I have a '99 150 with the 4.6 and 93k on it. I'm using Mobil1 10w30 in it and lucas oil stabilizer. I only run premium gas. and recently I've noticed the valves have been ticking and it's getting worse. whats casuing this and what should i do

 

Are you sure it's the valves and not the exhaust manifold?

 

It could be a leaking exhaust manifold, a loose spark plug waiting to eject from the head or lifter noise. I would lose the Lucas oil stabilizer. 10w30 is already thicker than recommended. You have probably been starving the valvetrain of oil on start ups which can cause wear problems. 5W30 is recommended. I run the recommended 5w20 in my 01 and have had no oil related problems.
You may be ok on the 10w30 in the warm summer months, but I would use 5w30 in the winter for sure. Both without the Lucas, that is for worn out engines with alot of clearances.

 

I think injector ticking is often mistaken for valve noise too.

 

I would place my bets on a leaking exhaust manifold. The bolts are noted for rusting off. Check the back bolt on both the left and right side exhaust manifolds. Are they still there? If so try to turn them. If the truck is cold, use your fingers, if not use a pair of pliers. If it turns it is rusted off.

If this is the problem, save yourself alot of headaches and buy new manifolds, as the originals warp. But it all depends on how long you are keeping the truck.

My 99 F150 4.6 blew the headgasket at just below the exhaust port of the back cylinder on the passenger side and sounded like a manifold leak or valve train ticking sound. Never leaked fluid into the oil or on to the ground, but surely burned the snot out of the head and block. I ended up with a new long block.

Oh the truck only had 83,000 mile on it when this happened.

 

well i don't think you have a problem running 10w-30 all year round. i have been running 15w-40 sence the day i bought the truck in 97. run the suff all year round. never had a problem yet and i now have 178,000 on her. she is a 4.6 triton and i love her. this year in ohio temps went below 14 degrees and the truck ran great. i would say you proble hear your injecters or maybe you timing chain. try lucus injector cleaner it might help your injecters. also the manifold studs could have broke. check it and dont worry about the oil your fine trust me i have proof that i drive every day. rotella-t is good oil and is rated for gas engines. and the new 10w-30 rotella-t looks really good you might try it. and on the lucus oil stabalizer i would quit using it because i used to and found it will trap air in the oil and that is not good. you are just fine with 10w-30. i wouldnt use anything lighter than 10-30 because i believe it will wear the motor quicker and when towing i don't trust it. if you fear about the spark plug there is a kit to make em a whole lot stronger. but i haven't had a problem and i changed my plugs at 145,000 and use auto light. don't use the chap, bosh, ngk plugs. they have a different metal that will bring the threads out. use motorcraft or auto light good quality. and they are not hard on the threads in the alum heads.

 

I've towed over 7000# in 98 degree weather with the a/c on for very long distances in my 01 with 5w20 Motorcraft oil and have never had any problems.

 

i believe you but i still don't trust it just me. the oil is not a bad oil. but being a guy that knows how oil keeps the metal to metal contact i prefer a little heavier grade. plus my truck has not had any problems yet so i guess if there was a problem i would have found it by now.

 

Ditto on the spark plug. Made an unordinary click 4 weeks before it blew the #3 spark plug. Ironic that a spark plug change crossed my mind several times before this happened. Could just go around and check tightness.

 

be very careful not to over tighten them. then they will blow. there is a spec for them i beleive its inch pounds not for sure. try this find a area were the ticking is the loudest and unplug the fuel injecter one at a time see if you found what i did the ticking turned off and when i pluged it back the ticking came back i my self would not worry about it. but hey good luck

 

Why would you add Lucas? Way too thick for a mod motor. Lxman1 is probably right that you have either a loose plug or exhaust leak at the manifolds....could have a busted stud.

FYI....mine has a slight tick also which I think is common in these engines, not loud by any means just normal valve train noises. Several times I have heard them in even the 3valve engines as well when idling.

 

My '01 with a 5.4 started ticking this past winter. It sounds just like what is being described about the exhaust manifold tick. I thought at first the oil filter had a bad anti-drain back valve. Changed oil & filter - still ticks. Then I got to thinking timing chain tensioner. It only ticks for mere seconds upon start up when engine is cold or truck sits for more than 2-3 hours. I do not hear any ticking when accelerating, just upon start up as mentioned. How fast does the manifold tick go away when you first hear it?
Thanks.

 

do not run a 15w40 oil in these engines. most 15w40's are a ci oil not a si oil. they will not stand up over time. the heavier grade has nothing to do with the hydrodynamic wedge that prevents the metal to metal. it has to do with the pour point of the oil. the maufactures have to meet certain requirments for their oils, these additives are what makes the difference. any oil will work at least once. i may take some pictures of the engine that i have in pieces now at work. (its a detroit 71) but the effects that ended its life were partly to blame on the wrong grade oil.
the people (ford) that designed these engines didnt recomend a heavy oil for a reason.
these engines (5.4l-4.6l) are known for the exhaust studs failing. i hope thats it. the new 5.4ls have a problem with the lifters that can tick but i dont think the 2 valve heads have this problem.
the tick in the exhaust can go away based on load on the engine. the torque twists the block and ccan make the noise go and come. but usually the noise stays if its the exhaust.
mine started ticking a couple weeks ago only when towing at 120kph??? the studs are fine. ive only heard it agian a couple times since. first when i get time ill check the studs again.

 

i have a 01 5.4 and i hear a ticking noise, sounds like it is comin from both sides, i can really hear it when parked next to a building or something. Kinda wondering what it could be, i changed my plugs last year, stuck between my manifolds or an injector. i read that you can unplug each injector and see if the noise stops, if does thats the bad one, true???