4.0 OHV Don't like Oil.

[koldstart]

Well my day off is tommorow, I might take off the valve covers, do another seafoam intake session, then remove the spark plugs for further Identification.

I'd like to clairify, it only makes these sounds while idling!

I had heard great things on this forum about Mobil1 and I still feel that it was the right choice, and was worth the few extra bucks to put it in.

You really think that switching to 5-20 would eliminate the sounds?

Im not trying to blame the oil, or the filter.. Same oil and the same filter I had used prevously. I think there is something wrong with the engine. Hydrolic Lifter maybe? I'm going to try to go and get a recording.

Pulling into school today I had a few friends hovering around my Xplorer, they all told me to park it. Was a nail to my heart. They aren't mechinicly inclined so i won't kill myself over it, but I just thought I'd throw that in as a reference.

 

[koldstart]

Ok, I have to get ready for work, but if anyone has had any more ideas tho throw at me, don't be afraid! I have a few questions in the post above.

Here is a link to putstuff.com where I had uploaded a crappy recording of the noise the explorer is makeing. The noise was recorded at idle at the drivers side wheel well, let me know what your thinking!

http://putstuff.putfile.com/50900/3422290

 

[chrisis]

men either the sound quality is mest up or you will need a new motor.

do you have any check engine? any white or black smoke from the exhaust?

 

[koldstart]

sound was recorded via cellphone, so it aint the greatest recording.. but imigane a diesel truck/car, and thats the sound. Drives the same as it always has, just the sound.

No white or black smoke. Im off to work now, Ill check back when I get off to see if anyone has come up with anything new

 

[chrisis]

we really can't diagnose anything for sure just hearing a sound. if it was me i will stop driving the car around and take it strait to my mechanic.

even if the car drives perfect from the sound it seems that something is wrong with the engine. don't hesitate of taking it to a trusted mechanic have it check for you.

 

[97greenmonster]

Yea, i agree. Does it go away after it gets warned up? If it does, switch the oil first. If that doesnt help, STRAIGHT to a mechanic.

 

[ñòóKýçrÕôK]

Ok I just wanna add my 2 cents here. New oil is already stable. It doesn't need a stabilizer. That's for old oil when your car or truck is due a change and you don't have time or change to change it. The only additive you might would need at an oil change would be maybe STP oil treatment which is more for valve performance than the oil itself. 30w oil is not very thick. The thinner the oil the less it helps in compression. Oil first begins to thicken as it begins to break down which might suggest why you say it smoothes out over time. Unless you live in an unusually cold area try going to a heavier oil for better performance. I use 20w 50 year round. The whole "use a light oil in winter, heavy oil in summer" to me is nothing more than a myth or propaganda. When you change plugs be sure to gap them to manufacturer's specs to assure they give the propper amount of spark and at the propper time. Milliseconds = mileage in the long run. Hope it helps.

 

[Vinniety]

I cant believe i came across this post...I have posted a thread about a motor knock and marble sound from my 2000 x sport with the OHV motor at 98K miles. When i bought the truck only a bout a month ago i drove it a little over 200 miles to get home and there was no noise and the truck ran great. After the second day i decided to give it a full detail and change the oil. As soon as i changed the oil BANG,,,,,marble sounds and diesel sounds. I shut it off quick thinking i did something wrong but after 15 minutes going over everything i noticed there was nothing wrong. The next day i drove for about 30 minutes and then came back home and changed the oil once again. This time i went with 10/30 castrol. I have used castrol 10/30 in all my cars year around and never encountered any issues. I used seafoam a few times through the brake booster but the sound is there. Only at idle, no smoke and on top of that the truck runs great. I have found some a few things from doing some research.....

