Hob

I'm disappointed to find out my newly purchased 2004 Mach 1 may have the notorious head tick?

The ticking is quiet at startup but very noticeable after a long drive and the motor is warm. Sounds loudest from rear of the engine on the driver side.

I don't have a build date on my car but I know the tick was most common on 2003 Machs but possible on 2004s as well?

Sonic Mustang

I can't hear a thing.

uberstang1

Might be an exhaust leak on the egr system.

Sonic Mustang

How about a recording? If you're in the car listening, there is no way in hell you can pinpoint the sound to one side of the engine or the other.

Hob

I'm not in the car pinpointing the ticking. At idle the ticking is most noticeable thus I can be out of the drivers seat listening to the noise in the engine bay. I have a video of it on my iphone and it's not as bad as this Youtube video but it's the same sound from the same area. Build date of my 04 Mach is 12-03 if that means anything with the valve guides.

Sonic Mustang

My car has never ticked, but I've heard three others in person and yours sounds louder. Obviously something's wrong, but I can't tell if you have a more extreme tick or if there's something else going on.

If I remember correctly, some say the revised heads were marked with some blue paint. Look for it on the driver's side head (front).

Whatever it is, it sounds nasty.