Estarr08

Well, I just picked my truck up from the shop for the 3rd time in 45 days, I have the classic "dieseling" noise and a rattle that is there all the time. First shop I took the truck to said "that is definitely and exhaust leak" and quoted me $1150 for replacement of both exhaust manifolds. Feeling like that was not the issue, I took it to a second shop and they said "That is the classic cam phaser/vct solenoid problem" and quoted me $1550 for replacement. The third shop I took the truck to had it for 2 days and said "you have an exhaust leak, cam phaser issue, bad injectors, AND I had what they called valve train noise" they quoted me at $3450 for repairs of the cam phaser, exhaust, injectors, and inspection of the valve train. I know from reading over 350 pages on here that this could be the cam phasers but I am not experiencing any loss of power, no shuttering, no stalling or rough idling. There are no codes being thrown, just what I describe as a "wannabe diesel rattle" and constant ticking that gets more rapid when RPMs increase and can be heard from idle (550-700rpm) up to 3000rpm (I don't really push it over 3000 too often and if I do, Im not really listening for a ticking sound).


Info on the truck, it has 114,000 miles and had the plugs and coils changed at 110,000. and had its last oil change at 112,000.

vintageman

First thing I would do is check the torque on the spark plugs to make sure none loosened up. Its a known issue that if any are loose, it will cause a noise and has been mistaken as a phaser issue before. Then I would get a mechanics stethoscope and probe around to see if I could isolate the noise to the phasers or the other things mentioned. The fuel injectors on these engines tick so check those as well to make sure they don't sound too loud. Does the tick ever go away or does it sound kind of metallic? Metallic sound, I would suspect lash adjusters and followers (I found 13 bad of my 24 on my truck). If the tick goes away or gets lower when the engine is hot, I would suspect exhaust manifold.

Estarr08

It varies, sometimes the tick is barely noticable. Other times it sounds like the motor is about to fly into 1000 pieces.

HeathMc

Well if it goes away when the truck is warm then that would point to an exhaust leak/tick. Metal expands when warm and closes up small leaks. Just saw that on the last if the post. So I second that opinion. 😎

bbrad1775

I just replaced VCT solenoids for $100 myself in 30 minutes and it really helped my truck. I had the diesel sound which would sound like an exhaust manifold leak when in the cab. The sound is hardly noticeable now. These trucks make some noise regardless. I have read that in 07 they changed the valve covers so you cant replace the VCT solenoids without pulling the covers but I dont know if that is the case. Mine is an 05. If you can, I suggest replacing the VCT solenoids for $100 and go from there. If you have to pull the valve covers go ahead and do the cam phasers. It is time consuming but very easy to do and it will save you $1k or more in labor.
Good luck. Hope this helps.

bbrad1775

Not entirely true. This is also a symptom of VCT solenoids/cam phasers.

a56nomad

2004 F-150 4X4 5 man cab 5.4 3 valve 175,000 miles. I replaced my cam phasers, found them half the price at the FORD Dealership than at Auto Parts stores. Just remove the rubber plug at the front of each valve cover and with a torks screwdriver, long one. The torks screw will not fall out of the cam phaser cause the threads will not go through the hole that they sit in. Just keep pulling up on the cam phaser so that the screw head stays on the cam phaser, just in case they go in one way only, due to the screw holder, can't mess that part up. The drivers side, you will need to remove the power steering bracket to make a clean shot to the torks screw. Then, change your oil and filter, and replace with a good brand of Synthetic Oil of 5-20 ONLY. Anything thicker will not make it through the screen on the cam phasers to allow them to work properly. The other item that I added to the oil was the Z-MAX oil and gas additive. I must say, that I have never heard the ticking noise go away so fast, within 3 seconds, after starting the motor. It has never been so quiet, and I changed the cam phasers about a year ago, and just changed the oil with the synthetic and Z-Max about three months ago. I pulled my 25 foot trailer up over several mountains and up I-5 and never had it been so quiet and ran like a top. It has 175,000 miles on it. Give the cam phasers, oil, and the Z-Max a try. You should also get two new rubber plugs to replace the old hard ones with from the Ford Dealer, my dealer had only one in stock. It isn't that hard, the cam phasers are just like a tall spark plug and go back only one way due to the4 screw hole is a part of the cam phaser, no adjusting. I also replaced the cam phaser sensors on the front of each head. They just pull out after removing the small bolt, and again, just push the new ones back in, it doesn't mater because they are just a sensor, just line up the holding plate and put the bolt back in to hold it back into place. Should be able to do all that in less that an hour.
Thanks,
a56nomad

Martian

Shouldn't be a symptom of the VCT solenoids or phasers since they don't even go into action until the truck is hot

bbrad1775

mine ticks cold or hot. a lot better now that VCT solenoids have been replaced. I have read where some only hear it when the engine is cold though. VCT solenoid replacement fixed their problem.

Estarr08

On my 2008, I don't even know where to start looking for cam phasers or anything like that. Anybody have an 08 with this issue that can shed some light on fixing it?