Oh me! My 97 4.6 has a 6 in the 8th position. Haven't heard any piston slap yet.

 

the piston slap generally occurs from people overreving a cold engine, u should never rev a cold engine above 3,000 rpm as the pistons are cam ground and have not expanded to full dimesions, for example try to step on a power stroke when cold, no power as they don't want the engine damaged, ford should have done this with the f150's as well. The up dated pistons have an offset piston pin to offset the major thrust angle on the piston ( the major and minor thrust angles are 90 deg. to the piston pin ), and by the way most trucks are driven off the hauler to the compound by people who have no idea and mat the gas on the cold engine so they are damaged before we even buy them. So for anyone with a new engine allow it to warm up before matting the gas, and by the way i have disassembled 5.4's and they are a strong and well built engine, cross bolted mains, if u look everything bolts back into each other for block ridgitity, and the head bolts are about a foot long

 

I just read your discussion on the piston slap issue. I took possession of a 2000 Lighting in May, 2000, and shortly thereafter noticed what sounded like an oil starvation tapping sound right after cold start-up. I changed the original oil with Mobil 1 5W-30 and a Motorcraft FL-820S filter at 1,000 miles and again at 5,000 miles. But still the tapping sound persists. Per your suggenstion I logged on to the 'mindspring' web page and confirmed the same sound my truck is making. The manufacture date on the engine is 04-14-00. I'm afraid that PS in new engines built after April 15, 1999, has not been eliminated - at least the 5.4 Liter engines. I have not as yet confirmed the problem with my local dealer but all the symtoms are exactly as you have explained. I appreciate the heads-up and will let you know the outcome.

 

have question: have '98 f-150, 4.6 v8, had severe piston clap at 12,000 miles during cold start up so took it in to the dealer and they replaced my engine with a remanufactured engine. engine clap stopped. after the 1st 1000 miles I changed the oil and filter 6 quarts of 5w/30, to my alarm after 1,500 miles I checked the oil and it barely showed up on my dip stick! So I returned to the dealer and they had to do a consumption test, so I was more observant to exhaust etc.. and at start up it exhausted blue smoke. and after 1,200 miles it was at the add mark, so called the dealer and they said Ford will not consider this excessive! called another dealer and they said that the engine will have to break in, but now at 25,522 miles it still is burning about 1.5 quarts per 3000 miles, has anybody else had this problem? I baby this pickup, never got it over 2,000 rpm during the 1st 1,000 miles to gently break it in and now it never sees over 2,500 rpm. I have always owned chevrolets and am becoming very disappointed in my Ford pickup, any advice??? thanks

 

08-13-99
That is the date my engine was made. Four months after the re-engineering and my engine has a rough idle and when there was a big fluxuation in the temperature (three times in Conecticut within a span of the last three months) my truck had what I call valve chatter twice really bad. My 92 mazda b-2200 had it from day one until I sold it last year. I know the sound so when my 2000 F150 did it I almost cried. It was quite loud the first time too. I know it can be a non-synthetic oil thing and a not so good filter (not an s type) so my question is "what type of oil does Ford dealers use for oil changes and what type of air filter was in my truck when I bought it?"
Any help is greatly appreciated


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Truckowner
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F150 2000 ext.cab 4X4 5.4L

[This message has been edited by truckowner (edited 12-20-2000).]

 

I just had my 5.4 replaced with reman engine at Fred Jones Ford in OKC, OK on 98 F150 extended cab 4x4. Replacement engine, for all practical purposes, looked new! Old engine had 62k miles with extended warranty. Verbal 24months 24k miles warranty. My extended warranty lapses at 75k miles. VIN 1FTEX18L8WKAxxxxx, eng:5.4L-SOHC-846DRO5A. Invoice has RO#366117...6007A 2594WSP94...F7TZ*6006*ERM REMAN ENG ASSY 5.4L...Serial #RO7082263. I have used Amsoil SJ/SH/CF 5w-30w since 20k miles, changing filter every 3k and oil 9k with Amsoil filter. FORD did not bring up Amsoil filter or ask about oil change. Had noticeable smoother idle upon changing to Amsoil. Old engine ran great with 17-18mpg at turnpike speeds. New engine has noticeable more power and evidently has been reprogrammed with shifting now at higher RPM,from 3rd-4th at over 4k rpm. Took month to get engine and two weeks before they got job done. Lots problems with 'eco sensors', finally got problems with 'check engine light' fixed. Was told FORD does not sell new engine and REMAN was only alternative. Was told no boring or turning was done on these engines... if block did not take factory speck parts it was substituted for new as well as crank and other parts. Probably FORD stretching it some here. Would be interested in stories from others as well as how to determine when & where engine was mfg. Best truck and performance ever enjoyed. Pull 5th wheel and could not ask for better performance from F150 with '350' size power plant. Regularly get 10-11 mpg with 9.6k 5th wheel, better at flatter and slower speeds.

 

huki6,

I don't remember the new name, but the name of the dealership was Burlingame Ford in Burlingame (oddly enough) on California Ave. (or St., Blvd?). They swapped my slapper in October 2000, no dealer resistance.

I have heard from a reliable source I trust explicitly but decline to name, that the slapper engines are actually being bought by some of the mechanics, because there is no perceivable defect; I traded mine out just to get a fresh engine under the warranty, since it has 58,000 miles on it.

[This message has been edited by gofish (edited 01-04-2001).]

 

WOW... My 99 F-150 just went in (33,000) miles with this sound. I had no clue. The dealer said it met all the requirements of that second service bulletin mentioned here. Now I have to decide if I want to risk the old engine or get the replacement. Will they try to charge me for anything? Any hints for a beginner in this situation?