TSB #01197 -- SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 4.0L OHV ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT AN ENGINE NOISE WHICH MAY BE PERCEIVED BY THE CUSTOMER AS A PISTON / ONNECTING ROD BEARING KNOCK. *TT (NHTSA ID #627752, OCTOBER 01 2001)


TSB #15226 -- SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 4.0L OHV ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT AN ENGINE NOISE THAT MAY BE PERCEIVED BY THE CUSTOMER A S ADIESEL TYPE NOISE AND IS KNOWN AS MARBLE NOISE. *TT (NHTSA ID #625775, SEPTEMBER 01 2001


http://www.carcomplaints.com/Ford/Explorer/1998/tsbs.shtml

The next thing i am going to do is a few more seafoam tries and an oil change to synthetic. Its worth the try. If that doesnt work the nearest and highest cliff will come into affect. I am going to be reading this post every day to see if any more ideas.

I still cant believe FORD would allow this.

 

[old mechanic]

I wouldn't advise 20-50 for the cold areas.

 

[ñòóKýçrÕôK]

Unless you live in an unusually cold area try going to a heavier oil for better performance.

Believe me I recommend against it in cold areas also. But by that I mean areas where you look at constant @ or below freezing temps for consecutives weeks at a time. If you're like me here in Tennessee where I might see @ or below freezing temps for maybe only 3 or 4 days at time it's really not a biggy. Starting in cold weather means your car at the very least needs to be producing steam from the exhaust before you drive it off anyway so it gets plenty of time for thicker oil to get warm and loosen up.

 

[koldstart]

I live in WA..

Allright Vinniety, it's a team effort then. We have the same motor, the same problem. Happend to us both, right after we change the oil, so lets keep this thread alive untill we figure out a solution!

Ok - Recap --

*Marble/Deisel/Knocking sound ONLY at idle.
*Most pronounced after oil change.

I really don't have the money to keep playing maybe thinner maybe thicker oil, ive drained and bought atleast enough for 4 oil changes now (not recently), viscosity from 5w-30 to 10w-40 - Zero difference. I would have assumed that the 5w-30 would be enough to have the Explorer run to potential, and the Lucus treatment would only thicken it up more.
If you feel STRONGLY about a certain grade of oil, certain filter, I'll give it a-go. It is more than annoying and I want to feel some sort of progress being made

So untill then...
I'll seafoam the intake (PCV)
Take a look at the valve covers, and determine how much of a pain it will be to remove. (No Promices) haha

Let me know on further Ideas and questions

 

[ñòóKýçrÕôK]

I live in WA..

Allright Vinniety, it's a team effort then. We have the same motor, the same problem. Happend to us both, right after we change the oil, so lets keep this thread alive untill we figure out a solution!

Ok - Recap --

*Marble/Deisel/Knocking sound ONLY at idle.
*Most pronounced after oil change.

I really don't have the money to keep playing maybe thinner maybe thicker oil, ive drained and bought atleast enough for 4 oil changes now (not recently), viscosity from 5w-30 to 10w-40 - Zero difference. I would have assumed that the 5w-30 would be enough to have the Explorer run to potential, and the Lucus treatment would only thicken it up more.
If you feel STRONGLY about a certain grade of oil, certain filter, I'll give it a-go. It is more than annoying and I want to feel some sort of progress being made

So untill then...
I'll seafoam the intake (PCV)
Take a look at the valve covers, and determine how much of a pain it will be to remove. (No Promices) haha

Let me know on further Ideas and questions

That's a great cando attitude. Maybe a little overboard on the oil purchase there but hey. Believe me when I tell you I've worked on cars since I was hip high to a grasshopper (still aint much taller than that now) lol. My father picked me up because I was too small to climb up under the hood of our Mustang when the motor needed changed and I cut hoses and wires loose for him. I know what I'm talking about in most cases. You will have to do what's right for you in the end but if you can buy the oil thick enough without Lucas I'll beg you not to use the Lucas oil treatment again. New oil is plenty fine without additives. I do however recommend STP oil treatment for higher mileage engines because it helps keep the valve seats strong and sealing good and for that reason only. Certain oils and additives are very high in detergant (I think that's what it's called) These oils and additives clean old oil and gunk off the inside of your block and dump it all in the pan. It's very possable this is happening to you when you change your oil. After a period you say it stops the noise. I imagine it's when all the deposits dissolve and run through your oil filter. It's very possable your additive (Lucas) and oil could be doing more harm then good. There should be a place on the bottle to check detergant level in the oil. Again not sure that's what that's actually called. On a new motor high detergant oils are ok to use as long as you only use that. Older, higher mileage motors that have had nothing but low or mixed detergant level oils used get gunked up and damaged enough by that then get high detergant oils used, wash the gunk down, then end up pulling it into the oil pump and filter and can eventually clog them up. I do hope some of this helps you decide.

