Well.......I picked up a 2000 F150 4X4 with the Triton V8 about 6 weeks ago. I noticed some piston slap when I'd start the engine, but in about 5-10 seconds it was gone. Checked the oil and it was about half a quart low. I changed it, as I wasn't sure when it had been changed, and used the recomended 5W-30. Seemed to quiet right down real quick.....almost no slap at start up after the oil change. Just makes me wonder.......maybe heavier oil? Or is the Synthetic theyway to go......by the way, it has 43,000 on it.
Got a few things to tighten up on it with my extended warranty....like the speed sensor and the side view mirrors need new motors and cables.......but other than that, it's a heck of a nice truck.......damn site better than the '99 Dodge I had.

 

Now that the original engines diagnosed with ps have had time to rack up miles, has anybody had any failures due to the ps? Seems to me like all the problems have been from the engines installed to replace the ps prone ones and now the replacements have the same sound. PS has not been found to cause any failures according to anything i have read, only a discomforting noise on start-up.

My '98 5.4L developed ps @ about 60k and ran as strong as the day it was new when I sold it this spring with 140k on it, at least 25% of those miles pulling a trailer, and I dont have a light foot. I did change the oil every 3k, and found that using synthetic mobil 1 decreased the noise. I did worry about the noise at first, but got used to it. I didnt ever know what it was until I read this post a couple months ago. Basically I am hoping to offer encouragement for those that are just discovering the noise now.

Just think of all the windsor mod engines out there and take comfort knowing that these engines are lasting! PS is a product of design feature, although possibly excessive in this case. Piston to bore clearances must allow for expansion, and the rod ratio of the 5.4 doesnt help matters. Ford's engineering did cause the ps to be exagerated. Basically, the noise itself abnormal in engines in general, but a result of the design in the windsor mod motors. The noise is disheartening, but not been found to cause engine failure. To anybody that still can get their engine replaced, I say if it makes you feel better, do it. Just recognize the risk your taking.

The crown vic has been servicing police departments accross the contry for 10 yrs now with the 4.6L, and we all know they are hard on them. There are hundreds of thousands of these engines running around total, and the modular windsor engines have proven their reliability. So to anybody that buys one of these vehicles that has ps, I hope they take comfort in knowing what the noise is and what will result from it. Noise.

Please let me know if anybody has indeed experience failure due to ps. Also, please post if you have a high milage engine that had ps so we can know how long we can expect them to last.

 

Hi all,

My 98' F-150 5.4L V-8 Triton has had piston slap from day one, but I thought (and was told by Ford) that it was 'normal' for this engine; sounds like a diesel to me at start-up. I'm not a mechanic, so took what they said at face value.

Of course, now I'm having a cylinder head replaced due to a blown spark plug with stripped threads @ only 82k miles (7k miles and one week out of that Ford extended warranty I purchased), and I am now facing a $3-4K repair bill since Ford offered no compensation, or even the slightest explanation of why this should occur to me and others.

For the full account on blown plugs and stripped cylinder head threads, see:

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...threadid=88853

Is there a theoretical connection between the blown plug problem and PS? Anyone know?? Perhaps mine is the approximate mileage and total engine time when the PS problem, if over-looked long enough, finally comes home to roost.....

Chris

 

I hope nobody sold their f-150 and bought a GM for PS problems.

http://www.gmpistonslap.cjb.net/

 

good summary ML-
my 98 4.6 didnt develop the slap till 46,000 miles. It was about 20 degrees out one morning and i cranked it up and, sounded like someone slapping the hood firmly for about 10 seconds. Its done it a few times since. Hasnt hurt anything-- it runs just as good as the day i drove it off the lot.
One question--if they put in a FQR in your truck, do you get to keep the old engine or possibly pay for the old engine?
-Patrick

 

Hate to sound like a broken record, but, ML, good article.

Thanks.

 

Purchased 2001 F150 that had serious piston slap, noticed at 40 km while driving , when left overnight , my neighbor could hear it inside his house. Dealer ordered replacement engine at 4000 KM. Replacement ( New) was significantly worse. Went through an arbrittion process , during which Ford & independant mechanic could not find any problem. Ford rep recommended that I trade-in. I have recently traded in on a 2002 model which seems fine so far!! This has been an expensive experience !

 

You guys are making me very nervous now. I have a '98 as I mentioned earlier. PS is noticable but not excessive in warm weather. Extreemely embarasing during winter startups. I have purchased a 3/16/2000 engine that is "NEW" hoping to eliminate the winter embarassment. Now you say 2001 did it too? I thought they said that this was fixed after '99.

 

I think they have some left over parts from 99. I have an 01 4.6 with the same prob. not that loud--but noted.

 

Hey Spaceman, just want to let you know that I have a 984.6 with 98k miles and it runs like new with noticeable ps. I purchaced the truck new, and by the time I had 35k on it, it was slapping away. I have been useing synthetic since new. So far no problems.

98 4.6
K&N GenII intake
Flowmaster BigblockII 3" & Ypipe
superchip

 

My first time to visit your site and I feel at home already...lol My truck also has piston slap, although I had no idea what it was until now...lol It has done it for as long as I can remember. The truck runs great, just sounds like it's about to blow up rite when I start it in the morning. No problems with it in 112k miles.

Thanks for the great information.

 

Do the 5.4 engines and others having this problem have forged pistons?

I think I responded to this on another thread, but the forged pistons in my 74 Nova slap when its cold for 30 seconds or less. Thats why when you have an engine block set up for forged pistons you generally need more clearance since they expand more than say cast or hypereutectic pistons.

If its just a case of the manufacturer of the engine having too large a bore for any of the types of pistons I would think that over time it could wear on the skirt of the piston? Not sure if thats a super huge deal though.

Just checking out the posts in anticipation of my 2003 F-150 which I custom ordered the day before Thanksgiving.;

 

03's should have the slap problem but you never know

 

is Ford doing anything about the Lightnings that have piston slap?

 

Said with a Richard Nixon smirk......

Trust Me....

let me shove a remanned block in there...

No Problems...

Ford's new slogan

No Bounderies.....