my name is aaron and i have a 2000 5.4l with 181,000. i'm no mechanic but i know a little about cars. to me it sounds like my engine knocks, but the thing is i don't have a check engine light. besides the knock sound it has the truck runs pretty darn good. If i do floor it a lot i can smell like i'm burning oil but i check my oil level and in 3,000 miles it's barely below the max line. anyone have any ideas?

 

No comment on the knocking as I would like to hear it to offer an opinion. The burnt oil smell could be from any accumulation on the engine pipes. There but not noticeable under normal driving. When punched the pipes get hotter and burn the residue. Are there any oil leaks that you know of?

 

The engine knocking won't set off the check engine light, but the computer may be mistaking the knock for detonation and then may be changing the ignition timing. I'm not sure how badly this affects the running condition of the engine but I do know it isn't good.

 

there is no leak on the ground or on the engine anywhere

 

look at the head gaskets they leak in the rear of the blok they are notorious , mine do . they get timing chain stretch which comes piston slap . there limes and there are lemons . i dont know which ones worse , lemons? i still love my truck though. would like to get a lightning motor!

 

hey but the way dont slam your doors on trucks 97-2000.5 years have a weaker door structure and the door skind cracks at the corner of the window, and the rear windows end up leaking , i fried an amp out

 

Lets talk about the knocking. When does it knock? Describe the knock? Is the sound heavy or is it more of a tinny high pitch noise? Generally speaking, rods or mains are a deep sound, like a hammer striking a piece of wood. Its a thud type sound. Wrist pins and piston slap are a higher pitch sound and are more noticeable with a decrease in engine load or RPM change. Difficult for me to find the words to describe. Lifters or valve noises are a tapping type sound. Had the priveledge of working with an engineer from Fords engine division back is the early 80's. He was the brains, I was the wrench. Absolutely unbelievable as to his accuracy of diagnosing an internal engine problem just by sound. Let us know more about your sound and paticulars.

 

it's more of a deep sound. i will try and record the sound but without having a great microphone the sound gets distorted, also if i can figure out how to get the sound or video clip on here

 

You can tell if its a rod knock by unhooking one injector at a time them plugging it back in. If the knock lessens or goes away completely when the injector is unplugged its a rod bearing.

 

but if it was a bearing wouldn't there be metal shaving in my oil? and wouldn't i have lack of power?