TECH! - Help with head swap - Noisy engine...

96gt226410 · Apr 14, 2007

I got the PI Swap done. The car is complete again. I fired it up for the first time and the thing is noisy as hell. It sounds either like a manifold is bad or the top of the engine isn't getting any oil and the lifters are screaming. Has anyone ran into this problem? I put an oil gauge and it was reading 90 psi. I took off the FRPP shorty headers I had on there and went back to stock (I broke the passenger side) while putting the engine back together. I used new manifold gaskets. I soaked the lifters and rockers in oil for a couple hours each. I didn't bleed them out before soaking them. Does anyone have any ideas? Has anyone had this problem? Please help!!!

PS - I took a video of it running for the first time. I'll post it up tonight when I get home.

WODY281 · Apr 14, 2007

You might have to bleed you lifters if its making kinda of a ticking sound. Did you change your oil after you did the swap? Hell it could be something as simple as that. Also did you put any bigger cams in it when you did this swap, or did you just do the P.I. cams?

96gt226410 · Apr 14, 2007

The oil and filter are new. I used stock PI cams. I didn't bleed the lifters because they have 25K on them. I know there's oil in them.

96gt226410 · Apr 14, 2007

Bump...

WODY281 · Apr 14, 2007

Hell I don't have a clue man. Could possibly be out of time, I know there tricky to get timed right. I guess I would check it first. Were the heads new or used? If they were used did you get them checked out before you put them in? But I doubt they have anything wrong with them, just my opinion. Other than that I don't know. I would take the valve covers off and see if I could see or hear anything. How loud is the noise?

voidfinger · Apr 15, 2007

i heard somewhere before that the lifters would be noisey for a while, not sure.

hope thats all it is.

96gt226410 · Apr 15, 2007

voidfinger said:
i heard somewhere before that the lifters would be noisey for a while, not sure. hope thats all it is.

Me, too. It was a pretty straight foward swap. Oil is getting to the top of the engine. I can see it when I take the oil cap off. The noise is on the passenger side. It's getting more and more quiet but still pretty damn bad. I'm afraid to keep idling it. I drove it around the parking lot for a little bit to see if that could prime the lifters, but I had to stop. I'm all freaked out! I can't be the first person this has happened to. Nobody else has used 5.4 PI heads to do a PI swap and had a problem like this???

WODY281 · Apr 17, 2007

How long have you had it idling? I would probably just let it sit there for a while and then ease it around a little bit. Also what kinda octaine are you using? I've heard that when you do the swap and it ups your compression that you have to use a higher octaine gas. Not sure though, but it would be nice if that was it! O0

96gt226410 · Apr 17, 2007

I'm using 87 right now, but I'll witch to 93 when I get it running. I'm not worried about it pinging or knocking while idling because there's no carbon on the back of the valves. I had them cleaned. I started it up this morning and it sounded a lot better, but still real rough. The RPMs still hang up, though. My exhaust sounds like shit, too. What kind of gaskets have you guys been using on the manifold? I used Ford factory gaskets. They were a two peice metal with two holes. I don't know if I needed to use those in conjunction with anything else...? My exhaust is all messed up anyway. I want to just buy a whole new header back exhaust and see what happens then. Hopefully that is part of the problem. I just want it to run again!

Dalamar · Apr 17, 2007

Thats wierd man.
Definatley bump the octain up, and it will run wierd for a few hundred miles unless you get it tuned.
your EEC is remaping itself.

I used new ford gaskets on mine and they sealed fine. is your exhaust leaking somewhere before the mufflers.
that will sound like shit.

voidfinger · Apr 17, 2007

after the swap is it ok to run 89 or do i need to do 93? thanks

96gt226410 · Apr 17, 2007

Dalamar said:
Thats wierd man.
Definatley bump the octain up, and it will run wierd for a few hundred miles unless you get it tuned.
your EEC is remaping itself.

I used new ford gaskets on mine and they sealed fine. is your exhaust leaking somewhere before the mufflers.
that will sound like shit.

I finally got codes. One was for a lean exhaust on bank one and the other was for IAC not matching RPMs with computer. I had it running for a little bit and I noticed that the passenger side manifold is leaking pretty bad. It's giving off a real sweet smell that got me light headed.

... I think I'm going to re-do my whole exhaust and go from there. I have a set of BBK LTs that are used, but in decent shape that I can use. This is getting too expensive!!! :'(

Your sig pic is awesome.

Dalamar · Apr 17, 2007

Thanks

Good luck getting it just right. these things can drag on - believe me, I know.
Let us know how it feels once your back on the road.

96gt226410 · Apr 18, 2007

Has anyone else done a PI swap with 5.4 heads? The timing chain arm on my old NPI heads had two bolts holding it in. When I used the 5.4 PI heads, there was only one bolt in the head to bolt it up. I'm guessing the arms are different on 5.4 heads. I hear the timing chain rattle a bit now. Hopefully it's just the idling problem I have and when I get my exhaust foxed, it'll go away. Anyone heard of this? Thanks...

Yeah, I can't wait to get it back on the road! This swap better be worth it!

Adam · Apr 18, 2007

96gt226410 said:
Has anyone else done a PI swap with 5.4 heads? The timing chain arm on my old NPI heads had two bolts holding it in. When I used the 5.4 PI heads, there was only one bolt in the head to bolt it up. I'm guessing the arms are different on 5.4 heads. I hear the timing chain rattle a bit now. Hopefully it's just the idling problem I have and when I get my exhaust foxed, it'll go away. Anyone heard of this? Thanks...

Yeah, I can't wait to get it back on the road! This swap better be worth it!

You need to bleed the lifters, they will make noise if you don't. A 5.4 head is the same as a 4.6 head. I can take a pass side 5.4 and put it on your 4.6 drivers side. You timing chain guide bolts are different? Shouldn't be...if your using the same set up.

voidfinger · Apr 18, 2007

If you don't bleed the lifters, will the noise go away? he is using 5.4 windsor heads on a romeo block, the chain guides are different. I think i'm just going to go get some windsor chain guides.

seems like more money.

96gt226410 · Apr 18, 2007

Definetly get the new chain guides. I wish I did.

... Well, kind of good news, the engine has quieted down a lot! Just running it a little bit helped out a lot. My problem is my exhaust. It sounds like a bad manifold or junction between the manifold and the h-pipe is leaking real bad. It's causing my car to run like crap. I can't idle, the idle hangs up, I have a code for IAC and MAF. I hope I can just mess around with the exhaust and get it to run finally! Ahhhh!!!! I'll work on it a little bit on Thursday night and keep you guys posted...

firstonraceday · Apr 18, 2007

its most likely your lifters filling with oil unless it has been doing it for a while.... id pull the valve covers and check all the clearances etc...

voidfinger · Apr 18, 2007

So one quick question 96gt, the only arm you had trouble with was the passenger side stationary right? or did you have problems with the driver side too? also, did the swing arms work fine? thanks