stcolorado

Hello,

As I've noted in prior posts, this is my first F-150. It is a 2005 Lariat with the 5.4L 3v engine... I came out of a 1994 Toyota pickup that met a tragic and humorously explosive death... So now I feel extra cautious and paranoid with this gorgeous piece of machinery. I've noticed a slight tick/sewing machine noise on idle with the truck over the last couple days... The below link is a video of the truck at idle, warmed up after a drive... External temps are on the low side of about 33 degrees F. Is this a normal/nonissue sound or should I prepare myself for future phaser problems based on this sound? The below linked video was taken on the passenger wheel well pretty deep in... It isn't audible during driving and it doesn't get louder with RPM increases, there are no noticeable cabin noises either. Truck is at 169,000, Motorcraft oil filter and 5w20 oil.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7zlfo3ymyz...22.16.mp4?dl=0

Thanks everyone for your kindness and help as I get to know this engine.

Mattloz

It could be your exhaust manifold check the two dribt studs I had a very annoying tick at start up and once warm when I accelerate it sounds deep unless it's just the recording

Mattloz

Driver side studs towards front of engine you meet to put your hand or squeeze your head inthere

Mattloz

And I just his 162,080

stcolorado

I'll have to climb under to look. The video was shot with a potato so sound may not be exactly as I hear it, but I am also going deaf so who knows.

Livernois Motorsports

It sounds like this is most likely the dreaded cam phaser issue that these 3 valve modular engines are famous for. Every 3v mod engine will experience a cam phaser problem at some point in its lifespan. The internals wear, tolerances change, oil passages clog, etc. This then causes the phasers to not get the proper amount of oil pressure needed to operate correctly. Starts out as a sound and then eventually can lead to a failure which can damage the engine. We have guys tell us they have replaced phasers and components two or 3 times and it eventually always comes back. The issue is also easy to spot when they do not do it at cold start but once the engine warms up the oil pressure drops and the phasers then start to knock or tick at idle.

That being said we developed a cam phaser noise repair kit which is the only complete kit that is a permanent solution to the problem. The kit locks the phasers so that you will never have this issue again and you can still use your stock phasers if they are not damaged. Our kit includes the lockouts, the cam phaser bolts you have to change, the wedge tool to help make the installation easier, and our tuning device to allow your vehicle to perform properly after the timing is locked. The lockouts can be installed by removing the valve covers as well with our wedge tool which takes roughly half the labor as removing the entire timing cover would.

Click here for more information on this issue and to view our repair kit as well.
Here is a video of what they sound like before and after which is very similar to your sound in my opinion.

cscott900

Just curious, do you possibly have a solution to timing chain tensioner failure as well? Seems like they kind of go hand in hand with phaser failure.

cscott900

Sounds like an exhaust leak

Livernois Motorsports

Once the phasers have been locked in place we do not have any issues with the timing chain tensioners. No there is not a fix that we make specifically for the tensioner but once locked out and replaced, if needed, you should not have any further issues.

Livernois Motorsports

It possibly could be as these vehicles are known to have these issues as well. Here is one way to compare manifold leak versus cam phaser issues. Cam phasers will not be as noticeable if not make zero sound at cold start up. Exhaust manifolds will tick more during cold start situations and then gradually sound better as the engine heats up because the metals expand.