The engine in 2001 F-250 has what sounds to me like a cold crank knock kinda like my old Bronco had but the Bronco had 170,00 miles on it not 2,083 like my super duty. This sucks, major down time at the dealer and my truck probally will never be the same when they get done with it. Any one have this or similar problems with the 5.4 motor??

 

My dads '97 f150 with a 5.4 had a cold start piston slap he had it covered under warranty took about 4 days to replace the engine. Turned out pretty good although my dad was the service writer at the dealership. He also got a free tranny rebuild courtesy of fords warranty division.

1979 F150 Custom 2wd C4 302 painted ford blue, bored .040 over, flat top pistons with valve reliefs, Edelbrock Performer cam, carb, and intake, stock heads til next spring, MSD Ready-To-Run distributor, MSD Blaster 2 coil, Edelbrock air cleaner and valve covers, Dynomax headers, dual exhaust with Flowmaster 40 Series mufflers, 38 gallon fuel tank(how i can drive it further than around the block) 9" rear end with 2.75 gears and open diff to change to 3.50s and locker next spring.

"Your only as fast as me until the light turns green"

 

must be nice to have that job when you need service. It took my dealer a week just to paint the hood because some idiot at the factory left some tape on the hood and they painted over it. Plus the steering damper was missing and it took them 2 day just to get the bolts.

 

Does the cold engine knock sound something like loose lifters?
Thanks in advance.

 

No it's not the lifters It sounds like a rod knock it's coming from the lower end. A friend of mine is a Tech. at the local Lincoln Mercury Dealer and he told me they had to put new motors is 2 navigators last month with 5.4 motors because of cold start engine knocks

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 19-Nov-01 AT 07:05 PM (EST)]When I start my truck 5.4 in the morning it sound like lifters that have not pumped yet on a push rod motor and clears up after about 20 seconds or so. It use to only do it on cold mornings but now it is starting to do it after it sits for 8 or more hours whether it is cold out or not. is there any way to adjust the valves on the new over head cam motors. Thanks.

 

Alas, I too have noticed a knocking sound when I start my 2000 f150 (5.4L). Mine knocks until the engine is warm. I thought it was related to the tranny because I noticed no knocking untill I am in 2nd gear. I started to notice it this summer and could hear it whenever I started moving, however, now I can't seem to hear it as much anymore. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. My question is for those who have had this problem resolved. Is the only way to resolve it to get a new engine?

I brought it down to my local dealership after they told me that they needed to keep it overnight and they told me that "they couldn't hear it".

Bob

 

The sound that I hear is exactly what several of you have described, the only difference is that I can duplicate mine. The truck is a 98, that was purchased in May of 01 with 33,??? miles, around 40,ooo
I started noticing the noise, took it to the dealer for cold engine knock which I could duplicate after starting it and revving nice and slow between 800 and 1000 rpm or there abouts. Engine was replaced and approximately 3-4 months later the factory reman. motor did the same thing, it is currently at another dealer getting the second motor put in 4 months. At this point, I'm rather in awe to hear so many of the same complaints, I just hope that the rest of you do not have to put up with what I have, I really like the truck, but having the motor swapped out every few months is garbage. Not to mention, the only explanation I can get from a service writer, or a mechanic is that the bottom end is bad, never a better explanation than that. I'll keep it posted what's going on with my truck's 3rd motor.

 

I'm going out on a limb here, but with my T-Bird's 4.6, I got a knocking sound on startup that lasted a couple of seconds and went away. Turns out she was low on oil! Ouch! Anyway, i started checking my oil regularly after that! If you haven't checked the oil in a while, see if its a couple of quarts low. I'm told newer motors have corrected this problem, but higher mileage mod motors are know for their gluttonous oil consumption.

 

A bud of mine has the same "Slap/Knock" during cold startups... His 5.4 is in a 98 F150 and after taking the truck to Cal Worthington Ford here in Anchorage, AK, they told him it was normal.

