Ticking Sounds from engine, 4.6L V8 Explorer - Video Inside

Okay team, I've done some research on this and this apparently seems to be a VERY common problem across V8 engines in the Explorer and F-150s.

History: I noticed this around 40k miles and it has only gotten worse. It starts on a cold engine and goes away within about 60 seconds. Now, sometimes it stays very quietly into a hot engine and the ticking persists. I've had three separate shops look at it. Ford shops said it was normal. The non-Ford shop said it sounded terrible and sounded like a tapping/sticking valve, and could eventually cause engine failure. They suggested taking up a case with Ford corporate.

My research: My research suggests this may be cam phasers and a VCT sensor. Others have actually performed this fix to get rid of the ticking.

Based on the video below, has anyone in this forum had the same issue and found a confirmed fix, vs. speculation? I'm really trying to figure out what is causing this, and I'm amazed Ford hasn't offered a recall yet. My vehicle is now past the powertrain warranty, but this was noticed well within the warranty, and dismissed by Ford. Thanks for any help or advice on how to tackle this.

Check your exhaust manifolds.

thats not a exhaust tick, i have it on my 98 5.0 and it only surfaces under a load not at idle. that sounds like metal tapping, and the reason it goes way quickly is as soon as the engine oil gets to the top of the engine it lubricates whatever is tapping. that sound like a noisy valve to me.

Dad has a 2009 Expedition with the 5.4L 3V (essentially the same motor), that was having the exact same issue. It was brought into the dealer and they replaced both cam phasers which fixed the issue.

My vote goes for the exhaust leak. My 06 v8 was making exact same noise. I am in the process of replacing both manifolds and gaskets. I have already done the stupid passenger side, and it's already quieter, this weekend I am planning to do the driver side. I will start a new post once I complete both sides and report the results. In my case, many people also said that it's a valve train noise, but I will judge once I kill the exhaust leaks.
I am at slightly over 190k, the noise started at about 105k.

Cam Phaser issues are very common on the 5.4L 3V and not uncommon the 4.6L 3V. However, the symptoms they usually present are not the same as yours. Usually they are quiet upon startup and then get louder when warm, almost sounding like a diesel engine. Sometimes you can get chain slap at startup if your tensioners are going bad or you are using a poor quality oil filter.

Your symptoms and sounds kind of point me towards an exhaust manifold leak unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it lol. It goes away quickly because the manifold/block metal heats up and completes the seal better.

As others have pointed out, the cam phaser issue usually manifests itself when the engine warms up and sounds like a diesel. As an owner of an early 3V 5.4 in my F150, I am well aware of that sound and issue. There are also issue with timing chain seals at startup (which my 5.4 exhibits) and it doesn't sound like that.

My '07 explorer sounds similar to the video. The noise virtually disappears after 30-90 seconds, depending on the temp, as the materials expand from heat. A trusted independent mechanic and the dealership both reached the conclusion that it is the exhaust manifolds. And that is a very common issue on the 4.6 3V in the explorer.

The noise may seem to go away in the open, but when you are driving next to a wall, or in underground garage, you can here it.

Also, when idling, it's quiet, under load it comes up.

Thanks everyone. I do agree that I can still hear the noise when going through a drive-through since I'm against a wall. I can live with it but it's embarrassing. Any thoughts on the price of a replacement exhaust manifold?

check out rockauto.com you can get prices from there for one

morbid81 said:

check out rockauto.com you can get prices from there for one

Click to expand...

I meant more so for the full repair. I don't have a garage where I am so I can't wrench on my own cars anymore.

Usually it's one of the studs that will snap leaving the manifold loose in an area causing the leak. If you take the inner fender lining out you could check and see if any are broken.

Since I am in the middle of this repair here are the prices I got:

Independent garage: parts and labor about $ 700
Ford dealer: $ 1,100

Both prices are for passenger side "if everything goes OK', which it never does. If a stud breaks, more time and more money.

I got the passenger side from Dorman for $ 108, and the drivers side from a Ford dealer online for about $ 110, so the parts are not that expensive. I also got stainless steel studs and new gaskets, but that's maybe additional $ 40.
The labor may be between 3 and 8 hours per side.

Local ford dealership quoted me 800-950, passenger side, depending on how it went.

Explorer_PL said:

Since I am in the middle of this repair here are the prices I got:

Independent garage: parts and labor about $ 700
Ford dealer: $ 1,100

Both prices are for passenger side "if everything goes OK', which it never does. If a stud breaks, more time and more money.

I got the passenger side from Dorman for $ 108, and the drivers side from a Ford dealer online for about $ 110, so the parts are not that expensive. I also got stainless steel studs and new gaskets, but that's maybe additional $ 40.
The labor may be between 3 and 8 hours per side.

Click to expand...

Any chance you could update this thread when the repair is finished, which I assume will be soon? That'd really help out. Did your sound make the same noise as the one in my video?

This is the sound before replacing the driver side manifold, the passenger side has been replaced few weeks ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FHC3kEER5c

And this is after:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50Fp9dlpk80

I'll start a new thread with pictures and some hints soon.

Explorer_PL said:

This is the sound before replacing the driver side manifold, the passenger side has been replaced few weeks ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FHC3kEER5c

And this is after:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50Fp9dlpk80

I'll start a new thread with pictures and some hints soon.

Click to expand...

Very helpful to compare mine with yours. It seems like yours had a much higher frequency whereas mine seemed to be more time in between the "taps." I wonder if that would suggest the same issue or lead into any insight as to it being something different. I will likely call Ford next week and see what they say. I appreciate all of your help.

No problem. All I can say is the car is so much quieter and less embarrassing to drive

I got both sides of mine done for $800.00. It was done by a local muffler shop of reasonable repute. I believe that they resurfaced both manifolds, as well. I've heard say that one of the reasons it happened was because the cast iron manifolds were too green when they were installed. Once they have been age and heat cured they should stay more stable and quit snapping studs.

Update for everyone. I had a mechanic at Merchants Tire and Auto check my car out and he determined the sound was most definitely coming from the passenger side exhaust manifold.

A few months ago I brought my car back to Jerry's Ford in Annandale Virginia. I had brought the car to these guys while it was under warranty, with a a note of the issue and they said it was normal. With my car now about 5k miles out of warranty, I brought them the receipt of what they reported earlier and told them it was found to be an exhaust manifold and should have been covered under warranty while in the warranty period. Once that was done, no more tapping.

Just wanted to let everyone know, this was indeed the passenger side exhaust manifold.