NEW "TICKLESS" HEADS?

[03Cobra745]

Has anyone heard if Ford ever came out with new "Tickless" heads to "finally" fix the "Tick" problem?

 

[Emmerson_Biggins]

If you were good, Santa dropped them down your chimney. If you were bad, you're just gonna have to wait on the Easter Bunny.

 

[broke7]

the heads arent the problem, its the pistons


same reason why people who have heads replaced with the "updated" heads still have the tick good luck, but dont look forward to anything Ford is just waiting for the 3yr/36k to run out on us guys so they dont have to start replacing motors for what they "thought" was the TICK


check out this thread on modfords, has some good info and insight I will qoute the good info, and feel free to check out the thread.

http://www.modularfords.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22122

There should be absolutely no piston slap in our engine during warm up. A normal engine with "good" forged pistons will, due to the extra clearance between the cylinder wall and piston.. we only have a slight clearance so no slap noise should occur at all. Ford ran a VERY VERY tight clearance between the piston and cylinder wall for this very reason.. no complaints from customers about piston slap during warm up. Ford used a very soft forged piston with the teflon coating so you can run a very tight clearance between the piston and cylinder wall, this is the function of the teflon coating on the piston.. to prevent scoring of the piston with the tighter clearance. The problem is that with our extreme power levels, even in stock form - especially pulley'd Heatons and also KB'd/Whipple cars the pistons get very hot with each WOT pull and need to expand, but have nowhere to expand to except into the cylinder walls which dont expand as fast or as much as the pistons, so the pistons and cylinder walls get galled or the piston breaks. The piston (aluminum) will expand quicker than the cylinder walls (iron) so it is very important to be fully warmed up before WOT occurs. We are having all of the piston issues due to the soft forged pistons we have and clearances being too tight for a supercharged application.. a n/a engine the teflon pistons would be fine and the tight clearance would not be an issue because you dont make as much heat at WOT as a supercharged application.

If you have piston slap noise during warm up with the stock pistons, I would be concerned. A slight tick for 5 - 10 seconds or less is normal while the oil starts flowing, longer than that is not good.

For anyone that has the tick, I suspect it is not the heads.. it is scored pistons, that is why ford cant find a fix for the heads.. its not the heads and they dont want to replace everyone's engine, so they are waiting for our warantee to run out and they are off the hook.

 

[03Cobra745]

So, if I am to believe that the problem is the pistons, then having the head changed is a waste? :??:

 

[broke7]

So, if I am to believe that the problem is the pistons, then having the head changed is a waste? :??:

well if they are swapping the heads, and still have the tick then the heads wasnt the issue. Ive read cases where guys who have service departments swap motors after the "new head" didnt fix the original motor.

Good Luck

 

[Big_Torch]

Whats seems to be the safe zone after xxx mileage, or could it pop up anytime.

 

[I-CAN-STANG]

Whats seems to be the safe zone after xxx mileage, or could it pop up anytime.

People over 30K miles have still developed the tick so it can happen at anytime! Like a few guys were saying a week or so ago...this will occur on all 03-04 Cobra motors it's just all in a matter of time!

 

[03Cobra745]

Well, I guess I am going to forego the head swap... Other than the "tick" on cold start-up, the car runs great. IMO, at this time, this is the better option, versus having "Joe Ford Mechanic" rip my engine apart!

 

[Twinturbo Ranger]

I highly disagree with the above statement considering the Mach's also have the problem and they do not have forged pistons or a iron block. By the way I do know the Mach's have the problem as that was the first car I heard it on.
Thanks Mike

 

[SlowSVT]

Gee, hows he gunna explain this one

I highly disagree with the above statement considering the Mach's also have the problem and they do not have forged pistons or a iron block. By the way I do know the Mach's have the problem as that was the first car I heard it on.
Thanks Mike

Pistion slap doesn't make a "ticking" sound. Sounds more like a valve springs tapping the valves in worn out guides due to cam lobe side loading. If it was pistion slap, it's more like a rattling rather then a constant timed "tick tick tick".

