recently went to check out a 03’ F-250 with a triton 5.4 v8 4x4 super duty (119k miles) I talked him down from $8500to $7500 and the truck is in pretty good condition, wheels tires etc. I drove it around and it shifted fine and felt good to my knowledge, but when parked after driving there was a ticking/rattling noise under the engine somewhere, the owner proclaimed the only work done was a fuel pump recently and exhaust manifold when they bought it cause it was rusted. He said that the engine and tranny are good. He also said he assumes that the ticking was the “fan” cause his other truck used to do that before it was fixed. Which didn’t make sense at all. After driving it around a second time, I really got on it, floored it and all, noticed the reverse gear felt a little “light” like hard to get it to move, but that could be just me moving from a Mustang to a heavy truck, after driving it again the ticking noise disappeared, I revved it to try and startle the noise and it didn’t come back until a few minutes later but now quieter then before. This is a tough case and I was hoping it was just plastic or something hitting but to be safe I didn’t buy it today and am going to wait until this Friday. Can I have anyone’s help or opinion on this and if they think it’s serious. Note: it wasn’t over heating, the oil was the correct color and the engine temp was fine.
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Very likely needs rocker arms at that mileage. Not too hard or expensive to do but if ignored will end up dropping a valve, ruining a cam and sucking pieces of the rocker arm and needle bearings into the intake. They all have that problem sooner or later. Starts with the ticking and eventually develops into a dead miss on a cylinder but at that point it’s too late
They also like to blow spark plugs threads and all out of the heads or just break off when you try to remove them. In either case you’d need a triton 2 valve spark plug thread repair kit or take it in but that’s not too big a deal. Letting rocker arms go will leave you upside down in it quick style though
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