When starting my 5.4L, the lifters start clacking and after a few seconds, they quiet down and everything is fine. This just started out of the blue. Motor has 70,000 miles on it and has been serviced regulary since I have had it. It's as though all the oil drains down into the crankcase after shutting off the engine and when starting, the oil has to circulate before it gets quiet again. Motor runs very strong. I am using 10W/40W oil and add a quart of Rislone at every oil change. Any ideas? Thanks.......Dan

 

Traps2 i have the exact same problem with mine. I have a 6.8L though. It only does it though when its cold out never does it in the summer. Is this hurting the engine? I just let the truck warm up in the morning extra long to get the oil circulating to the lifters so i don't damage the engine. Is there a fix to this?

 

What year is your SD 5.4L? The reason I ask...is that you are using the wrong oil. The early 5.4L used the 5w30...and then moved to the 5w20. These modular engines (4.6L, 5.4L, and 6.8L V10)...have very tight tolerances...and do not run well with the older style motor oil weights.

biz

 

Biz....

It is a 2003....Dan

 

Trap2 what kind of oil do you use? Not to hyjack the thread but mines an 01 6.8. The oil cap says use 5w 20. I use mobile 1 syn 5w 20 and it does the same thing that trap2's engine does.

 

IMHO...I recommend changing oil from the 10w40 and go with the recommended 5w20. I personally use Motorcraft, but any major brand will do.

What I believe you might be hearing is known as "piston slap". Very common issue with the modular engines. According to FORD...it does not cause any unusual wear or engine issues. If it is "piston slap", then nothing can be done...minus a complete rebuild.

However, that is why it is so important to use the correct oil weight. Helps keep the motor properly lubed under all driving conditions.

Maybe someone else will chime it too...

--> i eat hybrids -- I believe you have the same issue...and it is "piston slap".

Good luck...

biz

 

I seem to remember someone on here once said something about the oil filters causing this sometimes too. They said that certain oil filters didn't have the right seals and when you shut down the engine it allowed the oil to drain out of the top end. So when you first started it took a while for oil to get back up there. I do not know if this is right, or if I am even remembering things right, but thought I should bring it up in case someone else remembered it.

 

If you ran it hard before the truck is warmed up would that hurt the top end?

 

Biz.......
I understand it could be piston slap, however, within a minute or so after starting the engine the noise completely disappears. If I give it some throttle and bring up the RPM's, it is as quiet as it can be with no sounds of piston slap, etc. I would think that piston slap would continue as the RPM's are raised and be readily noticeable, as would be rod knock, especially when letting off the throttle......Dan

 

Had the same issue at one point. I cahanged to full synthetic 5W30 and the noise never reappeared. I used the Motorcraft 5W20 for the 1st 3 oil changes, and hated it. ALways drained out black like a diesel, and knocked on start up. Swithed to synthetic, no problems ever again. I have always used a Motorcraft filter as well. MY truck was purchased brand new and has less than 19K on the odometer. I change the oil every 3000 miles synthetic or no synthetic.

 

My SD did the same thing until i switched filters to motorcraft, and using the 5w 20 oil. I had tried running 5w30 but it made the "piston slap" noise at startup. Switched to ford spec, no noise and life is good!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

This has been discussed several times before on this site. I have a 2003 5.4 with 92,000 miles and it has made the same noise at cold start up since 25,000 miles. I use only Mobil 1 10w30 with the Motorcraft filter. I do not think it is of any concern because it has never gotten worst in all those miles. Someone once commented that the noise was from the timing chain tensioner which uses oil pressure to supply the proper tension. But I never read anything that confirmed this...

 

Bumping up an old thread.

Just starting getting this noise on my 2008 3v 5.4 - - ONLY on cold start up. Lasts maybe 4-5 seconds. If I let it warm up I wont hear it while driving. If I drive it right away I can hear it in the cab until its warm.

It is SILENT when the engine is warm. Runs great, strong, not oil burning. 5W-20 and Motorcraft Filters. Just starting making the noise at 72,000 miles. I even changed the oil thinking the filter was bad.

Matt

 

Chain slap is your problem, one of the timing guides is broken. So on a cold start you will here a chain slap. Once the oil is worked up to top end , noise goes away.