Is the Head Tick unavoidable? Is it Driving style or just luck of the draw?

[blue88mustang]

Is the head tick caused by driving the car hard, upping the boost, etc? Or is it merely the luck of the draw that some cars have the tick and some don't?

Is it inevitable that all 2003 Cobras will eventually develope the tick regardless of driving style and mods? I don't want to mess with the head cooling mod, so don't offer that as a solution to avoiding this problem.

EDIT:
Looks like the following link has plenty of discussion to read through.
http://www.modularfords.com/forums/...-03-04-head-tick-heres-video-proof-25679.html

 

[sharkattack]

Is the head tick caused by driving the car hard, upping the boost, etc? Or is it merely the luck of the draw that some cars have the tick and some don't?

Is it inevitable that all 2003 Cobras will eventually develope the tick regardless of driving style and mods? I don't want to mess with the head cooling mod, so don't offer that as a solution to avoiding this problem.

I dont know. I have a 2003 with 8000 miles. I drive it hard when I drive it. I don't have the tick. Doesn't mean i won't get it later.

 

[Jamiecane]

is this ticking mean some thing is going wrong with the car?

 

[69cobrajet]

if you have not got the latest update heads you will develope the tick eventually.It is caused by worn valve guides.Here is a long discussion on the matter.http://www.modularfords.com/forums/...-03-04-head-tick-heres-video-proof-25679.html

 

[gmynko]

See Sig - no problems yet, and I've been known to do the occasional 140-150mph blast.

 

[VETTEHUNTER]

Bought the car back in May w/ 7K miles........Now have 11K miles and the "Tick"
I believe that if you have a first run 03 or even the revised head on the 2nd run 03's and 04's, the guides will eventually wear and you will get the tick.
Some have been very lucky though and haven't experienced it.
I plan on getting Ford to slap on 2 of the 05 revised heads this spring. (Will probably be a Fight)
As mentioned in another thread..."I bought a Cobra, not a Rattle Snake" ;-)

 

[BIGV]

I have just over 12,000 mils and no tick motor is stock except cai and cat back. I beleive my build date is 9 or 10 of 02. I have heard so much quessing on this subject. One theory is making those 160 mph runs polonged boost high temps is killing the head with heat. Who knows not everyone is honest on if the beat the shit out of there cars. I have heard of guys having 600 miles and the tick did they do a high speed run and cause the problem who knows. I do know this Ford sucks they have a fix for this and are not recalling the cars that just pisses me off. I am not nearly as knowledgable about cars as most on this board but there is one fact that just sticks out. No matter who gets the tick whether it is at 600 or 16,000 they all have diffrent driving styles so what is a the constant, our motors are hand built people make mistakes. This is why are hp numbers fluctuate so drastically. Just something to think about.

 

[IronTerp]

The vast majority of Terminator owners have NOT gotten the tick on their motors. And the incidence of tick cases has decreased over the 3 1/2 years of the 03/04's existence. Thus, it is not necessarily inevitable that all Terminators will eventually develop the premature wearing of the valve guides which is hypothetically caused by excessive internal engine temperatures due to lack of coolant circulation to the 7/8 cylinders. Although modifying these cars to the point where higher heat conditions occur, can certainly lead to the "Tick" there are plenty of cases of stock Cobras developing the damage. And this also holds true with how the car's are driven........don't necessarily have to be a big drag racer or do consistent high speed runs to get the tick.

 

[Blaine]

The vast majority of Terminator owners have NOT gotten the tick on their motors. And the incidence of tick cases has decreased over the 3 1/2 years of the 03/04's existence. Thus, it is not necessarily inevitable that all Terminators will eventually develop the premature wearing of the valve guides which is hypothetically caused by excessive internal engine temperatures due to lack of coolant circulation to the 7/8 cylinders. Although modifying these cars to the point where higher heat conditions occur, can certainly lead to the "Tick" there are plenty of cases of stock Cobras developing the damage. And this also holds true with how the car's are driven........don't necessarily have to be a big drag racer or do consistent high speed runs to get the tick.