 

I dropped my truck off for a diagnosis on Tuesday for PS. They told me they checked the hoses,belts, pulleys, but since they couldn't verify any noise they wouldn't do any kind of diagnosis for PS. I currently run semi-synthetic, and 89 octane for knock when passing on x-way. Any help is appreciated? I tried to discuss TSB's but since they couldn't hear noise they weren't going further? Who knows if they checked it cold or drove into garage before diagnosis.

Thanks, Great site for F150 enthusiasts.

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Roushcopy

 

Mkerner,

The best thing you can do is arrange to drop your truck off and leave it overnight at the dealership (do not leave the keys). Agree to meet them the next morning and crank it up. This should ensure that they hear the noise if it is indeed Piston Slap.

Best of luck!

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2000 F-150 XLT, 4x2, 5.4L Supercab, Superchip, Styleside, Black with silver two-tone, 3.55 rear, class III towing package with super engine cooling/auxiliary transmission cooling HD package, Heavy duty shocks, 4 wheel disk ABS, overhead console, sliding rear window, keyless entry, dark graphite interior, in dash CD, factory leather wrapped steering wheel, FORD bedliner, FORD black tubular cab steps, K&N air filter, mar-hyde rubberized undercoating, Modine climate filtration system, Bugflector II, Mobil 1 oil, build 7/2000

 

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[This message has been edited by mcole99 (edited 01-18-2001).]

 

ok it sounds like i have the famous piston slap problem

i got that darn rattling

the only downfall is that ever since new my truck has been slightly faster than trucks exactly the same as mine (engiine, gears, weight, tireS) guess i got lucky

so now this new motor might not be as lucky
and it rarely gets that cold around here


another problem:
i recently got a superchip
if they change the motor and/or change to the 2000 computer codes
would i need to get my superchip completely redone ??????

what should i do?
oh yah ever since new i have gotten 12mpg on this truck and the sticker says 14 that is with me staying off the gas too

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1999 F-150 Supercab Styleside Lariat 5.4L V8 3.55LS gears
Tan Leather Seats Front/Back
Captain Chairs in front
Tan Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel
Remote Entry
Signal Mirrors

Navigator Front End
Factory 2tone Red on top of Gold
Metallic Flake Ghost Flames in the gold
18inch Wheels
Lowered 2/3
Rhino Bedliner
Euro "Atezza" Tail Lights

Stock CD player
Rockford Fosgate Punch 250a Amplifier
2 RF Punch DXL 8inch Subwoofers
2 Kenwood Midranges (in the front doors)

K&N "Drop In" Filter
Flowmasters

Within the next Month: Superchip, 3/4 drop (already got the money just need to order them)

By my 17th birthday (March 23rd): White Face Guages, HOPEFULLY A SUPERCHARGER PACKAGE

Some Quick Photos
www.geocities.com/thepyromaniackid

Things That Have Gone Wrong So Far:
Burnt Anti-Freeze Smell
The Anti-Freeze seems to leaking but the fluid level hasn't gone done any
This has Caused a Coil to go out
The passenger side Door-Lock went out
The driver side Door-Lock went out
Muth Signal Mirrors Reflective Backing Cracked All To Hell

Fixed under warranty: Coil, Passenger Side Door-Lock
Will be Fixed under warranty: Driver Side Door-Lock, Muth Signal Mirrors
(Wonder what the Ford House will say when I show up with a Lincoln Truck for warranty work)

Can't FInd The Anti-Freeze Leak (?)
Tried putting in AlumniSeal and hasn't got hot enough to see if it still has the
Burnt Anit-Freeze Smell

 

mcole99 - first thing i am sure u never drove your truck out of the assembly plant, on to the hauler, off the hauler, did the pdi or anything like that, do u think the engine could have been over revved then? As i said ford did change the pistons to less the effect of having such a long stroke engine, the stroke is nearly as long as the power stroke diesel in a gas, think that is why a 4.6 does not have as big of rattle problem due to the shorter stroke. compared to the 5.8l the 5.4 has a much longer stroke. So maybe u should pick up a book at the local college and get a little more info on engine designe so u know what i am talking about berfore u sugest differently. All I am saying is that overreving a cold engine can collapse pistons - same on any vehicle, plus ford cheaped out and went away from forged pistons, did that on 93 and up mustangs too, wich some also have this problem as well, mostly due to being overrevved when cold and with higher milage, note 302 have a 3" stroke , 5.4 4.16" stroke, basically either way it sucks to have a rattling 5.4l or any rattleing but the 5.4 isn't the first engine to have this problem, like u said u never thought there was a problem, there is more info available now to people than ever, just think about a few years back people would have just thaught this was normal (prob would be a lot less stressed f150 owners if this was the case). Belive me i dont deffend ford as my truck does the same thing, has a had a head gaset leak (replaced head gasket only, no furthur leak, less than 5,000 km) but i will not put an rebuilt engine in my new truck, mind u ford thinks 99 is old as its nearly ran out of warrenty.

 

>>black f150 offroad<< I have briefly read your last comment towards mcole99. Forgive me if I missed something previously, but this topic is getting long. I hope you are not convinced that stroke length is directly related to piston slap. There are other factors to consider, primarily the position of the lobe on the crank in relation to the stroke length. I happen to design engines that require a very long stroke, longer than you will believe, if the crank is designed improperly or without considering the length of the piston rod, you can create a world of problems. Obviously Ford took this into consideration, but did this intial design consider changes that were made later???? Hint, Hint.

 

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[This message has been edited by mcole99 (edited 01-18-2001).]