It's a valvetrain issue.

 

[Coyote 5.0]

Well, I guess I am going to forego the head swap... Other than the "tick" on cold start-up, the car runs great. IMO, at this time, this is the better option, versus having "Joe Ford Mechanic" rip my engine apart!

If you have a tick just on cold startup then you don't have the infamous TICK! I've had it twice and it is really noticable when the car is at operating temp!

 

[FordFreak]

Gee, hows he gunna explain this one



Pistion slap doesn't make a "ticking" sound. Sounds more like a valve springs tapping the valves in worn out guides due to cam lobe side loading. If it was pistion slap, it's more like a rattling rather then a constant timed "tick tick tick".

It's a valvetrain issue.

There's no cam lobe side loading. The lobes do not even come in contact with the valve tip. Also theres no way the spring would hit the valve either. There are hot spots in the cooling passage that cause guide deformation. It eventually wears out the valve guide and causes incorrect seating of the valve.

 

[SlowSVT]

There's no cam lobe side loading. The lobes do not even come in contact with the valve tip. Also theres no way the spring would hit the valve either. There are hot spots in the cooling passage that cause guide deformation. It eventually wears out the valve guide and causes incorrect seating of the valve.

That is true. The lobe acts on the lifter bucket.

I know it has something to do with poor coolent passage design which wears the valveguide somehow. I don't know the exact nature of the problem but my understanding is that the end result is that the valve ends up dancing around in the guide which is likely the souce of the tick.

Poor description on my part :nonono:

 

[Wings65288]

so what can you do the prevent this? just get new pistons?

 

[95YellowGTBeast]

has anyone thought about compiling all of these discussions and sending the to the SVT Team and making them do something about it?

 

[Wings65288]

that would be a good idea

has anyone thought about compiling all of these discussions and sending the to the SVT Team and making them do something about it?

 

[Top_Fuel]

Has anyone heard if Ford ever came out with new "Tickless" heads to "finally" fix the "Tick" problem?

Here is the "official" line from Ford regarding "ticking" heads...

This Special Service Message was broadcast to dealers on/about June 10, 2004:

"Some 2003-2004 Mustangs with a 4.6l 4-valve engine may exhibit a ticking noise from the cylinder head that can be heard coming from the wheel well area, or when standing next to the vehicle. A light ticking noise is considered normal on this engine. If the noise is determined to be excessive, follow normal diagnostic procedures to determine root cause. Engineering is currently investigating this condition. Monitor oasis for updates."

 

[davbrucas]

Here is the "official" line from Ford regarding "ticking" heads...

sounds to me like they are saying, "2006 is almost here guys. Let's just stall this some more and we will be in the clear and everyone gets a bonus for a job well done." :shrug:

is it just me or does that cheasy Ford commercial about letting them prove they are the best make you sick? :rollseyes

 

[03snake03]

Are there no lawyers out there that can tell us our options. I don't have the Tick and hopefully I never will but most seem to think it's just a matter of time so this is a real problem and it's not our fault. It's obviously a bad design and SVT knows it is and seems like they are just waiting until our 3/36k is up. This happens to cobra's that are stock and to some that are heavily modded so I don't think it's anything specific we do to our cars. This is an SVT and was designed to be driven hard (one would think) we didn't buy this car to just drive to the market or just drive it to get an ice cream. FORD needs to really work on a fix and fix those 03/04 cobra's and mach 1's that have the tick. I am one that believes a fix will never come since "GREED" is our #1 enemy. FORD doesn't want to spend the money to fix what they poorly designed. Don't get me wrong, i love my car just wish I had some reassurance that if I get the tick then FORD would own up to it and fix it.

 

[03Cobra745]

If you have a tick just on cold startup then you don't have the infamous TICK! I've had it twice and it is really noticable when the car is at operating temp!

My Ford Dealer Mechanic diagnosed my tick as "The Tick" and said I qualified for the head replacement. :shrug: