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

[SpecOps13]

I have looked and searched for a video or description on how to change the lifters out. So far nothing. can someone help me find something. Step by Step, Difficulty?

 

[Midlife Crises]

Well, you don’t have lifters in the normal sense in a 3 valve. You do have lash adjusters, cam followers and sprockets that can contribute to noise.

 

[RED09GT]

With a valvetrain noise, you will need to at least pull the valve cover to inspect it.

Unplug the Coil-on-plugs, remove the Coil-on-plugs, then the valve cover bolts.
Note that there is a small dab of black silicone where the head meets the timing cover so the gasket will likely stick at that point, a gentle pull and it will come off. The gasket is re-useable but you will need to put a small dab of black RTV where the head meets the timing cover.

Inspect the cam lobes for damage, make sure that the roller followers are in place and not in pieces for starters.

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

I have looked and searched for a video or description on how to change the lifters out. So far nothing. can someone help me find something. Step by Step, Difficulty?

Examples of 4.6 3V engines, where oil changes have been neglected by previous owners, have been known to develop premature wear in the cam follower roller bearings. If the roller seizes, it can cause catastrophic engine damage so when you hear "lifter tick", take it very seriously.
The cure is to replace both the cam followers and the lash adjusters. I know this video is on a 5.4 3V but the same also applies to the 4.6, and this guy really knows his way around the 4.6/5.4 3V engines:

 

[SpecOps13]

Car was garage kept by the previous owners. Has 54 K miles on it. I've done 2 oil changes with Synthetic 5w20 and the oil hasn't come out too dirty so I believe it was taken care of. Still need to know how hard it is to change things in the valve train??? Curious.. Thanks for the inputs though.. Great Forum... Dino Dino Bambino. The video is helpful, thanks..

 

[eighty6gt]

Is it actually lifter noise or has a phaser/have the phasers and/or phaser solenoids failed along with the entire engine lubrication system?

 

[SpecOps13]

eighty6gt: Back Cylinder, right side. Mild noise. Want to correct it before it gets worse... Oil Pressure is Normal..

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

eighty6gt: Back Cylinder, right side. Mild noise. Want to correct it before it gets worse... Oil Pressure is Normal..

Wise thinking. If there's a bad cam follower, the corresponding cam lobe could suffer wear with continued engine operation and you'd end up needing to replace the cams as well. It would then be a good excuse to upgrade them.
The Ford Performance cam followers are an update on the earlier OEM units with bigger oil holes to improve lubrication of the roller bearings, so you'd be well advised to replace all of them together with the lash adjusters. Ford Performance offer them as a complete kit.
If it becomes necessary to replace the cams, you'll need new TTY cam phaser bolts and, for what it's worth, you might as well also replace the phasers since they're going to be detached from the cams anyway.

 

[Doug Huggard]

eighty6gt: Back Cylinder, right side. Mild noise. Want to correct it before it gets worse... Oil Pressure is Normal..

It makes sense that you would hear it passenger side being that head gets oil after the drivers side on a 4.6. As far as difficulty goes, it's not too bad if you have some experience. There are two ways to do it, one being the proper way and one being the "flat rate" way.
Proper way: 1. Get yourself a cheap timing tool for a 4.6 off amazon(puts the crank in the correct time for when you put your timing chains back on) and 3v valve spring compressor (I'll attach a link at the bottom)
2. Buy two new cam phasers (ford racing or ford motorcraft ONLY)
3. Buy FRPP lash adjuster/roller follower kit.
4. Buy 4.6 2v cast iron timing chain tensioners (the crappy 3v ones blow the seals out)
5. Remove both valve covers, balancer and timing cover.
6. Loosen the cam cap bolts in the same sequence you would torque them down. Loosen a quarter turn at a time in sequence to allow the cam to slowly "lift off" the followers.
7. Remove roller followers and then remove the lash adjusters from their bores.
8. Soak your new lash adjusters in oil and compress them while submerged in oil to sort of "bleed" them.
9. Install new lash adjusters into the head
10. Install cam and torque caps to spec
11. Get other side of engine up to this point.
12. Install new cam phasers and new bolts. Torque to spec.
13. Time motor and install chains to corresponding Mark's. Install timing chain guides and new cast iron tensioners. Release the pin on the tensioners to apply tension on guides.
14. Now the fun part. Disconnect ground cable from battery. Remove spark plugs to make it easier to turn the engine over by hand. Using a large socket on snout of crank (I forget the size) rotate the crank which will in turn rotate the cams. Working on One cylinder at a time, rotate the crank clockwise until the lowest part of the cam lobe is facing where the follower will sit. Once there, use your 3v valve spring compressor to compress the spring (make sure valve lowers with spring so valve locks stay in place)enough to allow you to install the follower under the cam lobe, MAKING SURE its fully seated on the valve stem and lash adjuster. Allow valve spring to return to it's normal position.
15. Repeat for all 24 valves!!
16. Re-install timing cover and valve covers to spec.

