I have commented on a couple of threads concerning engine noises particularly on the 5.0 liter engine. I recently went through an ordeal of sorts with my own truck and wanted to start a thread that may help others search out and gain info on this issue. I will also include some potato quality pictures of the final service ticket at the end of this post.

I bought my truck new in July of 2012. The oil was changed every 5,000 miles or roundabouts. Somewhere between the 10,000 mile and the 15,000 mile oil change it started tapping lightly and intermittently. I mentioned this to the dealership at the 15,000 mile service and they checked it but could not reproduce the noise. I took to google and searched. I found lots of documented cases of such noise on these engines but no solutions.

Around 35,000 miles the noise became more pronounced, and constant when engine was warm. At the 40,000 mile service I had the dealership check it again and was told it was normal. I searched again and found much of the same that I had found before concerning the 5.0 trucks. The one exception was on a forum where a member posted pictures of the service receipt from his brothers truck where the engine was replaced. His sentiment was that his brother abused the truck though. I also found out that the Mustangs were having lots of the same noises.

To clarify, from what I was able to find out, these noises manifest themselves in many different forms. For example, I have watched trucks on Youtube videos that had outright knocking noises. My truck only had a light metallic tapping only at hot idle and louder in gear. I heard a member on here describe his truck as sounding like the metal ends of 2 screwdrivers were being hit together, this is the best description I could think of for my truck. It wasn't overly loud and you might not notice it if you weren't looking for it. In a drive through or against a wall though, it sounded like a little man under the hood beating on anything metal with a hammer and it was very noticeable. At this point I let it be though because it didn't affect the truck otherwise, power never decreased, it ran great and didn't lose any more oil then it did since new (1/2 quart between 5,000 miles changes). It just seemed to be a noise.

A few months ago I was approaching 60,000 miles. I watched a video on Youtube that was put out by a Ford Tech. I wont mention his name but he is around on this forum.The video was a time lapse of him replacing a 5.0 liter engine. The comments of course asked why was it replaced. He replied that it was due to an excessive tapping/ knocking noise. This of course piqued my attention and I sent him a message over Facebook describing my noise and symptoms. His reply to me urged me to take the truck to the dealership before my 60,000 powertrain warranty was expired because Ford discovered that cylinder 4 on this engine is prone to warping with the symptoms being odd noises. This engine is apparently supposed to be whisper quite. Ford now had knowledge of this and it was available to the dealers as well.

Unfortunately I was past my 60,000 mile powertrain when I was able to get it to the dealership. Luckily I had an extended service plan. I brought it in for its 60,000 mile service and told the adviser I wanted that noise checked again as I knew Ford no longer considered this noise to be normal. He told me that he would hold off on the oil change because chances were the tech would have to get inside the engine to chase down and fix this noise. I left the truck with them and rented a car. Even though I was only a couple hundred miles over the 60,000 warranty, they were going to claim this on my extended warranty which I opted out of rental car coverage for.

Two days later I received a call saying that it was a lifter that wasn't pumping up once the engine warmed up. The parts were ordered and should be in the next day.

Without going into too much detail, the parts for the lifter came in but a timing chain guide also needed to be replaced and a supplier was slow to ship. After a week and a half I visited the dealership and had a "heart to heart" with the service manager which resulted in me returning my rental which had accrued me $500 in charges and driving one of their loaner cars.

About a week later I received a call from the service manager who asked me if I was sitting down upon me answering the phone. After I sat down and took an asprin for preventative measures he explained that they had my truck all put back together but a knock from the bottom end developed. There was bearing material in the oil pan and cylinder #4 was scored. He had already ordered a new short block and would update me when it arrived and work began on it.

3-4 days later I called just to check on things and he told me that a Ford adjuster was dispatched and had been by to visit and wanted to put a long block in due to the valve train trouble they had found previously. He would get their final decision the next day.

They next day he called and said that they approved a long block. That was a week ago and I picked up my truck today. It is now whisper quite and I feel weird driving it. It appears that my decision to purchase my extended warranty from Troy on here was a solid decision as this whole ordeal would have ended up costing upwards of the $8222.24 listed on the invoice.

I hope I didn't bore anyone too bad with my little story here, but maybe someone still in warranty will read this and press their dealership to fix their truck on Fords dime, whose screw up it is in the first place. Good luck to my friends on here who own 5 liters making this noise and are fighting with their dealerships already.

 

WOW!!!

Awesome post and thanks for reporting your issues in a timely manner. Hopefully this will help someone.

 

I've been ignoring my ticking sound ('12 F150 5.0) which has increased over the winter. Just passed the 36,000 mile mark.

Thanks for taking the time to post your story! I'll start an inquiry with my dealer upon the next oil change.

 

No problem Tim. It's worth it if I can help save just 1 person who is having the same issues greif later down the road.

OldMasterTech, definitely get the ball rolling. It may be minor but could also be major. The noise is easy to ignore as it just presents itself as a noise. I've posted several times that it was no big deal as it didn't seem to hurt anything else, when my engine was actually slowly tearing itself apart.

Here's a pic I took before driving her when I picked her up. First time seeing her in about a month.


Obviously I work in a dusty environment. It provides a great contrast though between the new parts and the old.

 

I noticed my 2011 has been making some tapping noises lately as well. It has 45k miles on the clock right now. And I just purchased it in late Sept. with 35k. The engine was nice and quiet then. I've been shrugging it off as drive belt assy. noise. Now I'm wondering if it's more then that. I guess I better get it looked at. Plus side is I purchased it at a Ford dealer, so it came with the CPO warranty. Obviously I don't know what the P.O. ran for oil, but I know that I have run Motorcraft 5w20 and M/C filter.

 

I don't know that oil and filter have anything to do with it. My truck has been serviced at the dealer every 5,000 miles since new except for 2 oil changes and yet I still had problems. At this point I am done passing off even the littlest of noises.

 

Great post, thank you bigdaddyII. I am considering buying a 5.0 F150, so this provides me with something to look out for.

 

Come back and tell us how things go at your dealerships, folks. If you need any assistance from my neck of the woods, I'll be here.

Crystal

 

Will do Crystal. Just need to figure out when I can get it there.


P.S. Thanks for all that you do to help us.

 

You're welcome, Alex! I'll keep checking in on this thread to see if you have any news from the dealership.

Crystal

 

UPDATE

Just got my truck back yesterday afternoon. They said noise was coming from both timing chain tensioner and water pump. They replaced timing chain tensioner and arm with updated version and replaced the water pump. Tech said he couldnt hear anything coming off the cylinders which is strange because when I scoped it I picked it up on #4. He said the sounds might just be traveling through the block. All I know is it sounded pretty damn good when I got home, but I havent had a chance to check it out thoroughly yet. Im really hoping thats all it was.
I will be taking it up to the mountains this weekend so I will be able to check it out better under different conditions, Hot/Cold/Idling etc.
I will update on Monday

 

for your extended warranty?

 

Troy Dietrich with Ford of Greenfield.

Factory Discount Warranty

 

Is there a year range on this ??? Am I out of the woods on a '13......*&#!!! great now I'll obsess over this happening like the spark plugs in the Superduty .....still have about 30k of power train left so wont worry to much though might even be the push needed to slide into a newer truck

 

I beleive you have until your 3/36 warranty runs out to purchase an extended warranty.