Hello everyone. My dad's 08 5.4 F150 has what sounds like a lifter tick on the passenger side. At startup it hammers like someone is beating the hood with a hammer. That loud tick settles down after a few seconds but there is still a more faint tick that never goes away.

Wondering if this tick is safe to run like that. I had a ram 5.9 magnum with a leaking lifter for 6-7 years and it ran fine. But if it is something that needs to be fixed does anyone have any idea what kind of repair this might be and what it might cost? Thanks!

 

Have the same tick on my 07. Startup is likely the timing chain making noise which apparently is common on these. I dont have that but I do have the tick, especially audible in the wheelwells.

My guess is a valve lash adjuster (lifter) is sticking/seized. Im driving mine till it blows and then dump in another engine. Been told by three techs that was the best plan of action.

 

Ok thanks for the reply. I have been trying to find the exact repair searching through the forums, but it looks like it could 3-4 different things and a few thousand dollars by the time you find it? Like you said, I guess just run it as long as it goes and go from there?...

 

Mine does that sometimes when cold. But mine goes away pretty much 100% when hot. I really don't believe an issue like this will blow the engine. Now if it's a seized roller rocker, that's different. But a sticky or loose lash adjuster should just make noise and shouldn't do any real damage. Mine has been like this for years (I think before 50,000 miles) and it now has over 135,000 miles on it.

 

I had what sounded like a lifter from the passenger side. Turns out I had a seized roller on the follower, that scored the crap out of the cam lobe. I ended up replacing the cam, and 3 followers since 2 others were seeming iffy. It's not that difficult of a job. Follow the procedures exactly and it will take you just a few hours and all told, I spent about $600 in parts and the special tools needed. I don't know why so many shops are afraid to tackle this repair. If the tick is there at all rpms, I would suspect the followers. If this sounds like your issue, I would not keep driving. If the follower(s) seized you are slowly grinding metal off into your engine. Mine did it for a couple weeks till I figured out that was the issue, after that it was parked until I fixed it. Good luck.