"Flat rate" way
1. Remove valve cover and verify faulty lash adjuster (collapsed, stuck etc)
2. Use a timing chain wedge to ensure timing chain wont fall or come out of time when phaser is removed.
3. Carefully remove phaser bolt and slide phaser off the front of the cam. MAKE SURE TIMING CHAIN STAYS ON! you are just repositioning the phaser in front of the cam, not removing it.
4. The valve springs will cause the cam to rotate slightly when you slide the phaser off.
5. Remove cam the same way as "the proper way"
6. Replace lash adjusters as necessary
7. Re install cam the same way you took it off, drawing it down onto the followers by tightening the cam cap bolts a little at a time in sequence.
8. In order to re-install phaser onto cam, the cam will need to be rotated slightly to allow locator pin in phaser to align with groove in cam. To do this. You will wrap a rag around the cam just behind where the phaser sits and use a pair of channel locks to grab and rotate it.
9. Install new phaser bolt
10. Remove timing chain wedge tool
https://www.amazon.com/Engines-Including-Compressor-Crankshaft-Positioning/dp/B07TBM5D7F

 

[SpecOps13]

I have a shop to do a replacement of my right side rockers and lash adjusters. They are telling me that if I don't do both sides that I can't use Ford performance parts, I'll have to use stock parts. I can't find stock parts to do this. The left bank is perfectly quiet and I'd like to stay out of it. If it's not broken Don't fix it. Any answers would be appreciated. Thanks in Advance.. Dave

 

[RED09GT]

I'd ask them to clarify why they need to do both sides.

That tiny little change to the roller followers oil holes is not going to cause a significant change in operation.

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

I'd ask them to clarify why they need to do both sides.

Probably as a preventive measure.
I'd say leave them alone unless you start hearing a ticking on the driver's side in the future. You could keep the unused half of the Ford Performance rocker arm kit as spares.

 

[eighty6gt]

ford performance parts for the 4.6 are the factory parts.

 

[RED09GT]

ford performance parts for the 4.6 are the factory parts.

Good point, the ones from the dealership have the revision to the oiling hole as well as of 2018, so they are the exact same thing.

 

[Midlife Crises]

When I purchased lash adjusters and followers they came in a set of 24 each and I believe they are the latest and greatest updated parts. I would replace them all at the same time.

 

[eighty6gt]

Good point, the ones from the dealership have the revision to the oiling hole as well as of 2018, so they are the exact same thing.

I think it was a lot earlier than that.

Ford racing just ports production parts and marks it up or down, hell they'll probably take obsolete stuff if it is laying around. For the longest time it was dirty cheap, but for some reason the big wigs at Ford didn't like that as if you were a smart operator you'd order motorsports parts to repair your rank and file junk at the corner lot or dealership.

 

[Doug Huggard]

I have a shop to do a replacement of my right side rockers and lash adjusters. They are telling me that if I don't do both sides that I can't use Ford performance parts, I'll have to use stock parts. I can't find stock parts to do this. The left bank is perfectly quiet and I'd like to stay out of it. If it's not broken Don't fix it. Any answers would be appreciated. Thanks in Advance.. Dave

They probably only told you that because the frpp set only comes as a complete 24 piece set of lash adj/followers lol

 

[TANN3R_]

I have a shop to do a replacement of my right side rockers and lash adjusters. They are telling me that if I don't do both sides that I can't use Ford performance parts, I'll have to use stock parts. I can't find stock parts to do this. The left bank is perfectly quiet and I'd like to stay out of it. If it's not broken Don't fix it. Any answers would be appreciated. Thanks in Advance.. Dave

First of all, you need to replace timing chain tensioners, because they cause most of all problems at valvetrain at all. Specially at the passanger side head, because this head get starved from oil first.

Most of all problems with roller followers and lash adjuster are caused by bad tensioners (blown gasket). Yours probably will looks like mine:

 

[Cardace]

It makes sense that you would hear it passenger side being that head gets oil after the drivers side on a 4.6. As far as difficulty goes, it's not too bad if you have some experience. There are two ways to do it, one being the proper way and one being the "flat rate" way.
Proper way: 1. Get yourself a cheap timing tool for a 4.6 off amazon(puts the crank in the correct time for when you put your timing chains back on) and 3v valve spring compressor (I'll attach a link at the bottom)
2. Buy two new cam phasers (ford racing or ford motorcraft ONLY)
3. Buy FRPP lash adjuster/roller follower kit.
4. Buy 4.6 2v cast iron timing chain tensioners (the crappy 3v ones blow the seals out)
5. Remove both valve covers, balancer and timing cover.
6. Loosen the cam cap bolts in the same sequence you would torque them down. Loosen a quarter turn at a time in sequence to allow the cam to slowly "lift off" the followers.
7. Remove roller followers and then remove the lash adjusters from their bores.
8. Soak your new lash adjusters in oil and compress them while submerged in oil to sort of "bleed" them.
9. Install new lash adjusters into the head
10. Install cam and torque caps to spec
11. Get other side of engine up to this point.
12. Install new cam phasers and new bolts. Torque to spec.
13. Time motor and install chains to corresponding Mark's. Install timing chain guides and new cast iron tensioners. Release the pin on the tensioners to apply tension on guides.
14. Now the fun part. Disconnect ground cable from battery. Remove spark plugs to make it easier to turn the engine over by hand. Using a large socket on snout of crank (I forget the size) rotate the crank which will in turn rotate the cams. Working on One cylinder at a time, rotate the crank clockwise until the lowest part of the cam lobe is facing where the follower will sit. Once there, use your 3v valve spring compressor to compress the spring (make sure valve lowers with spring so valve locks stay in place)enough to allow you to install the follower under the cam lobe, MAKING SURE its fully seated on the valve stem and lash adjuster. Allow valve spring to return to it's normal position.
15. Repeat for all 24 valves!!
16. Re-install timing cover and valve covers to spec.

"Flat rate" way
1. Remove valve cover and verify faulty lash adjuster (collapsed, stuck etc)
2. Use a timing chain wedge to ensure timing chain wont fall or come out of time when phaser is removed.
3. Carefully remove phaser bolt and slide phaser off the front of the cam. MAKE SURE TIMING CHAIN STAYS ON! you are just repositioning the phaser in front of the cam, not removing it.
4. The valve springs will cause the cam to rotate slightly when you slide the phaser off.
5. Remove cam the same way as "the proper way"
6. Replace lash adjusters as necessary
7. Re install cam the same way you took it off, drawing it down onto the followers by tightening the cam cap bolts a little at a time in sequence.
8. In order to re-install phaser onto cam, the cam will need to be rotated slightly to allow locator pin in phaser to align with groove in cam. To do this. You will wrap a rag around the cam just behind where the phaser sits and use a pair of channel locks to grab and rotate it.
9. Install new phaser bolt
10. Remove timing chain wedge tool
https://www.amazon.com/Engines-Including-Compressor-Crankshaft-Positioning/dp/B07TBM5D7F

Is it possible to remove and reinstall the Cam with the phaser attached?

 

[RED09GT]

Is it possible to remove and reinstall the Cam with the phaser attached?

Yes.