Hi all! I'm new to the forums and a new F150 owner. Bought my 2007 Supercab in December of last year. It's a 4.6L Triton with 121k miles on it. Mostly stock except aftermarket exhaust. Anyways so I bought the truck from a local Kia dealer (worst. place. ever.) and drove it on two separate occasions before I bought it. Engine sounded great and the truck drove very smooth on both occasions at highway speeds and warmed up. So I buy the truck and drive it 200+ miles on the first day, stopping multiple places so the engine wasn't running constantly. Park the truck for the night and start it the next morning and I get this rather loud tapping/ticking sound that goes with the flow of the engine (i.e. goes with the RPM of the truck). Pop the hood and it seems to be coming from the passenger side valve cover. So I start doing research and it sounds like it's the VCT solenoid or the cam phasers on the passenger side. Mind you, the truck is running and driving great. So now this has been going on for the past two months, but it is intermittent. I'll have drives where it doesn't tap at all, I'll have drives where it taps the whole time, and I'll have drives where it comes and goes multiple times. Does not matter whether the engine is hot or cold. So fast forward to yesterday (21 Feb), I decided to Seafoam my engine. Go through the process and making a giant smoke cloud, and then my brother looks under the hood. Well there's smoke coming out of the passenger side of the engine where there should be no smoke coming out of anywhere but the exhaust pipes.....so now I'm thinking that it's almost positively coming from the header on the passenger side. I'm wondering, could it be a gasket that just crapped out? Or possibly something loose because the sound comes and goes? I'm happy that I won't have to get elbow deep into the VCT solenoid now, and I don't see any holes in the header or exhaust. Just wanting some opinions from guys that are much more versed on these trucks than myself. I've included a link to a video I took of the engine yesterday before I seafoamed it. It was an occasion where it was exceptionally loud. Anyways, I hope I've included enough info, if anything else is needed just ask. I really appreciate any help, guys. Thanks!

 

Hi.

First - your 2-valve 4.6 does not have VCT system - no phasers or solenoids.

Second - given yer description you have an exhaust leak at the manifold. Usually reduces as the engine warms up. Not always though. Could also be a crack in the manifold, or a broken stud.

To replace the gaskets /manifold/studs, while parts are cheap, the labour is not. Demand the dealer R&R, assuming you got some sort of warranty.

[BTW - Seafoaming was a bad idea - stuff does bupkis -except pekker yer O2's and cats. The 'smoke show' is nothing more than the pale oil burning off, not 'carbon'. There is nothing in the MSDS to indicate any carbon removal benefits - or any benefit, for that matter. Naptha, pale oil and IPA - that's it. You are literally burning away the money you spent on the can, lol. Yes - I recognize hat this is a losing battle in a society where folks STILL believe the world is flat and smoking is not harmful ]

good luck

MGD