04fivepointfour4x4

's an IR thermometer on Amazon for $20. Hope this helps.

vintageman

or if you do not have the infrared thermometer, you could start the engine and simply unplug each of the coil packs one at a time to see if the engine starts running differently or stays the same. If it stays the same, you may have a bad COP or possibly bad spark plug at that cylinder. To verify that, move one of the good COPs to that position and the suspected bad COP to the other position and start the vehicle, then repeat the uplugging of the COPs to verify. If the suspected COP was bad, the symptom should follow the moved COP.

Cincinnati Guy

I unplugged each coil pack and you could hear it run rougher. I also did the injectors. Still seems like something on the passenger side.

I have preferred warranties for the powertrain, I am thinking about filing a claim, its only $100 deductable. Along with sales tax and shop supplies they told me.

This video really lets you hear the noise.

Manuellabour247

See that sounds like an exhaust leak to me. Since you have a stetho, check on the head to see if it's internal or the exhaust leak. I'm assuming you meant stetho with a probe.

screamineagle

Exhaust manifold

ajack

Could an exhaust manifold leak be causing his rough idle at stop signs? Or do you think that's a completely separate issue?

Manuellabour247

The problem is that the leak sounds like a miss in the truck correct? Fix the leak and I bet it gets better.

Cincinnati Guy

Im not to sure how to go about this. Could this be done at home, or is it a shop deal? I have tools and basic know how, just not sure whats all involved.

Manuellabour247

There are threads on here where people have listed a step by step on how to do this. I've seen a couple, which is funny because I've never owned a 5.4, just worked on them occasionally. Just make sure you clean both surfaces really well before going back together with them. Doing it yourself will save some serious coin because no shop likes doing that job. My old shop boss would purposely quote extra hours on this type of job so we wouldn't have to do it. He hated Ford though so he doesn't really count. Lol.

Jeff5690

I've had the exact same tick, I first thought it was a leaking exaust manifold. Then I decided to pull off all my COP's and check if any of the plugs had backed out, since I had done the plugs a while back.

I found the plugs good and tight, but the spark plug wells had lots of dirt in them.

I cleaned all the dirt and grime out of the spark plug wells and it completely stopped the ticking.

Before you attack the VCT or exaust system (if an exaust leak is not evident) I'd suggest you first do your plugs and coils.

You might have bad plugs, bad contact between plugs and coils or just a coil going bad.