Hi everyone,
I'm having an issue with my Expedition. It's a 2004, 5.4L, 2v, 4X4, XLT with about 132,000 miles.

There is a loud ticking/knocking sound coming from the motor when cold started. It used to go away (mostly) when the engine warmed up but now it is always noticeable. It sounds somewhere between a diesel engine and a motor thats real low on oil. Oil's good, just changed it. The noise subsided somewhat but is still there. It's most noticeable from the pasenger side wheel well and under the vehicle. The injectors are pretty noisy too but this a seperate (although similar) noise. I haven't noticed any broken studs on the exaust manifold but I could have missed something. It is verry similar to the sound everyone with the 3v F-150's is having with the cam phasors but I'm traking that the 2v's don't even have them. So far I haven't noticed any decrease in performance. Has anyone else had this problem? Any thoughts?

 

The initial knock or ticking is most likely the hydraulic lifter knock. Once they "pump" up, the gap is eliminated and the ticking goes away. If you now have a different, louder knock, it could very well be a rod knock. Once the connecting rod bearing start to go bad, there's a tremendous knock that occurs. This will need immediate attention.

An exhaust manifold leak has a tick type sound rather then a knock. Still an issue and should be repaired as the hot exhaust gases will melt a bead along the head surface and eventually ruin the head.

I wouldn't drive it until you get it resolved as it could do serious damage quickly.

 

Thanks for the insight r2millers,

I'm pretty sure it's not a rod (I've thrown a couple of those in my younger years), but I have been wrong before. I plugged a diagnostic tester into it yesterday and didn't get any codes so I'm guessing theres no bad solenoids or what not. The noise is more of a loud tick than an actual knock like metal slaping on metal. I think I will heed your advice though and not drive it till I can figure this thing out just to be safe. Thanks again.

 

I have the same issue. Let me know if you figure it out.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/7...-motors-2.html.... everyone is saying to use a heavier oil. Some say 15w40. I think I am going to try 10w30

 

Here's a comment from Seasprite from the link above that might help. Passenger side too.

"My tick was more of a knock on the upper part of the head on the passenger side the dealer replaced the phasers on both sides and the lash adjusters on both sides noise is gone. to me it sounded like I had collapsed lash adjuster from the location of the sound more towards the back of the valve cover than the front were the phsaers are. Mine made the noise when the engine was cold only lasted 2min. tops then went away. plus was intermittent might go two weeks before it would do it again. glad the dealer heard it I hate the old can't replicate problem answer."

 

I've heard the same, also heard alot of negative coments on using heavier oil. It seams to me that if using something like 15w-40 makes the noise go away, it's probably just masking what ever the real problem is. I've recently changed the oil (mobil1 5w-20 high mileage full synth) but I think i'll try an oil additive and change it again, this time using a Motor Craft oil filter and see if that helps any. Suposidly the MC oil filters are less restrictive and using other brands can have an effect on performance and engine life. Although at 132,000 miles, the damage is probably already done (assuming that the filter issue is true).

I'm also going to look harder at the exaust manifold bolts, I guess they tend to break on these motors. I've also tested some of the injectors and coils (the ones that were easy to get to). I'll check the rest today, I don't think that's the issue but it couldn't hurt.

If I cant get to the bottom of it, I might just try to trade it in on a newer Expedition. I was trying to hold out untill the new 2015 twin turbo eco boost version hits the dealerships but we'll see, might not be able to aford one.

 

Here is a paraphrase of my comments on another thread regarding this issue.

After my posts above, I have changed the oil as described but substituted 2 quarts of 5w 20 for Lucas oil conditioner. initialy the noise got better. The engine would make a clattering noise at cold start (from the pasenger side) then quiet down once the oil got back to the top end and started lubbing stuff up. then about 2 months or so later the noise started coming back from time to time while driving. Even after the engine warmed up, I would get that clatering noise when I accelerated on to the free way for example. Then a lesser yet still noticeable ticking/knocking sound started being noticeable all the time. recently the truck stalled out a couple of times, once while at a stop light after running for about 30 min or so, and once shortly after leaving my drive way one morning. So I decided to seek professional help. Took it to the Ford dealer and had 3 seperate mechanics tell me it sounded normal for a 5.4l with 100K+ miles. They sugested running a tank of premium gas every 3rd or 4th fill up and keep using the Lucas. Of course the engine was not doing anything abnormal when I took it in (go figure) so they couldn't get any fault codes. It was ticking and sounding a bit like a diesel but no rough idle or anything else unusual. They basicly said it's fine, there's nothing to be done about the sound, keep up on maintenance and drive on.

Anyone have any other ideas?

 

Also double and tripple checked the exaust manifold bolts. nothing loose, broken, warped, or missing. We love this old Gal but I think it might be time for a newer one. Now lets see what this same ^dealership ^ will give me on a trade in.

 

I just changed out the timing chain guides and tensioners on one making a lot of rattling from the upper right head area. the timing guide on the right side was broken allowing the chain to flop.

 

I know this is a bit old but I had a similar problem in my '99 Expedition, turned out it was a bad piston rod bearing.