Anyone have any ideas on what might be the cause? I have a 2006 4.6l f150, while heading north through the mountains the motor started ticking bad, and is bogging down bad. Takes a bit to get up to speed with constant tick. Loud when started for about 30 seconds, then just the tick is heard. Thought maybe a sticky valve, put valve medic in, no improvement. No cel or other lights, oil and temp gauge are steady. Checked all fluids, oil smells like it may have gas in it. Any ideas?

 

Exhaust leak? Possibly a cracked manifold? I know a lot of times a cracked manifold will quiet down after it warms up. Maybe a broken stud on the manifold?

 

definitely coming from the motor, not cracked manifold. Tick doesnt go away and has loss of power.

 

Sounds like bad plugs or coils. Also could be a bad injector. Something going where one, or more, of your cylinders isnt firing.

 

UPDATE: took it to the garage, was told cam follower, might need motor, anyone have bad cam follower and just keep driving it? Would it kill the. Motor quick?

 

Sooner or later, driving with a bad cam follower will kill the engine. I've heard of several 5.4 engines where a cam follower seized and caused the rocker to come apart and break the valve keeper, which will then drop the valve into the cylinder and probably destroy the piston.

The cam will need replacing probably due to scoring on the lobe. And then installing new followers, as well as lash adjusters while they're in there, etc. Should be fine after that.