Only ticks (cold) when I put it in gear

[Taspeace]

I started my truck today when I was parked next to a building and my window was down. Everything was fine. Then, I put it in gear and immediately heard a noticeable ticking sound. I took it out of gear, and the sound went away. Is it possible to have an exhaust leak that is only audible when the engine is under load? (Of course, putting the truck in drive or reverse doesn't seem like much of a load when it's not moving). Could this be something to do with the transmission? Does your truck do this?

 

[Jeepwalker]

I think your 'tick' assessment is exactly right (leaks exh when under load). Super-common. Probably been doing it for a long time and you didn't hear it until parked by a building.

It could be the exh manifolds ...but then again could just as likely be somewhere else on the exh too besides the manifolds, like worn exhaust doughnuts or a cracked weld. Those are a definite possibility. Or it could just be a Hemi-tick that is neither. Time to do some further troubleshooting or take to a muffler shop (or dealer) if you don't feel like crawling under there yourself, before jumping to conclusions. If it IS the exh manifolds warped and leaking, don't put on new ones. Get the old heat-warped ones (if that's what it is), machined or belt-sanded. Once 'trued' up (again ...if that turns out to be the problem), they won't warp again like a set of new ones will. And it'll cost you a lot less. But hopefully it's just a cracked exhaust weld or an inexpensive leaking exh gasket downstream from the exh manifolds.

Good luck

 

[Taspeace]

Thanks for your response Jeepwalker. The truck is definitely going to my mechanic. I read on one of the forum posts that if a heat shield retaining nut on the exhaust manifolds is lose or missing, it's because the bolt is broken. Mine are lose, so the least issue I have is broken bolts. I'm going to replace them all with Dorman 03309HP stainless steel hardware and use Fel-Pro gaskets. If the manifolds are warped or cracked, they go to the machine shop, as per your suggestion. Hopefully, this will be the last time I'm faced with this classic 5.7 Hemi issue.

 

[Fritter]

Taspeace, I have the same issue - quiet on cold start; knocking in reverse or drive for less than a minute. Typically gets quiet around 100 to 120 deg F EOT (don't have EGT). Quiet on subsequent start ups (already warm conditions).

I checked the exhaust manifold heat shields and they are secure. No indications of soot on the shield that I could see from above or below. This has been going on for a few months during which there was one oil change (PUP 5w30 w/ Fram XG2 filter).

I'm hoping you had some success finding the root cause.

 

[ramffml]

Taspeace, I have the same issue - quiet on cold start; knocking in reverse or drive for less than a minute. Typically gets quiet around 80 deg F EOT (don't have EGT). Quiet on subsequent start ups (already warm conditions).

I checked the exhaust manifold heat shields and they are secure. No indications of soot on the shield that I could see from above or below. This has been going on for a few months during which there was one oil change (PUP 5w30 w/ Fram XG2 filter).

I'm hoping you had some success finding the root cause.

Mine does this too. It's not broken manifolds in my case, best guess is piston slap. It's only on a cold start (hot starts are buttery smooth and quiet), and the colder the start the more likely and more pronounced it is.

Mine hasn't done it at all lately, but it's pretty hot summer days now. Every 4 years I've owned it it does the same thing; knocks in the winter on that first start, very rarely knocks in the summer on that first start of the day.

This is more of a knock than a tick but like broken exhaust it goes away as it heats up.

Do you disable MDS at all?

 

[Fritter]

I tried MDS disable, priming the oil (flooded start method), cleaning the injectors, confirmed fluid levels, and revving the engine to 2,000 rpm before shutdown the night before. No joy on any of them. So of these were low probability causes but gives some piece of mind.

I haven't removed the manifold heat shield. Seems like a stretch that the inner exhaust manifold bolts would be damaged given the manifolds ends tend to warp away from the block causing the farthest left & right bolts to break.

 

[ramffml]

I tried MDS disable, priming the oil (flooded start method), cleaning the injectors, confirmed fluid levels, and revving the engine to 2,000 rpm before shutdown the night before. No joy on any of them. So of these were low probability causes but gives some piece of mind.

I haven't removed the manifold heat shield. Seems like a stretch that the inner exhaust manifold bolts would be damaged given the manifolds ends tend to warp away from the block causing the farthest left & right bolts to break.

I tried initially with MDS on/off but didn't hear any difference. Tried different oils, even the best winter rated oil I could find with an exceptional pour point down to - 72 deg F, still no difference.

I'm convinced it's just piston slap and that's just how the engine is. The "good news" is that piston slap doesn't seem to destroy an engine any faster, it's just a noise thing. I tend to minimize idling just in case especially when its cold. My engine has wear numbers in line with other hemis so other than the sound.....

GM's have piston slap as well, not sure about the ford 5.0.

 

[04fxdwgi]

The '04 F150 I just sold had the 5.4 and had cold piston slap going on for the 12 years I had it. Never gave a problem, but I never beat on it too bad, either.

 

[Fritter]

Updated post # 4 to correct engine oil temperature (previous temperature of 80 deg F was the transmission temperature).

 

[dork17]

OP did you ever get to the bottom of this?

 

[CamperMike]

Don't know about the op but on my truck when the driver side bolt broke at first it only ticked in gear. It got worse eventually after a 2500 mile trip towing my camper. It was pretty obvious then.