just bought 2005 gt 4.6 got a question about normal engine noise

otter5555

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i come from a chevy background. i've run small block chevys my whole life and i'm 67 years old :)

bought a 2005 gt 4.6 with 92000 miles on it a few days ago.

changed oil/filter with ford reccomended oil/filter.

when cranked cold the engine picks up the oil in 1-2 seconds and is DEAD SILENT.

after a 20 mile run, idling in gear, i can hear the engine sitting in the seat. having built a few hundred chevy engines over the years, i can tell you that what i am hearing is NOT bearing or piston related. it's not cam chain / idler related and it's not cam phaser related.

after popping the hood at high idle the loudest noise are the injectors.

the 2nd loudest noise is valvetrain noise.

the noises are not objectionable.

it's just that my smallblock chevys have ZERO noises after a 20 mile run. all you can hear is the alternator.

here's my question. do the 4.6 engines have a little bit of valvetrain noise idling after a 20 mile run? i have never owned an OHC engine so i don't know what is normal.

thanks for any input.

the engine runs GREAT ! i am impressed with what ford is getting out of this engine.
 

Mrerob

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i come from a chevy background. i've run small block chevys my whole life and i'm 67 years old :)

bought a 2005 gt 4.6 with 92000 miles on it a few days ago.

changed oil/filter with ford reccomended oil/filter.

when cranked cold the engine picks up the oil in 1-2 seconds and is DEAD SILENT.

after a 20 mile run, idling in gear, i can hear the engine sitting in the seat. having built a few hundred chevy engines over the years, i can tell you that what i am hearing is NOT bearing or piston related. it's not cam chain / idler related and it's not cam phaser related.

after popping the hood at high idle the loudest noise are the injectors.

the 2nd loudest noise is valvetrain noise.

the noises are not objectionable.

it's just that my smallblock chevys have ZERO noises after a 20 mile run. all you can hear is the alternator.

here's my question. do the 4.6 engines have a little bit of valvetrain noise idling after a 20 mile run? i have never owned an OHC engine so i don't know what is normal.

thanks for any input.

the engine runs GREAT ! i am impressed with what ford is getting out of this engine.
What does kind of sound is it? Like a Tika tika, or a chug chug? Mine doesn’t make any noise that I’ve ever noticed. I have heard of the cam phasers making some different noises, that sound like wrist pin or bottom end knock, I believe also if the VCT sensor fails it will cause an unusual noise hopefully someone will chime in that has more experience. I would like to know more about this as well
 

otter5555

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a\
What does kind of sound is it? Like a Tika tika, or a chug chug? Mine doesn’t make any noise that I’ve ever noticed. I have heard of the cam phasers making some different noises, that sound like wrist pin or bottom end knock, I believe also if the VCT sensor fails it will cause an unusual noise hopefully someone will chime in that has more experience. I would like to know more about this as well


tick tick tick

the loudest noise are the injectors.

the 2nd loudest noise is valve train noise

nothing objectionable, i'm just used to really quiet engines
 

Mrerob

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a\



tick tick tick

the loudest noise are the injectors.

the 2nd loudest noise is valve train noise

nothing objectionable, i'm just used to really quiet engines
I don’t think that’s normal my injectors no tick either, but they also aren’t the stock ones, I don’t think I have any ticking at all, but when I bought my car it already had really loud exhaust and my neighbors immediately hated me, you may have to get the old stethoscope out and try and isolate the noise to one side or the other, and maybe put an mechanical oil gauge to it the gauge in the car I don’t believe is an actual gauge , more of a calculation if I remember correctly, I had a car Year’s ago that would tick like that after it warmed up had no oil pressure, but that was old technology may be worth checking though.
 

otter5555

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i did the stethescope. the injectors all tick loud enough to hear above the rest of the engine. probing over each rocker is a softer ticking on each one. none louder than any of the others.

i think this is normal for this engine. i'm just coming from almost silent chevys :)
 

Mrerob

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It is defiantly not normal. This is my first 3 valve 4.6L, but have been around modular engines my whole life. my neighbor has a bone stock 07 and his car sounds like a regular engine running. there is no way it’s normal to hear a ticking so loud you can hear it in the drivers seat, they’ve had a big fall out with the coyotes ticking so if that was normal I believe we would have seen that same thing years ago, it’s probably, VCT sensor, cam phasers or lash adjusters; but if still drove fine and no power loss, i’d Drive it blow or go.
 

1950StangJump$

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Stop scaring the guy ..... the 4.6s do, indeed, make noise. Not as much as the 5.0s, but they do tend to tick.

Post a video for us if you want to be sure. But, I’m betting “normal.”

I use normal loosely ..... perhaps a better word is “common.”
 

otter5555

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my wifes nissan xterra's injectors are just as loud and have been since new
 

otter5555

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Stop scaring the guy ..... the 4.6s do, indeed, make noise. Not as much as the 5.0s, but they do tend to tick.

Post a video for us if you want to be sure. But, I’m betting “normal.”

I use normal loosely ..... perhaps a better word is “common.”

i think its just louder than the sb chevys i have been driving all my life. i'm just gonna drive it and enjoy it. i've never seen a 280 ci engine with as much power as this one. i love it :)
 

RED09GT

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You have a lot more action going on up top in a OHC engine than a pushrod small block. With just the cam covers to block out the noise of the cam spinning, it is going to be a different sound than an engine that has the block to muffle the sound of the camshaft pushing the lifters. I had many of the same thoughts coming from windsor engines. My SVT focus has mechanical bucket followers and they are much worse than a 3v but it is perfectly normal.
 
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Dino Dino Bambino

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i did the stethescope. the injectors all tick loud enough to hear above the rest of the engine. probing over each rocker is a softer ticking on each one. none louder than any of the others.

i think this is normal for this engine. i'm just coming from almost silent chevys :)

Yes it's normal. Just enjoy it especially when you romp on the gas. The sound is addictive.
 

jakebrake1

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had a 2v 5.4 with loud injectors. actually concerning...before it was just annoying.

could be.
 

thailand

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My 06 had a pronounced, rapid ticking coming from the OEM injectors. I recently went supercharged and put in brand new Ford OEM 39# injectors, and the tick is still there. I believe its normal for this engine. I haven't noticed any negative impact, just the sound coming from my hood vents.

**A nice axle-back masks the sound quite well though**
 

bl817

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As I read somewhere, these 3V motors sound like sewing machines. mine ticks from key on to key off regardless of temp. you can try going to 5w-30 oil to see if that helps. good luck
 

otter5555

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i have run the snot out of this thing, mercilessly. it is solid as a rock. just noisy. i had an engine shop back in the 80's. built a ton of chevy engines, naturally aspirated and blown on methanol. did a few nitrous engines also.

one boring weekend i had a bunch of spare parts laying around and built a square port 427 for my 67 camaro. put a serious nitrous kit on it also. it rattled like can of bolts (all the parts i used were seriously worn). i shifted at 7200 rpm, on nitrous from 2nd gear on, and couldn't kill it. it would not die.

finally sold it to a dude with a drag boat :)

everything i hear in in this 4.6 is heads up. the bottom is dead quiet. so i am gonna ignore the sounds and drive it like i stole it :)

taking a 1350 mile trip in the mustang starting sunday.
 

Disarray

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These overhead cam motors are pretty clicky-clacky, what with the hydraulic lash system, hydraulic cam timing, and valve train and all. Nothing to worry about unless it gets really loud. If it bothers you, you can get timing rebuild kits that will give you new timing chain guides and new cam phaser. That'll work for a pretty good while, if you keep up with regular oil changes and such.
 

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