Valvetrain noise

[4Eyedturd]

Stock 4v 4.6 has a ticking from the driver side and seems like valve train related. It’s loud enough you can hear it with the hood closed. Is this common or should get ready for a full teardown?

[03Merc]

Stock 4v 4.6 has a ticking from the driver side and seems like valve train related. It’s loud enough you can hear it with the hood closed. Is this common or should get ready for a full teardown?

How many miles? Have You ever serviced the timing components?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[4Eyedturd]

Honestly not sure on mileage, previous owner swapped the motor 15k miles ago. I haven’t touched the motor yet.

[03Merc]

Honestly not sure on mileage, previous owner swapped the motor 15k miles ago. I haven’t touched the motor yet.

Swapped with a used engine? Reman? Usually the timing components are what makes noise on these.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[4Eyedturd]

Swapped in a used engine. The noise sounds like from valve cover but I guess I could start with timing components.

[Mr. Man]

Take a quick look to see if the manifold has a leak. Does the sound go away after the car warms up?

[RubberCtyRauder]

Driver side? There is a poor cooling passage in head around cylinder 8 and it runs hotter and over time can cause build up and poor valve seating. There is a head cooling mod but it won't fix it if already bad. Compression check will tell you.

[4Eyedturd]

Noise is there warm or cold.

[Meta9]

If you haven't yet, address the timing chain components.

Does the noise sound like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbRDZKT7rxM

Disregard the seafoam comment in the comments, in the facebook post that video was linked to the noise returned for that owner.

I suspect that noise is the infamous "head tick" as there are a bunch of other posts on the facebook groups, same noise reported and shown in their videos.

[4Eyedturd]

I forgot I had a video of it from a while back.

https://youtube.com/shorts/_Isla-Lux...ekVmxZ1kzrJSs0

[Meta9]

Sounds a lot like it if ruling out the timing chain component business. If you're on facebook PM your name I can send a bunch more posts with the same noise.

You can also do a used oil analysis with Blackstone laboratories for excessive metals. Mine came back fine even with the tick/light knock.

[4Eyedturd]

That makes me feel a little better, I kind of assumed I had potential head damage.

[Meta9]

A lot of people will talk about burned valves or pistons for 7 and 8, worn out valve guides, etc. for the head tick/knock noise. Burned valves and pistons are going to misfire and run terribly rough. Worn valve guides will do the same + oil consumption usually. This noise is irritating to say the least. Some folk even rumored Ford had a TSB for it back in the day but could never verify that.

Maybe its something like resonance in the head, a characteristic design of the valve train??? hard to say. Stranger still i've yet to find anyone actually report a legitimate repair or any real evidence of fault or excessive wear.

In one of the posts I sent you on Facebook, one of the guys reporting the same noise replaced all the timing chain components AND every valve lash adjuster and the noise didn't change lol.

[Mr. Man]

Timing chain noise is usually a slapping sound on start-up that disappears after oil pressure builds up.

[RubberCtyRauder]

Timing chain noise sounds like a sewing machine.