So my truck has made this noise since I bought it last year. I thought it was the chain tensioner, but now I've been told it could be the cam phasers. What do you guys think? There's obviously not making the diesel sound, so I'm leaning towards tensioners, how hard are those to replace?

1000 RPM Clickety clacks - YouTube

 

I just replaced my cam phasers and the noise I wanted to go away did go away. But I have to say it doesn't sound like your noise. Hard to say, of course, so take it with a grain of salt, but my bad cam phasers were a relatively slow knocking at hot idle. They didn't sound like your video.

 

Thanks Island, that's why I'm posting it. Before I bought this truck, I listened to 10 or so that I took for test drives that had the cam phaser issue and the diesel sound, this just sounds like rocks in a tin can and I'm a little worried about it.

 

That noise is normal. Its the VCT solenoids cycling. Post ur VIN and I can run a OASIS to show you Ford's message about it.

 

Oh man, that's normal? The video doesn't properly capture the sound. When I was backing my trailer into our driveway the other night it I could very clearly hear it echoing off of my neighbor's garage door, suffice to say, it was very loud.

1FTPW14575KE76458

 

Yep its normal. Here is Ford's message:

21574 4.6L 3V/ 5.4L 3V ENGINE TICK/RATTLE FROM VCT 800-1200 RPM - DO NOT ATTEMPT SERVICE
2009-2010 F-150 WITH 4.6L 3V, 2005-2010 F150 WITH 5.4L 3V,2005-2010 MUSTANG WITH 4,6L 3V, 2005-2010 F250, F350 WITH 5.4L3V, 2006-2010 EXPLORER/MOUNTAINEER WITH 4.6L 3V ENGINE, 2007-2010 SPORT TRAC WITH 4.6L 3V ENGINE, AND 2005-2011 EXPEDITIONS AND NAVIGATORS WITH 5.4L 3V ENGINES. SOME CUSTOMERS MAY BE CONCERNED WITH TICK/RATTLE NOISES FROM THE VARIABLE CAM TIMING (VCT) ON LIGHT TIP-IN ACCEL BETWEEN 800-1200 RPM. THIS CONDITION MAY BE MOST NOTICEABLE OPERATING VEHICLE IN CONFINED AREAS SUCH AS A DRIVE-THRU. THE NOISE IS ELIMINATED WHEN VCT SOLENOIDS ARE UNPLUGGED. THIS CONDITION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE ENGINE. DO NOT ATTEMPT ENGINE REPAIRS TO CHANGE THIS NORMAL CONDITION. THIS CONDITION DOES NOT AFFECT PERFORMANCE OR DURABILITY OF THE ENGINE.

By the way, you have a open recall for the airbag harness

 

So if I read that correctly, I can unplug the VCT solenoids and the noise should go away? If it doesn't, then it's something else.

And yeah, I know, I'm equal parts lazy and busy.

 

Yep have someone hold the gas just off idle and when it makes the clacking noise unplug the VCT solenoids and if the noise goes away then its normal. The CEL will prob come on when you unplug the VCT.

 

Hey can anyone tell me what the diesel sound is in the front of a old truck I'm looking at buying. It is a 2005 F150 5.4l and has 165000 miles on it and when you first start up the engine it sounds like my 7.3. The sounds are coming from the front of the engine near the intake and doesn't seem to make a difference whether is warmed up or cold start.
THX in adv.
Hoppergrass

 

That is the cam phasers. Also the VCT sound the OP is talking about is normal. I just had my F150 with 141k on it in the shop. I had the Lash Adjusters, Tensioners, Cam Phasers, and VCT Sensors all replaced. The truck still makes the sound you're talking about, sounds horrible but its not as bad as you think...

 

70f100longbed,
Can you tell me where are the VCT solenoids?
I have a 2005 FX4 with 5.4L and I am experiencing the same noisy sound at idle (hot or cold engine temps).

PS. just picked up my truck from the dealership today and they didn't fix it. Rough idle, issue on #4 cylinder, poops out under load going up hill... they said it was either a worn cam lob, sticking valve, or the most common Cam Phaser problem.

I want to try this experiment also with the VCT solenoids, so I can kind of narrow down the problem.
Thank you so much in advance for ANY advice you can spare!
TONY

 

Unplug them they're black and stick out of the valve cover. On the driver side it's directly under power steering fluid. They are both plugged with a similar plug to that of your maf sensor. I'll take a pic tomorrow

 

Chris, if it is no problem to you, that would be GREAT!
Now is it one VCT per cylinder? or one on each side bank? or just one on the driver side?

My issue is on #4 cylinder (has low compression reading), and the tick tick tick noise is coming from the passenger side of the engine.
Thank you so much,
TONY

 

One per bank. Low compression sounds like something else. Worth a try though. Usually a bad one of the VCT Sensors will throw a vct code. Could be a phaser. Id make sure you haven't got an injector leaking on cylinder 4. Simply unplugging the sensor will fix the rough idle if that's what it is. Could be something as simple as a bad coil on cylinder 4, have you had the plugs changed?

 

whoops, sorry, my 5.4L had the following:
- #4 and #6 fuel injectors replaced (extended warentee).
- #6 COP
- and ALL spark plugs (with new one peice design).

But just got it back from the dealership and they said #4 has definetly low compression.
I am suspecting the rest of the fuel injectors are lacking in tip-top shape and performance... wish Ford would replace them all for me.
But now I might be leary of the CAM PHASER/s.
(would a bad cam phaser cause ONE cylinder to be bad?)

ps. I am calling Ford hotline tommorrow... this stinks!
TONY