 

[JDraper]

I live in WA..

Allright Vinniety, it's a team effort then. We have the same motor, the same problem. Happend to us both, right after we change the oil, so lets keep this thread alive untill we figure out a solution!

Ok - Recap --

*Marble/Deisel/Knocking sound ONLY at idle.
*Most pronounced after oil change.

I really don't have the money to keep playing maybe thinner maybe thicker oil, ive drained and bought atleast enough for 4 oil changes now (not recently), viscosity from 5w-30 to 10w-40 - Zero difference. I would have assumed that the 5w-30 would be enough to have the Explorer run to potential, and the Lucus treatment would only thicken it up more.
If you feel STRONGLY about a certain grade of oil, certain filter, I'll give it a-go. It is more than annoying and I want to feel some sort of progress being made

So untill then...
I'll seafoam the intake (PCV)
Take a look at the valve covers, and determine how much of a pain it will be to remove. (No Promices) haha

Let me know on further Ideas and questions

Ok..been thinking about this one. My guess is that there was a motor issue when you bought the truck, and the previous owner had used some sort of oil additive or heavy weight to quiet it down. Since you're no longer running whatever the previous owner put in, the noise became apparent.

I'd try a heavier oil just to see what it does..if it quiets it down, I'd guess on lifters...

 

[koldstart]

ñòóKýçrÕôK - Allright bro, I got a gut instinct with you then. Me and Vinniety need your help here!

I'll drain the oil that I have in there when I get back from school today, what specific grade would you recomend? Still 20w-50? I'm thinking that it's too heavy but I'm not near as experinced as you, so I trust your judgement AND-- Should I use the Motorcraft filter that it calls for? In all my changes I have never used it, but heard no problems from the people that have used it. I continued buying Mobil1 because it was more expenisive and if I don't have to I won't anymore!! () I just thought that I was doin it a favor with Mobil1.

JDraper - My thoughts at first were the same as yours. The curveball is.. I bought it at an auction for 3900 and there is a sticker driverside windshield indicating it had been serviced (about 2000 miles ago, then) with 5w-30 oil. Still, a possibility that it was tinkered with, but.. I think its unlikely.

I'll check back, when I get back! thanks for the support guys!

 

[tha704mafia]

It Never Goes Away Trust Me Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

i just want to put the 5.0 in me truck by the way how hard would that be to change all that up

 

[Vinniety]

ñòóKýçrÕôK - Allright bro, I got a gut instinct with you then. Me and Vinniety need your help here!

I'll drain the oil that I have in there when I get back from school today, what specific grade would you recomend? Still 20w-50? I'm thinking that it's too heavy but I'm not near as experinced as you, so I trust your judgement AND-- Should I use the Motorcraft filter that it calls for? In all my changes I have never used it, but heard no problems from the people that have used it. I continued buying Mobil1 because it was more expenisive and if I don't have to I won't anymore!! () I just thought that I was doin it a favor with Mobil1.

JDraper - My thoughts at first were the same as yours. The curveball is.. I bought it at an auction for 3900 and there is a sticker driverside windshield indicating it had been serviced (about 2000 miles ago, then) with 5w-30 oil. Still, a possibility that it was tinkered with, but.. I think its unlikely.

I'll check back, when I get back! thanks for the support guys!

