hi my 03 expy sounds like a diesel. sounds fine at start up when truck is up to temp its really tapping bad, tried some oil treatment and oil change no change. not having any real test equip someone said to take a pine board and place the end up to the valve cover and press your ear to it and from that it really sound like its in the passenger side valve cover. no check engine light and only does it when the truck comes up to temp. any ideas?

thanks

 

Possible bad lifter. I've read a few posts here on that subject. Did a google search and there might be something close to what you are hearing.

https://www.google.com/#hl=en&cp=14&...w=1232&bih=570

Edit: Under the 5.4 section, this post might be similar to what you are facing: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ain-noise.html

 

Bad passenger side cam phaser. Do a search on cam phaser and you should get the information you need to get you going in the right direction.

 

we bought the truck used back in march 11 the owner of the place basically took it back in at the beginning of dec 2011 when the water pump went and out of the kindness of his heart truck no warranty this far out on a used truck, didnt have to but did the work free of charge to us, they basically sent the heads out to be machined replaced the water pump and did alot of work with the timing system while they were in there they told me that they replaced the timing tensioners and i believe the phasers as well replaced all the gaskets and a few other things while they were in there. the truck ran absolutly awsome for about 3 days or so then just started making this noise. not audible at cold start just kinda comes on as it warms up until it basically sounds like a diesel. have called the guy back however not getting much of any response usually voice mail have sent some texts however i do feel a bit like an *** because well he didnt have to do the work and i know it cost him around 1500 to do what he did, but at the same time if a new part has failed or the person that did the work didnt torque something down or properly inflate a lifter or something then i think it should be taking care of. if had people tell me it really sounds like a collasped lifter, if this is the case anyone have a ball park figure on what something like that will cost to fix? i doont have time the tools or the knowledge that i would even feel comfortable trying it myself . any way to check if it is a lifter can i say disconnect the power cable to one ignition coil at a time and see if the noise stops or something?

thnaks for any suggestions

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv6TaluOq5Q

this is a f150 with the 5.4l engine sounds exactly the same.

 

I would've said exhaust leak at the manifold due to the common broken manifold stud issue, but if the heads were R&R to be machined then I doubt that's it. Other than that, it still sounds like a cam phaser to me. Even a new part can be bad, if it was indeed changed.

 

is it ok to drive the truck if it is a cam phaser for a little bit until i have the cash to try and get it fixed or is this something that should be parked?

 

Maybe take the approach that since he did all that work for free, offer to pay him o diagnose it. Or can you drive it over there and have them give it a listen??