3 Valve 4.6 Lifter noise on Cylinder 4. 2005 GT..

[GriffX]

Ford Tech Makuloco now said that he will use the revised plastic tensioners?
I have some ticking in the first minute after the car was sitting for 5 days. Unfortunately, getting parts has become difficult to Germany these days.....

 

[whitmanink]

i thought it was the metal ones with the ratcheting wheel inside so no oil pressure still keeps the chain tight?

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

Apparently the ratcheting tensioners have been causing problems, so Fordtechmakuloco recommends using the OEM plastic non-ratcheting units.

 

[Midlife Crises]

Billet aluminum tensioners with the ratchet teeth filed away is what I am running. They are still spring loaded and pump up hydraulically just like the plastic ones but have an O ring instead of the sealing compound gasket.

 

[RED09GT]

I bought a set of the fel-pro gaskets that they make for the stock plastic tensioners. They look a lot more robust than that thin seal around the stock ones. They fill in the unnecessary cavity in the stockers with solid rubber and are less than $10 from rockauto.

 

[mustanger]

I thought I had some valvetrain or lifter noise last year, but it turned to be an exhaust header gasket leak. Granted I was using the header gaskets that came with the Kooks headers which I put on years ago. i didn't realize at the time the factory ones were best. So I replaced them with factory gaskets.

 

[JC SSP]

I have used those same Kooks aluminum header gaskets #PY-8023A-AL and never had any issues, set and forget them. I do spray them with hi-temp copper seal (old racers trick) prior to install.

 

[Mojo88]

I thought I had some valvetrain or lifter noise last year, but it turned to be an exhaust header gasket leak. Granted I was using the header gaskets that came with the Kooks headers which I put on years ago. i didn't realize at the time the factory ones were best. So I replaced them with factory gaskets.

I have similar noise. Now in process of replacing timing chains, guides, tensioners, phasers, rockers & lifters. It would kinda suck if I did all this and it's just a header gasket leak, lol.

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

It would kinda suck if I did all this and it's just a header gasket leak, lol.

Not really. Think of it as future proofing the engine.

 

[Mojo88]

Not really. Think of it as future proofing the engine.

Yeah, basically that's my thoughts too. The job is taking a lot longer than I expected, so I'd rather spend a few extra bucks and get all new, good Ford parts, in the hopes that I NEVER HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN!

 

[moooosestang]

I have similar noise. Now in process of replacing timing chains, guides, tensioners, phasers, rockers & lifters. It would kinda suck if I did all this and it's just a header gasket leak, lol.

Exhaust leak wouldn't be coming from the valve covers. i assume you actually put something to the valve covers then to your ear?

 

[Mojo88]

Exhaust leak wouldn't be coming from the valve covers. i assume you actually put something to the valve covers then to your ear?

Well, never 'assume' anything, haha. I actually was driving next to assorted walls and listening to the reflected noise as I was putting different loads on the engine. After a few minutes of that, I was convinced it was a broken timing chain guide, thus my adventure began. Upon dis-assembly I immediately see that my initial diagnosis is 100% wrong. So now I am left to try and eliminate anything that might be causing that ticking. And since it is apart, I feel like I have no choice but to fire the parts cannon at it.

I am going to remove the cams and remove/check each valve spring for correct tension. Plus I ordered new Viton valve seals, in addition to everything else listed above.