+1 And the tick can occur AT ANY MILEAGE!!. Mine got the tick at 32K. Another developed it a 48K. :shrug:

Pre-05 revision Cylinder heads suck. nuf said. :read:

 

[AkronCobra]

+1 And the tick can occur AT ANY MILEAGE!!. Mine got the tick at 32K. Another developed it a 48K. :shrug:

Pre-05 revision Cylinder heads suck. nuf said. :read:

My former 6K mile cobra had the tick before and AFTER the head replacement. It wasnt quite as loud as before, but it was still there. I would consider buying another cobra, but im very concerned about dealing with this issue when the car is out of warranty

 

[beabout]

19,000+ on mine, Purchased August of 2002, no tick runs fine...

 

[Blaine]

My former 6K mile cobra had the tick before and AFTER the head replacement. It wasnt quite as loud as before, but it was still there. I would consider buying another cobra, but im very concerned about dealing with this issue when the car is out of warranty

When did you do the head replacement?

The final head revision of the heads didn't come out until early 2005. And you have to ask for exact part number for the heads most of the time to get them.

The revised heads will cost you about 1400 completely assembled with cams + core.

 

[adamz1le28]

don't mean to hijack the thread but does the head cooling mod prevent the tick?

Anyone on here ever do the cooling mod and then develop the tick a few thousand miles down the road???

 

[Tommy98016]

Anyone on here ever do the cooling mod and then develop the tick a few thousand miles down the road???

interested aswell since I have an early run 03

 

[VETTEHUNTER]

don't mean to hijack the thread but does the head cooling mod prevent the tick?

Anyone on here ever do the cooling mod and then develop the tick a few thousand miles down the road???

Good question!!!!

op:
Subscribing

 

[IronTerp]

don't mean to hijack the thread but does the head cooling mod prevent the tick?

Anyone on here ever do the cooling mod and then develop the tick a few thousand miles down the road???

Well, there is some controversy on this.......It's conceptually a good idea and certainly provides more coolant flow to the affected areas of cylinders 7 & 8, but the coolant has to take such a circuitous route, which involves going through the heater core, that some folks doubt if there's really much to gain by it.

So, the answer is nobody is totally sure if it significantly helps or not. But, worth a try IMO since mine and a lot of other's warranties are up and it may save $1,500+.......

 

[blackvenom77]

Well, there is some controversy on this.......It's conceptually a good idea and certainly provides more coolant flow to the affected areas of cylinders 7 & 8, but the coolant has to take such a circuitous route, which involves going through the heater core, that some folks doubt if there's really much to gain by it.

So, the answer is nobody is totally sure if it significantly helps or not. But, worth a try IMO since mine and a lot of other's warranties are up and it may save $1,500+.......

Interesting, so nobody can prove if the head cooling mod really works or not? :shrug:

 

[AkronCobra]

When did you do the head replacement?

The final head revision of the heads didn't come out until early 2005. And you have to ask for exact part number for the heads most of the time to get them.

The revised heads will cost you about 1400 completely assembled with cams + core.

The head replacement was done before 2005. The dealer first retourqed the cam bearings and said the tick was gone. Nope. Still there loud as ever. After I conplained they replaced the head. I didnt here it again until I was next to a house with a hot engine. I was hoping it was an exhaust leak. My particular car was a real .itch to shift quickly so it might have had a clutch issue (the noise). When others started talking about piston clearance problems I thought it might be wise to sell it.

 

[RedfireVert]

I've been reading about the Tick since '02. I have some observations.

Cobras that had the tick, then had a head change, seem to get the tick again. Don't ask me why.

The tick is not very common. I don't think anyone in SoCalTerminators has had it.

Cobras with several thousand miles and no tick have a smaller chance of getting it...so it seems.

Cobras that are driven hard have a greater chance of getting the tick.

My .03

 

[PowerWheels]

I have an '03 with 40k miles, no tick! I keep going thru tires in the 10k interval so I guess I drive it hard.