Hey guys,
I decided i should ask a question here on the forum about the dreaded 5.4L 3-vavle triton tick.. Since i bought the truck '07 i have had the common triton ticking noise and i have heard the dozens of causes people say the problem is (lifters, cam shaft, manifolds, fuel pump, oil).. So my question is, i notice that my truck can be quite some days and loud other days? But i cant seem to figure out why? Most people would say its the lifters or camshaft.. But if some days i can really hear it and other days i can almost not hear it at all, then i dont think it could be a lifter or cam shaft noise? Am i correct to assume this? Because a lifter tick or camshaft tick would be a constant loud tick all the time would it not? I have tried switching to 89 fuel whitch seems like it may have helped. So it could possibly be knocking.. But i also notice that if i drive agressively and get on the gas a few times, it seems like the ticking gets worse until i slow down and drive normally. So im wondering if its maybe the fuel pump? Like as if it cannot dump enough fuel into the cylinder fast enough? Or maybe too much fuel? I havnt noticed any power lose, but it seems like the way i drive can munipulate the ticking noise..

 

Fuel has nothing to do with it. If you try a heavier oil, maybe you'd hear a difference, maybe not. I don't recommend that anyways.

The 5.4 is plagued with the camshaft phasers, camshafts, rockers, and lifters that cause the noise. From my experience, it's usually the passenger side. If you have a stethoscope, listen to both valve covers. In the middle and front part of the valve covers.

 

The cam shaft, rocker arms etc. etc. are results of somthing else happening in the engine.. So people have them replaced but are only temperary fixes because they are not the underlying cause..

 

The underlying causes, so far as I understand them from my reading, seem to deal with oil getting to the top of the engine and the passenger side VCT solenoid. I am wondering if doing the whole timing chain service along with a new Ford Racing high volume oil pump and redesigned VCT solenoids will eliminate the issue noise for good.

 

Yea you could be right. Personally i think it has to do with the fuel system. Because my engine can run a little rough when i drive agressively and its like i need to drive normal for abit before the ticking noise quites down and my truck runs smooth again.. Same thing happens if i rev my truck on start up. (Not that i recomend doing this.. Lol) but i think it misfires if i dont let my truck warm up for 20 seconds? I dont expect anyone to figure this one out. Everyone has there own experiences, and people have to realize that replacing the cam phasers and lifter doesnt actually fix the issue. Unless its a broken pushrod or lifter etc.. Then your talking a different story.. However i am pretty certain thats not my issue, and its basically up to me to solve it. I have also had the truck for over a year now and havnt had any issues at all.. Its a very reliable truck and it actually runs better and quiter now than i did when i bought it!