I did a search and I don't know if I'm bad at searching but whenever I do a million random threads come up that have nothing to do with what I typed. My truck is a 2016 with 3.5L ecoboost and whenever I start it in the morning i hear a small ticking/rattle sound until the engine rpms settle down. Doesn't do it when it's warm and can't tell when it's under a load since they filter in that V8 noise stuff.

I read this in one thread....Some 2011-2015 F-150 vehicles equipped with a 3.5L Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection (GTDI) engine and built on or before 5/29/2015 may exhibit a ticking/tapping or rattle type noise from the top front cover area of the engine upon initial start-up that may last for 2-5 seconds after a cold soak of six or more hours.

But my truck is a 2016 and built after that, could be an old TSB though but everything else sounds spot on. I'm religious about changing my mobile 1 oil every 5k miles but I bought the truck with 38k on it and carfax doesn't show a service record on it so who knows how the previous owner treated it. What are the symptoms of a timing chain going bad cause I only have 12k miles left on the warranty and don't want to spend $3k getting it repaired. Thank you.

 

You can probably get the service history from the Ford dealer you bought the truck from, maybe any Ford dealer if they enter the VIN.


I would say it is safe to assume that most people have their new truck serviced at a branded dealership. Or contact the previous owner for information if you still have the name from the last title.

 

On the 11th Gen F150s, the tensioners would bleed down and give a sound like you describe. Also, the exhaust manifold would develop a leak and give a tick noise until it was hot and sealed on its own. Here is what I would do, I would drive it down to the dealership and leave it overnight, then show up in the morning and crank it over while the maintenance personnel was present to verify the noise.
Also, to maybe verify a bleed down situation, (this works on my 04 F150 and hopefully works on the 2016 3.5 EB) you can also hold the gas pedal down and crank the engine a few times to build up oil pressure before the engine starts. Engine shouldn't start with the gas pedal to the floor but it will start building oil pressure. Do this a few times then start the engine normally and see if the noise still happens.
Good luck let us know what you find out.
Tom