Is this mechanic on crack?

[MDewell]

Hello everyone..

I'm new around here..so thanks for the cool place to hang out.

I recently purchased a 1992 4x4 Explorer with the 6 cylinder engine. It runs good, transmissions been replaced..nearly zero rust!

The problem is that it has 260,000 miles on her, and it's got a noticeable tick to it all the time. It would sound to me that it's something that could be adjusted or fixed...

However...a local mechanic told me that most of the older fords always had this noticeable tick in it and you could replace everything from the cam on up and you'd still have the tick in her.

Is that accurate? Did most of these have the clickin sound in it?

I'm going to clean it up a bit this weekend and post some pics of it..it's a great lookin ride and it's been modded a few times, but just like every used vehicle, it needs work.

Thanks!

 

[metalmechanic]

Since I have the same engine as yours, and the same tick, the mechanic may be right. I've checked everything I can without ripping the motor apart, haven't found it. If he's right, I'll stop looking.

Pity he can't tell you why though...

 

[James909]

I agree with metalmechanic that the mechanic is right it is a fairly common problem on the 4.0 OHV engine. I believe that the ticking is typically caused by a collapsed lifter.

 

[metalmechanic]

Ah, so I would have to take my engine at least partially apart

I still find it strange that a professional mechanic couldn't tell him that

 

[454burb87]

http://www.explorer4x4.com/lifters/lifters.htm
This is probably what you are referring to....it is a common item on the ohv 4.0L

 

[James909]

I still find it strange that a professional mechanic couldn't tell him that

I agree, but my guess is that the mechanic didn't want to say that because even though the collapsed lifters are common it's not the only thing that can cause the ticking. He probably didn't want to commit to saying what it was because it is still possible the noise is caused by something else.

 

[boggs1227]

hey as every one here has their own favorite chemical soup to pour in the engine for one problem or the other but i had the same tick (lifter tap) ...now granted i still have it a little bit BUT nothing after i put in some rislone engine treatment . i poured half a quart in and topped of the oil after a oil change and let me tell you it really did a number on it ....sssmmmmmooottthhh

almost had me fooled that someone stuck a new engine in there !

since you got over 200k on it you may want to run it a while on new oil and then change it after say 2 k ...then put in new oil and the treatment.mine when i bought it ..it sat for 3 years so i ended up changeing the oil about 3 times in a time frame of 3k miles..figured it had a lot of crap in it and changeing a lot i think helped it out a lot .mine at 193k and with the treatment in there it really did a good job in my opion.

give it a try ..see what you think .good luck

 

[metalmechanic]

http://www.explorer4x4.com/lifters/lifters.htm

Thanks...I'd seen that before, but didn't put the two together

 

[MDewell]

Thanks for that link...I'm gonna read up on it some more this weekend when there's not a race on tv...LOL..

This Rislone engine treatment...where can I get it at? I'm goin down to get the oil changed this weekend and I've always heard to keep Motocraft Oil and the Motorcraft filter in it...wonder how this engine treatment will do. I've also heard that oil treatments are always temporary, but if it'll buy me some time until I can tear the engine down and see what's goin on, I'm all for it.

The mechanic did say that it sounds like it was either a rocker arm, lifter or pushrod that had collapsed or worn down, but it just struck me as odd that a mechanic would tell me that the tickin was normal...I mean, it's noticeable, yet on my buds newer Explorer (though I'm not sure what liter he has now) it's nowhere near as noisy.

 

[Glen4X4]

Welcome To The Forum! And yeah my 92 explorer had somewhat of a tick too, my 95 ex has 1909XX miles and do not hear any ticking in it what so ever, and you can use other oils but your better to stick with Motorcraft oil filter but stay the hell away from Fram oil filters with your truck! Didn't mean that in a rude way but if you search around alot of ppl that's used them in our trucks including myself have had issues with dry starts causing loud knocking when first started for the day.

 

[boggs1227]

what about k&n oil filters (check valve in them ) ? and also you can buy rislone at any auto parts store.either or seafoam the engine (thats a whole other thread in it's self)

all engines have carbon deposit buildup eventually ,lifters are no exception... useing stuff like i described every now and then can keep them cleaner but hey i'm no fool ...the only way to get rid of lifter tap is to replace the lifter,rockers,pushrods,all these item's wear together and tapping is a group effort from all the parts together as they wear out .

edit; also as for my truck ..it sat for 3 years not running with what kind of oil in it and the plugs had such a big gap on them ( wore the slap out) would make one say how could it even spark.i think that after siiting for so many years my engine dried out and every thing in it like lifters ,oil journals etc... became gummed up and needing a good cleaning of sorts .

 

[Kyle0614]

your problem is you need new lifters i know this for a fact and yes your mechanic is on drugs any motor can be fixed or rebuilt and therefore have no more noise he's probably some #### driving fool that really has know knowledge on older fords...call him and tell him he is a dumbass and his mechanic permits should be revoked courtesy of explorerforum.com

how do i know this you ask? because you have the OHV like me and mine has the tick and i have had it diagnosed and it is lifters>>really common problem on the OHV v6...it's tick prone syndrome...

 

[Willard]

K & N Filters are fine.

The tap is definitely lifter tap, a common thing on these motors once they get a little older. It's mostly just annoying, it's not going to affect anything anytime soon. Mine has it, but it goes away once warm. Just keep it well oiled, and that's about all you can do. Unless you want to replace lifters and valve train.

That mechanic doesn't know what he's talking about, replace lifters, rods, and rocker arms and it should be solved.

Here's a right up on the fix:

http://www.explorer4x4.com/lifters/lifters.htm

 

[boggs1227]

your problem is you need new lifters i know this for a fact and yes your mechanic is on drugs any motor can be fixed or rebuilt and therefore have no more noise he's probably some #### driving fool that really has know knowledge on older fords...call him and tell him he is a dumbass and his mechanic permits should be revoked courtesy of explorerforum.com

how do i know this you ask? because you have the OHV like me and mine has the tick and i have had it diagnosed and it is lifters>>really common problem on the OHV v6...it's tick prone syndrome...

lol..... :biggthump

 

[briwayjones]

If it runs good don't touch it. The lifter tick is common on the Ford 4.0OHV engine. It's like a trademark of that engine almost. They nearly all do it and a lot of times start as low as 50,000 miles. I've owned 3 OHV Explorers and they all do/did it and nothing was ever wrong with the engines.

 

[Willard]

If it runs good don't touch it. The lifter tick is common on the Ford 4.0OHV engine. It's like a trademark of that engine almost. They nearly all do it and a lot of times start as low as 50,000 miles. I've owned 3 OHV Explorers and they all do/did it and nothing was ever wrong with the engines.

Exactly. They run just as good with the tick as they did without. Annoying is all it is.

 

[Kyle0614]

yea and it's somewhat irritating when your speeding up until it stops...at cruise speed...does it nonstop on mine...

 

[JMan689]

Exactly. They run just as good with the tick as they did without. Annoying is all it is.

I don't even find my annoying anymore its just there.

 

[Black92LX]

yup he's correct. it's a lifter.
I had the same problem in my 92 Mustang. I just do 4 quarts of 10w30 and 1 quart of 20w50 and the problem goes away.

 

[Glen4X4]

I haven't heard anything bad about the K&N oil filters so you should be good there. And as was stated before if its running good, don't bother tearing the motor apart because its fine.