will my warranty fix my head tick noise
11-20-2009, 06:16 PM
#11
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: florida
Posts: 113
i replaced the donut gasket when i did the x-pipe install and its nice and quiet on the passenger side wheel well........im lost........hey tim do you know how hard it is to install a new header gasket on the drivers side.
11-20-2009, 06:24 PM
#12
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Location: Burnt Hills, NY
Posts: 15,601
11-20-2009, 11:32 PM
#13
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: CT
Posts: 4,951
From your explanation it sounds like the exhaust manifold gasket is leaking. This happens a lot on GM trucks when they're used for plowing. The studs rust and the heads break off, creating a gap between the head and manifold.
I doubt you plow with your Cobra, especially in Florida, though, lol.
But try and get under the car with a flash light. If you can get a good look at where the head meets the manifold (good luck) you should see a dirty spot where it's leaking. It might be there and it might not, but most likely it will.
To replace it is a lot of work. Here's a basic break down real quick:
-Find something to support the engine, preferably from the top. Engine hoist works, or if you can get your hands on one of those support braces that go on the inner edge of the fenders and across the radiator support that have hooks to hang the engine, that's be even better.
-Jack up the car.
-Remove the calipers.
-Jack up the a-arm to support it.
-Unbolt the shocks from the steering knuckle.
-Slowly let the jack down under the a-arm to release tension on the spring and take it out.
-Disconnect the sway bar mounts from the frame.
-Disconnect the steering shaft from the rack.
-Disconnect the lines from the rack.
-Unbolt the motor mounts.
-Put a jack under the k member so it doesn't fall.
-Unbolt the k member. I believe it's either 6 or 8 bolts, I can't remember off the top of my head. Get the whole thing out from under the car and out of your way.
-Unbolt the midpipe from the manifolds and catback and just get it out of the way.
-Now you should be able to get at the manifold bolts/studs.
Have fun!
I doubt you plow with your Cobra, especially in Florida, though, lol.
But try and get under the car with a flash light. If you can get a good look at where the head meets the manifold (good luck) you should see a dirty spot where it's leaking. It might be there and it might not, but most likely it will.
To replace it is a lot of work. Here's a basic break down real quick:
-Find something to support the engine, preferably from the top. Engine hoist works, or if you can get your hands on one of those support braces that go on the inner edge of the fenders and across the radiator support that have hooks to hang the engine, that's be even better.
-Jack up the car.
-Remove the calipers.
-Jack up the a-arm to support it.
-Unbolt the shocks from the steering knuckle.
-Slowly let the jack down under the a-arm to release tension on the spring and take it out.
-Disconnect the sway bar mounts from the frame.
-Disconnect the steering shaft from the rack.
-Disconnect the lines from the rack.
-Unbolt the motor mounts.
-Put a jack under the k member so it doesn't fall.
-Unbolt the k member. I believe it's either 6 or 8 bolts, I can't remember off the top of my head. Get the whole thing out from under the car and out of your way.
-Unbolt the midpipe from the manifolds and catback and just get it out of the way.
-Now you should be able to get at the manifold bolts/studs.
Have fun!
11-24-2009, 04:56 PM
#16
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: florida
Posts: 113
well i literally just got back from carmax. took the car in yesterday. they had it for an hour and the tech said everything is good and checks out okay. he said there is no exhaust leak and no head ticking that he heard and no new tsb's out for the 2004. i took him for a ride in the car to show him what im hearing. he said its just the exhaust and valvetrain in the motor. i still thought it was an exhaust leak so i got a quote for driver side header gasket change and they gave me a loaner car to get back home. all in all the noise is still there, so i guess its a normal sound and im being to picky about it. does anyone else have a exhaust leak sound coming from the drivers side wheel well compared to the passenger side wheel well after operating temp?
11-24-2009, 07:53 PM
#18
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: CT
Posts: 4,951
Carmax probably doesn't know what they're talking about. How much did they quote you to change the gasket? And if they're anything like the Carmax here, they aren't going to touch the thing. It'll be sent to a Ford dealer.
11-24-2009, 08:04 PM
#19
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: oklahoma
Posts: 69
If you have jba headers like your posts say, I doubt your warranty will pay for an exhaust leak fix. I agree, take it to a ford dealer and let a real tech. diag it... oh you might check the erg tube it may be loose and it bolts to the drivers side manifold at the rear of the engine. it may just be loose..
12-16-2009, 02:08 PM
#20
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Al
Posts: 27
the 03/04 cobras are well known for having valve ticks on the back cylinders especially on the drivers side. The reason is the coolant passge on the drivers head does not exists... its pluged. They make kits to fix this that are cheap but that doesnt help you now. The coolant doesnt flow easliy enough and pools and well... boils. This causes the valve guide to mess up and the valve to tick and such. Hopefully its an exhaust leak.
If you do replace the heads go with the new revised heads with updated coolant passages and higher thread count spark plug holes (9 vs 4...)
Ford knows about this tick issues but who knows if they will cover it. Once again maybe its just your exhaust... did you do a back to back high speed run or just one long high speed run? That generally is the cause, to much heat.
If you do replace the heads go with the new revised heads with updated coolant passages and higher thread count spark plug holes (9 vs 4...)
Ford knows about this tick issues but who knows if they will cover it. Once again maybe its just your exhaust... did you do a back to back high speed run or just one long high speed run? That generally is the cause, to much heat.