Ticking Head Questions

7

760-MPH

Founding Member
May 9, 2002
432
0
0
Elkton, MD-Newark, DE
#1
I have the infamous drivers side ticking head. From what "research" i have done, everyone says that there is no performance difference. The dealership has ordered me a new head and they acknowledge the fact that it ticks.

What i Do know:
*Ford replaced the head on my friends 03 cobra and the ticking got louder

*Someone with a mach 1 drivers side head just blew and he had the tick but no connection has been made *yet*

What i Don't know:
*are they putting a 03 mach 1 head on or an 04 mach 1 head. supposedly the late model 03's and 04 heads have different exhaust port.
1-is there anyway i can find out which head is going on? The ford dealership is just saying its a mach 1 head and they have no way to find out when it was built. My car was built on 7/31/03 and i don't want another 03 head.

*The competance of the dealership. How hard is a head install?

Sorry for all the questions, i just don't know if i should let it go and if something happens i have it documented that i have the tick or wait until Ford actually releases another fix.
What would you guys do?
 
#2
I don't really have any other info, but just wondering why you would want mis-matched heads? If correct and not a all-too-common Mustang urban legend, the '04 head might be better, but if they revised the exhaust port then it may flow better/worse. I don't think that would be a good idea myself :shrug:


760-MPH said:
I have the infamous drivers side ticking head. From what "research" i have done, everyone says that there is no performance difference. The dealership has ordered me a new head and they acknowledge the fact that it ticks.

What i Do know:
*Ford replaced the head on my friends 03 cobra and the ticking got louder

*Someone with a mach 1 drivers side head just blew and he had the tick but no connection has been made *yet*

What i Don't know:
*are they putting a 03 mach 1 head on or an 04 mach 1 head. supposedly the late model 03's and 04 heads have different exhaust port.
1-is there anyway i can find out which head is going on? The ford dealership is just saying its a mach 1 head and they have no way to find out when it was built. My car was built on 7/31/03 and i don't want another 03 head.

*The competance of the dealership. How hard is a head install?

Sorry for all the questions, i just don't know if i should let it go and if something happens i have it documented that i have the tick or wait until Ford actually releases another fix.
What would you guys do?
Click to expand...
 
#3
yeah that's another thing i was thinking about myself. supposedly if they put another 03 mach 1 head on there is a good chance it will have the tick

if they put an 04, i probably won't have the tick but will have an 03 & 04 mach 1 heads.

thanks for your opinion, i keep going back and forth on what to do
 
#4
Sounds like quite a dilemma there Sam. :( Personally, I'd run the snot out of it before the warranty is up, and see if it breaks. That has it's downside too, you could wind up stranded somewhere and have to be towed home. Why does that sound familiar?? :shrug:

Completely off the topic, but is anything going on tonight, or is everyone waiting until tomorrow??
 
#5
TR03Mach1 said:
Sounds like quite a dilemma there Sam. :( Personally, I'd run the snot out of it before the warranty is up, and see if it breaks. That has it's downside too, you could wind up stranded somewhere and have to be towed home. Why does that sound familiar?? :shrug:

Completely off the topic, but is anything going on tonight, or is everyone waiting until tomorrow??
Click to expand...
Not funny Jim. :nonono:

I am about to hop in the shower and then I will be headed out somewhere. Not sure where, but I need to get out and drive.
 
#11
will this tick effect the car in any negitive mannor? i think i have it also but im not sure. its driver side and sounds like its comming from the wheel well, not too loud though. anyway if it is not going to do any damage to the cat then i don't give a crap enough to get it changed. does it do any damage?
 
#12
Sam,

Well, you just got the car and have plenty of time left on the warrenty. My best advice would be to make sure you document everything (sounds like you are doing that already) and keep all dealership reciepts. Just drive the car like you normaly do, if it breaks the dealer will give you a rental. The rental may suck, but what else are you going to do?

Changing heads is a pretty involved job, i would think even more so on the 4v engines. If you do the work yourself or get somebody else (other than a dealer) to do it, they might void your warrenty.

Good luck with the car.

-Mike
 
#14
Saleen201 said:
What happened to you and the guy at the Mercedes dealer :shrug: done with him already :nonono:
Click to expand...
Yeah, he wasn't worth my troubles. :nonono:

ADRENLN- I'm not sure if it has any negative affect on your car. If you think you have it, I'd suggest taking it in to Ford and atleast make them aware of it....just in case something happens down the road.

:nice:
 
#15
I went to the shop today to inspect the car. I am having the driver's side head changed for the tick issue. The motor is laying on the floor of the shop and they are waiting on a head gasket that is taking forever to get. It's a very involved job and I hope to have the car back mon or tues.
 
#16
neoclasiccl said:
I went to the shop today to inspect the car. I am having the driver's side head changed for the tick issue. The motor is laying on the floor of the shop and they are waiting on a head gasket that is taking forever to get. It's a very involved job and I hope to have the car back mon or tues.
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear that. The dealer told 760 MPH that they can do it in a day. I think that is rushing it.
 
#17
neoclasiccl said:
I went to the shop today to inspect the car. I am having the driver's side head changed for the tick issue. The motor is laying on the floor of the shop and they are waiting on a head gasket that is taking forever to get. It's a very involved job and I hope to have the car back mon or tues.
Click to expand...
dang..wassup with all those new cars having issues ?... 03 Mach 1, 03 cobra...and I'm not even refering to all those GTs...hopefully they will fix everything for 2004.. :notnice:
 
#19
I had the tick also but I never really cared... that was untill it was getting louder and louder every week. I finaly took it to the dealer and they said cylinder #8 lost all compression. So I got a new longblock for free. That was just before i was putting the s/c on.. talk about luck!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
Tensioner arm bolt
Replies
5
Views
229
1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
squeak93
squeak93
J
2003 Mach 1 Wiring
Replies
1
Views
74
1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
squeak93
squeak93
A
Engine 04 GT timing chain issue
Replies
3
Views
343
SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech
Noobz347
Noobz347
S
Timing chain, guides and tensioner installation (Possible orientation in Intake Stroke)
Replies
2
Views
352
SN95 4.6L Mustang Tech
StallionMax
S
J
can you use the heads off a H O 302 to put on a regular 302 engine
Replies
6
Views
260
Other Auto Tech
nickyb
nickyb
Top Bottom
Back
Forums
Menu