I rebuilt a 03 5.4 for my 97 and installed it a few months back. I never heard anything really for the first maybe 1500 miles or so, but since then (last 2000mi) or so i get a very wierd noise mainly on cold start up. it is on my passenger rear(like #4). Has a mix of a sound like something is rubbing or a wooshing sound, mixed with a ticking noise. and if its really cold i can get a slight knock sound out of it. once the engine worms up, most of it goes away, but i can still hear a slight wooshing sound. I have been tearing my brain apart thinking if i could have missed anything on the build, but really cant come up with anything. ANy ideas?

**running castrol 10w 30 with motorcraft filter and i qt of lucas since the beggining.

 

Not sure if it's the same as you because of engine years,but I just started getting a ticking noise in my 05 5.4l during cold start up also. If it's not moist out it's okay. Any rain or fog and it ticks like crazy first thing in the morning. It's actually quite loud under the hood. Sounds like driver's side. Wish I had an answer but for now I'll join you in the mystery.

 

I see a lot of cam phaser talk on some other posts.

 

ya the 03 5.4 does not have cam phasers...

 

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