Hello, I have a 2005 F250 pickup with 62000 miles on it. The engine started tapping about 4 months ago and the noise appears to be getting worse. I took it to the dealer yesterday and the mechanic wasn't very helpfull. He suggested letting them change the oil for me and told me to bring it back if the noise didn't stop. $49.00 later the noise is still there. Its very loud at startup while the engine is idling but goes away as soon as you give it a little gas. As soon as I stop at a light it comes right back again. It sounds like its coming from the top of the engine in the left front at that first cylinder. The engine is the 5.4 V8. Does anyone have any idea what this might be? Does the 5.4 have lifters? Could one be sticking causing the noise? Is it possible that this is a deep engine problem or is it more annoying then anything? I'll admit I haven't kept up on my 3000 mile oil changes so I'm worried that the oil brokedown and I have engine damage. The mechanic said he didn't think its a injector but he wasn't very helpfull, it was like pulling teeth trying to get him to tell me anything. I'm very concerned about this because I can't afford a new truck and I need this truck to drive 400 miles to VA once a month. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
P.S. My email is vfrpilot@aol.com