to life... Ill update
I no longer live at home so Im not here as much. The white smoke is still happening occasionally, mainly in the summer when its warm out.. Dealer has not done a damn thing about it.
The valve train tick went away for a while, but is now back worse than ever. It sounds like a sowing machine. It is going back to the dealer again.
Truck now has 18 thousand miles on it.
All maintenance is done at the dealer and there have been a few other things the truck has been in the shop for.
Im still not sure I am a fan... Oh and the transmission seems to shift differently each time I drive it. Some times hard and some times soft and at a rpm and speed that does not make sense.
I no longer live at home so Im not here as much. The white smoke is still happening occasionally, mainly in the summer when its warm out.. Dealer has not done a damn thing about it.
The valve train tick went away for a while, but is now back worse than ever. It sounds like a sowing machine. It is going back to the dealer again.
Truck now has 18 thousand miles on it.
All maintenance is done at the dealer and there have been a few other things the truck has been in the shop for.
Im still not sure I am a fan... Oh and the transmission seems to shift differently each time I drive it. Some times hard and some times soft and at a rpm and speed that does not make sense.