When I mentioned that several guys posting here had their motors replaced under warranty for the same thing, he took it back to Worthington Ford. Again, they said it was normal and that there is nothing from Ford allowing them to replace the motor.

Does anyone know of an actual TSB or recall covering this problem? His truck is bumping up on his 36,000 mile warranty expiration so he needs to get something started soon... At least he has the paperwork from when he identified the problem to Ford.

My 2001 F250 has a V-10 which starts normally. I have heard of this "slap" in the V-10, but mine is working fine.

Thanks
Edmo

 

What type of oil filter are you's using? Motorcraft is my choice.

http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/oil_filter_study/

-hooD

2002 F-150 4x4 REGULAR CAB
DARK SHADOW GRAY CLEARCOAT
XLT 139" WHEELBASE STYLESIDE
5.4L EFI V8
ELECTRONIC 4-SPD AUTO O/D
3.73 RATIO LIMITED SLIP AXLE
SKID PLATES
7700# PAYLOAD GROUP
TRAILER TOWING GROUP CLASS III
LT245/75R-16D OWL ALL-TERRAIN
BUILT FORD TOUGH!!!

 

The problem that most of you are describing sounds like piston slap. I don't own a 5.4L (yet), but I've been checking into pickups and Expy's in several of the consumer publications. One of them specifically names this as a "watch" or problem item for the 5.4L. As for what Ford is doing about it, it sounds as if some are getting new engines and some are being told by dealers that a problem doesn't exist. I would feel it safe to say that if a consumer publication is printing it as a problem area for late model Ford trucks, it is legitimate, and someone in your local Ford service dept. should know something about it.

 

My 1999 F150 w/ 5.4 had same thing. At first oil change I asked the dealer to listen to the knock. They did then disappeared into a back room. Several minutes later they came out with a printout from Ford with the following instructions:
Normal piston to cylinder noise. Tell customer it does not affect durability or reliability. It went on to say "for persistant customers Ford will replace the motor at no charge." They ordered the engine even before they showed me that paper. Took them 2 1/2 days to change out. Bob Anderson Ford, Missouri Valley Iowa.
I have 40k miles now. No problems since.

 

This is great info, thanks! I can't help but laugh at the "For persistent customers...." info!

Service writer to service manager: Uh, boss. Mr. Smith is complaining about his Expedition knocking when he starts it up every morning.

Service manager: Tell him it's normal. No problems with reliability or durability. Better yet, tell him it's because the 5.4L is machined like a race engine. It has forged aluminum pistons that slap around in the bores a bit until they heat up and expand. Yeah, that's it. Tell him that. Go Blue Oval!

Service writer: I told him that, he still feels that it shouldn't make that noise because his friend's F150 doesn't. He didn't like my explanation.

Service manager: Would you say he's being persistent?

Service writer: Uh, yes. Probably.

Service manager: Let me check that bulletin. Hmmmm. In normal cases, give customer the "normal noise" explanation at no charge. In case of persistence, offer to replace the entire engine at no charge. Ask Mr. Smith if he would like us to replace his engine, but make sure he knows that we're doing this regardless of the fact that the noise in his old 5.4L is completely normal and posing no reliability problem. We're just going to change out his motor because it's going to give our guys in the shop some good on-the-job training, and we were getting pretty bored in the shop.

Honestly, many people are out there just trying to push the "squeaky wheel" effect as far as they can. Just ask your local restaurant how many people have recently eaten half or all of a meal to complain about it after the fact in hopes of getting it for free. However, when it comes to something like this, especially after you've made a major investment in the newer vehicle and you have a legitimate problem, the customer needs to be taken care of, and not just after they have to become "persistent". Come on, Ford! All manufacturers are going to have glitches. Just call it like it is and make it right without playing games! This is what's going to keep people buying! If quality can't always be Job#1, at least make sure that service recovery is!

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 10-Feb-02 AT 08:25 PM (EST)]I've never heard my 5.4 knocking even after 13,000 miles, but i know of a guy in town who had his replaced because it was knocking.