1992 Explorer xlt 4x4 engine knocks at start up | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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1992 Explorer xlt 4x4 engine knocks at start up

xbeatxthexdrumx

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January 24, 2010
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City, State
Broomfield, Co
Year, Model & Trim Level
'92 Explorer XLT
The 4.0 motor in my 1992 Ford Explorer XLT 4X4 has started knocking recently at start up. It only knocks for about 30-45 seconds before it stops, and won't knock again until the next cold start. This sounds like a valve issue to me, but I wanted to get someone's opinion here. And how easy is it to do a valve adjustment on these motors?
Thanks,
Ty
 



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Sounds like normal wear on the valve train. Record the noise in a video or something so we can hear it.
 






sounds like the sound I get every morning. The lifters' oil drains out of the passageways after the vehicle has been sitting. The sound your hearing is just the valve lifters filling up with oil. Nothing to worry about as far as I'm concerned.
 






you can't adjust the valve lash by the way.
 






Depends on your definition of a 'knock'. If it is a loud 'knock', it may be a rod bearing. If it's a 'clatter' it's probably the valve train as already mentioned.
 






Not to be the voice of doom but my 92 had the start up clatter. Had the heads rebuilt and installed new pushrods. Engine quieted down for about two weeks and then instead of tic, tic, tic it now makes a bang, bang, bang. Pan and filter full of metal. appears that either the oil pump went or the mains failed and took the pump. Any way I probably should have gone w/ a full rebuild up front ( especially at 190K on the speedo). Live and Learn. :hammer:
 






A few tricks I learned from an old mechanic.

drain the oil and refill with ATF. start the motor and let it circulate briefly. Let it sit for a day, and start it again. If you can let it sit for a week and start it every day for a few seconds it works best. The detergents in the ATF will clean away sludge and grime. The drain it all and change the filter. Add some Lucas oil treatment or Seafoam when you refill with oil. Drive it for a few hundred miles and change it again. This last time i recommend using a small particle oil filter, like Mobile1. After that you go back to your regular oil change routine.
this works. i have done it with old cars and bike i have bought for parts or fix and sell.

Another thing he told me that I haven't tried is to use 2 quarts of engine parts cleaner solvent. Add that with a new filter and circulate a couple times, let set and change the oil and filter. That should clean out anything in there. Like I said, I haven't tried it so do this at your own risk.
It beats throwing a handful of sawdust in there. He said they used to do that too if they just wanted to get rid of the car.
It won't hurt to try these. it cheaper than rebuilding the heads.
 






Depends on your definition of a 'knock'. If it is a loud 'knock', it may be a rod bearing. If it's a 'clatter' it's probably the valve train as already mentioned.

I hear the clatter when I start up in the morning as well. Its very brief maybe 5-10 seconds at most. I always thought it was the oil returning to the heads as well. Nothing to worry about as long as the clutter goes away fairly quickly after startup.
 






Ok this is makeing me feel better knowing im not the only one. Mine only did it if it sat for a few days in cold weather. It just recently started to do it every couple of mornings. Im not sure if it lifer/valve clatter, injector tick or spark knock as my noise comes from near the coil pack side in rear...i think lol. it does go away after about 15-25 seconds but one real cold morning it did it for at least 45-50 seconds and hasent done it since. I use Motorcraft
5w-20 syn-blend in the winter time with Motorcraft oil filter and 10w30 syn-blend in summer as im always on the highway going up north in heat for a constant 3-4 hrs at 80mph. Mind you this truck honestly has a mind of it own and use what keeps her going and running. The thick oil in the winter has real slow starts and did tick every morning. Thats why 5w20 in winter and 10w30 in summer.
 






nature of the beast my friend, nature of the beast...
 






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