Ok to stat I have an 04' F150 Lariat 4x4 5.4L v8 almost 190,000 miles I need help. For starters I have the notorious TICK! To start I changed the oil this morning with Motorcraft 5w20 syn blend, and a motorcraft FL820S. While at the dealership I bought a vct solonoid and replaced the passenger side vct. I drove it about 3 miles.... No change... To add to the problem the service engine light came on on the way to the dealership but after dropping $160 on vct and oil change. The sevice engine light is surely due to the missfire that started after I put injector cleaner in the tank. Ok. What I need help with Is #1 can it take a couple of days for the vct to fix the problem? #2 Can I clean the vct on the other side? #3 can the vct couse a missfire? Im sooooo In the dark please help me anyone. Im broke and I need help.

 

When was the last time the spark plugs were changed?
Maybe the ticking sound is a exhaust leak!
My truck had only 58,000 on it when I changed my plugs and it made a heck of a difference in the way it runs.
Sorry about you being broke, it seems to be the way of our future! TOO MUCH STUFF NOT MADE IN AMERICA.......I GUESS!

 

Well the dealership I bought it from had the plugs and coil packs replaced on all 8 cylinders before i would take the truck home. About 30,000 miles ago. The missing didnt start until I put some of that injector cleaner in about 1000 miles ago, and the sevice engine light only just came on less then 40 miles ago. But now Im running into a new problem the #41 fuese is blown so I couldnt read the code, and I have gone through a whole pack of 20A fuses. (I know probably cerosion on the inside of the cigarette lighter.) Anyway back to the tick noise. It sounds like an exhaust leak to me and I ONLY hear it on the right side rear of the engine compartment close to the firewall. (or if a vehicle, wall, or whatever is beside me on the right side) I hear it through the wheel well. I have read on here it could be anything from exhaust leak, to improper instalation of the plugs letting the "fire'' leak out around the seal, to vct, to cam phasers to, valve springs. Im sorry for the miss spelled words and the bad grammer, that is just my good alabama public schools learin coming out.