So yesterday, I start the truck up and run 1 mile to the grocery store, no problems. When I pull into the parking lot and am idling around looking for a spot the truck is shaking and idling really low. I pull into a spot and put it in park and the truck is still shaking, idling low, and I can hear a tapping noise... kinda sounds like a lifter tap mixed with a dieseling sound. I turn the truck off, start it back up... still there. So I pull out of the parking lot to drive the 1 mile back home. The truck feels real sluggish at take off but once I am doing 15mph+ it feels normal. Halfway home the CEL comes on for 2 seconds and then shuts off. I pull in my driveway and the truck is idling and sounding perfectly normal
Me and my wife hope back in 10 mins later, go back to the grocery store.... zero problems.

This morning I wake up to take the truck to work, its shaking a bit and idling around 700-800 cold, and I can hear that lifter/knock type sound. This time the check engine light comes on and stays on. I shut the truck off, run inside to tell the old lady I am taking her car to work. For the hell of it, I try and start the truck back up... idles fine, no noises, but CEL is still on.

Any ideas on this one???

 

Sounds like a miss or misfire. Could be due to several things. Start by having the check engine light evaluated. Could be a bad coil, spark plug, compression, etc.

 

Well, I just went back home to pick up the truck. When I start it up, the engines jump to ~1500RPMs and then quickly begin to fall back down (normal). ZERO ticking of any kind. About 3-4 seconds after start up, as soon as the RPMS settle around 1000RPM, I hear a pretty loud click (think switch/solinoid) type sound, and then the ticking starts.

After a couple mins running and a couple re-starts to listen for the sound, I started it up and no click, and no ticking. I drove the truck 3 miles to work, after work going to have the codes read at my buddies shop (CEL is still on).

 

Check the codes and google them when you find out what they are. Until then, it's a guessing game.

 

Yup.
Will report back later on tonight.

 

Came out as a stored code for cylinder #7 misfire

 

How many miles on truck and when was last time plugs and coil packs were changed?

 

90,000 on truck. Plugs done ~5,000 ago, all looked great. Coils never changed

 

I am not an expert, nor am i a mechanic but a cylinder misfire, if you are lucky, could just be an ignition related issue. I was getting a code like that on my daughters old car and the rough idling and running progressively got worse. New plugs, wires, and coils and it ran like a top afterwards. Check the plugs on at least that cylinder and think about replacing your coils.

 

Well forget all that. Its likely a lifter. After she sat all night I went to start her up to go to work, and she started rapping again. After revving it a couple times and shutting her off and re-started... I went in the house to grab my wifes keys, gave it one more start and she purred like a kitten.
Looks like I will be making a trip to the dealer.