Fixing The 2018+ Mustang GT Engine Tick 

The tick is not piston slap. The tick is oil pressure related. The best answer we have come up with after trying to diagnose everything from big end bearings bumping side to side, to DI noise, is that the tick is most likely from the "Hydraulic Lash Adjuster" on Piston #3. This particular spot is the most arduous path of oil flow to all the HLA's. The problem is, when the oil is cold on startup, there isn't any noise, because cold oil pressure is close to 40psi. As the oil warms up, the hot idle oil pressure drops. As it goes below 30psi, you may start slowly hearing the ticking sound get louder and louder as it continues to drop to 12-15psi at idle while the oil bypass is open. This low pressure drops even further as it has to reach the HLA's. By the time it reaches #3 piston HLA, the pressure is just low enough to cause the Adjuster not to fully inflate, and become lazy. This causes it to have a tiny gap between it and the lifter. So, in a rather non-synchronous way, it will tick as that tiny gap opens just slightly with each cycle of the lifter. As you increase engine RPM, the tick may become slightly more synchronous and noticeable until the engine RPM is high enough to make the oil pressure go above 30psi. Once RPM reaches close to 3,000RPM and the oil bypass then closes, this high pressure also fully inflates the HLA, and no more noise. The Ceratec increases the lubricity of the oil to a point where tight fitting HLA's will inflate easier, and make the ticking go away. The amount of Ceratec needed to stop the ticking varies with each car, as those tiny gaps slightly differ from car to car. My car only requires about 100ml (1/3 bottle) to make the noise go away. When I give it a fresh oil change, I start the car and let it warm up to hot idle. I then slowly pour in Ceratec while at hot idle until the ticking stops (~100ml). That way I can use one bottle for 3 oil changes.

The typewriter tick is NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT, my 2013 GT has it since bought and now its 255,000 miles still ticking and i red line this car like crazy. 5W-20 winter, 5W-30 summer. No ceratech added.

Went through same steps, even switched to 5w-50. Ceratec helped, but only for a couple of weeks. The BBQ tick is back.

My 2017 mustang gt types 300 words a minute 😅

A very useful video .. thanks man for your experience 👏🏻

You may cause engine damage with 50W oil As the engine is designed for lower viscosity oil Higher viscosity may not flow freeley due to tight tolerances in bearings and other places in engine see scotty kilmer video.

There is no “Fix”! But a sweeeeeeet shop 👍🏻

As a mechanic for 50 years, II don't think 10/30 is very wise considering the tolerances designed in these motors nowadays. 5/30 should be safe though. Thst's what I run in my personal daily driver, a 2018 Mustang 5.0 GT. Any major oil brands are safe to use. No need to use an oil additive. Waste of $$.

My buddy had it to but he couldn't just wait around. He took his oil pan off and the oil pickup tube and looked at the rods and sure thing the two back rods was just slapping around. he replaced the rod bearings and polished the crack and put it all back together and bam it fixed it.. ford needs to look into this because that isn't normal and over time it will kill the motor.

Hi there just wondering do you still have the mustang ? If so , is it still ok ? Or did you find out what the problem was in the end ? Many thanks

he has an amazing shop with all kinds of goods. wish I was rich... maybe next life bro

I have same tick noise after my oil change i use penzoil 5w-20 ima buy this product and try it 🤔

Did Ford end up doing anything to address this. Got my MY22 on order and wondering whether I need to keep an eye out.

How did you go? Have you still got the car ? Are you OK?

just dropped some ceratec in my gen 1 coyote, wish me luck lol

Get that 15w out Heavier weight oil only works for a day, I used 5-50 full syn motorcraft and it lasted a day, however I used Liqui Moly Ceratec and it took it away and has stayed away for almost 1k miles so far

i hear some other noises but not as noticeable as the bbq tick, i do have good headphones on

All you need is Ceratec....

It's the direct fuel injection pump setup nothing to worry about

I used to work with a deaf guy who drove an old Ford with a straight six. His valves clattered so loud that it sounded like a cement mixer....He couldn't hear it and he drove his Ford for years sounding like that...It never let him down....Your Mustang is sweet.

Sounds like bad plug wire, plug or...? Definitely missing or a malfunction of one of the many FORD Brighter Idea components from china. Since the Detroit Rep sent you the letter, sounds like normal operating conditions! Ha!!! I had 5.0 many years ago when your Dad and I escaped High School and my Stock Exhaust was so loud I couldn't hear much in the engine compartment but exhaust. The most Trick / Killer oil to get, if still available, is TUFOIL. Just about the original available synthetic oil available to the Public. In 1980s TUFOIL was ~$50 quart. One quart and the rest Amsoil I ran in my 5.0 and my 2.0 FORD powered Reynard. FYI the hot Mustang set-up of today is the Turbo 4 cylinder. CYA

Mine is always ticking and tacking and idk it’s all this noice

I only needed 100ml (1/3 of bottle) of ceratec to get rid of my tick.

Bro, ever time you leave us outside while your in the 🚗 lol would have liked to of been a go pro passenger 😂

Do you ever pull the oil pan to see if anything is loose?

Just noticed this post is 7m old, I'll look for your conclusion

Why do you guys have no reviews or demonstrations of your cleaning products? I can't find anything online

Is that peach color showing on the dip stick or it just blend with the syntectic oil.

That can't be right, sounds more tensioner or something metallic.

I would not run 10w30 engine calls for 5w20 or 30.at the most.

Whats that other noise??

The 2021 Mustang GT engine tag says 5W30 NOT 5W20 like the earlier Gen 3 engines. I wonder why?

Mine done just like this! 😬😬

Mine is a 22 GT PP1 with only 5k and was perfect , til the dealer changed the oil then instantly tic tic tic and a knocking sound! I was positive the dealer punks hot rodded and overRevd my engine, because they took for ever after it was done to get it to me and 5 techs were staring at my set up with the JLT etc and this only happens after dealer first oil changes??

So how many quarts of 15-50?

The real bad news is that at Ford quality is job none! My 2021 Mustang GT premium was a big lemon. I could live with the cheap plastic interior and glitchy electronics but the clucky garbage 6 speed manual transmission was just garbage! I'm not the only one who thinks so, look at the class action that has been launched against Ford. Fortunately I was able to sell it and buy a real car from another manufacturer. It's no wonder Ford stopped building cars...I'll never buy another Ford...EVER!

You will put excess wear on the engine with 50 weight

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but I did have a 2013 5 l coyote that had the barbecue typewriter tick It is a piston noise and it is when the block is partly warmed up usually goes away fully warm and usually in the area of number four cylinder I finally found an engine builder that had dozens of them on his shop floor blocks that is and he showed me what eventually happens the cylinder will wear lose compression and possibly fail... Needless to say I gave the truck back to Ford trade in that is when the 5-year warranty was up. It is a piston issue end of story... One theory I heard from another machine shop was that these blocks may have come from Mexico and may not have been cast as well as others. Good luck with your ticking motors and PS Ford is full of crap. Sd

Never thought I’d say this: Glad I got an EcoBoost!