If you go with thick oil it will hide the sound. You are trying to resolve the issue not hide it. I have also read that someone used synthetic and it went away. As for the oil filter that is not going to change anything. Of course dont use a crap one you want it to filter and clean the oil but to change that sound negiative it wont matter. I use fram and i love them. Used them on all my cars and never encountered an issue. I would recommend starting off with seafoam and using the recommended oil from the dealer. the weight and everything. If it doesnt work after about a week put some thick crap oil in it and sell it back at auction. I also noticed that i used super the day before i changed the oil and someone told me that could also give you a knock. The car manual even states that. Low octane can give you a knock and so can high octane.

Back to drawing board.

 

[chrisis]

If it doesnt work after about a week put some thick crap oil in it and sell it back at auction.

that advice is just wrong.think the other person who buying it to be you are you gonna like it?

hope nobody else read your advice:thumbdwn:

as i said before get the car to a shop and have a trust mechenic check it for you. because the noise came right when you change the oil it doesn't always mean that this is your problem.

 

[97greenmonster]

Correct. I had that diesel sound, but only when cold. I switched to 5-20, and used 91 octane and it went away.

 

[Vinniety]

If it doesnt work after about a week put some thick crap oil in it and sell it back at auction.

that advice is just wrong.think the other person who buying it to be you are you gonna like it?

hope nobody else read your advice:thumbdwn:

as i said before get the car to a shop and have a trust mechenic check it for you. because the noise came right when you change the oil it doesn't always mean that this is your problem.

I have purchased tons of cars from private sellers, auctions and used car lots and let me tell you people will do anything to make a buck and get rid of there headache. If i bought that truck for lets say 3 grand at the auction and had to put money into the motor if it is a junkyard one or fix whats there and hit the value of what the blue book states the car is worth it at the end of fixing it then i wont mind it but if he wants full value and sells it to a private person then that is wrong. That is why i stated AUCTION. At the acutions you get what you pay for. They are sold AS IS. That is why they are cheaper in price. You might get lucky which i have plenty of times but then there are those times that i have thought i got a good deal and then noticed the tranny doesnt shift or the front end is falling apart.

I bought my truck from a private seller and i am having the same issue. I should go back and say something but what is that going to do. Spend more money to get a lawyer and wait till i go to court. By that time i could have fixed the problem or gotten rid of it and taken the loss. Everyone does things there own way and i will never feel good selling something that i know has an issue and not stating it to the new owner who ever it is. But there are people out there that will.

 

[ñòóKýçrÕôK]

If you go with thick oil it will hide the sound. You are trying to resolve the issue not hide it. I have also read that someone used synthetic and it went away. As for the oil filter that is not going to change anything. Of course dont use a crap one you want it to filter and clean the oil but to change that sound negiative it wont matter. I use fram and i love them. Used them on all my cars and never encountered an issue. I would recommend starting off with seafoam and using the recommended oil from the dealer. the weight and everything. If it doesnt work after about a week put some thick crap oil in it and sell it back at auction. I also noticed that i used super the day before i changed the oil and someone told me that could also give you a knock. The car manual even states that. Low octane can give you a knock and so can high octane.

Back to drawing board.

The sound is a symptom of a problem. In motors, a "sound" will be only caused by a couple of things. Poor fuel processing leading to poor compression. Lack of lubrication leading to a rub or a tap of metal on metal. Something loose which means the end is soon. Something broken which means it's at its end. You don't have a big choice and no amount of thick oil will hide something breaking or broken. If you put a thicker oil in and the noise stops you have treated the problem and removed the symptom. If you don't live in an area that sees cold temps @ or below freezing for a consecutive number of weeks then I do recommend using a heavy oil. Either 10w 40 or 20w 50. Myself personally I use 20w 50. What band you use is totally up to you. If you can get in touch with where it was serviced at previously I would say contact them and find out what brand they used and use that. Unless it's Quaker State (and I'm sure I'll catch it on this claim) because Quaker State is oil that people use because they liked the Quaker State commercials and know absolutely nothing about vehicles. Me personally I use Valvoline. To my understanding, although I've never used it, Mobil 1 is a top of the line oil. On colder days just give your vehicle plenty of time to warm up whether it's just off the showroom floor or got 100k+ miles.