410Custom's builds a 2007 Ranger V8 - custom truck build - Project "Ranger Premier"

[410Fortune]

I feel like I have known them my whole life, they are very cool like minded individuals
They make me laugh!

 

[Turdle]

It's awesome to do the right thing, even more so when you are Allowed to. Hats off to both of you. Drive safe

 

[CDW6212R]

Ditto. I hope you have a fine trip back with nice weather. Keep at it we love reading about it.

 

[RangerX]

Wait till you see what the driveshafts are doing to make both axles work it’s a **** show under there. Yes I said driveshafts with an “s”

I would love to see some photos of that. My neighbor a dual axle Ranger, he’s always wanted to get power to the second one.
Maybe do a separate thread someday when you have time.

 

[410Fortune]

Made it back safely. Truck is at home shop!!! Another crazy journey
It actually fits on my trailer I was very impressed

6 hours there 6 hours back.
Early this morning when we left had a small deer jump out in front of us, I locked up the 37s and just barely Knicked him…He ran away to his family…. That was good.

Had a road raging Karen and husband on the inter state…mini vans sheesh
Of course! Right? You just cannot please everyone. There is no highway etiquette anymore… Not like the glory days.
We got the last laugh however thanks to another trucker!!! Hero!! Faith restored.
It is fun to watch angry people self implode.

The drive into Seattle is just awesome I am at home in the mountains.
We basically booked it there.. quick stops for fuel. Loaded the truck and booked it back…
We had some Philly cheesesteaks for
Lunch and made It home by 8pm.. always glad when a trip goes safe and smooth

The pushrods I ordered (the one thing I did t have spares of) are delayed… so even if I took off the intake and valve covers not much I could expect to do. And I would rather have the engine closed then open on the trailer back… so decided just to bite the bullet and haul her to the shop

Now to tear into it and find out what the heck let loose

Many little things will get repaired while I have her
Eddie Just needs to move closer lol I’ll
Build Him a cabin

 

[Josh P]

I’ll Build Him a cabin

Build me one too. I'll stuff a 351W in everything you bring home.

 

[JoshT]

Build me one too. I'll stuff a 351W in everything you bring home.

I don't need a cabin. A guest room, a run way, and something to drive when I get there will be a plenty.

Well, I gues I'd need the pilots license and airplane too, but that might be asking for too much.


Glad you had a mostly un eventful trip and made it back safely. Look forward to hearing the diagnosis. Like a train wreck, no one wants it to happen, but when it does you've just got to watch and wonder why.

 

[410Fortune]

Well for those of you who don’t know. The 306 I put into my sport trac (uses the same cam and valvetrain setup) the cam retainer bolt failed during testing and I basically ate a lifter or three… my prized 306 is still sitting on a stand. That didn’t stop me… we drive the sport trac daily. I quickly prepped a backup 302 and many miles later we absolutely drive the snot out of it

Eddies truck is in good hands, never give up
I will make it reliable and tough so in the future he can plan for a 347… this was our pretty much our goal from day one.
I have a “few”’good running 302 donors if it comes down to that

 

[410Fortune]

And she’s unloaded and in the shop

First plan of attack, mechanics stethoscope while she’s running
Then I’ll pull plugs and read them

Blue smoke at start mostly from one bank, but with the x pipe upstream who knows

Holley is acting weird… surging at start up.. probably due to whatever the heck is wrong

 

[410Fortune]

Okay so the surging is normal, the Holley still needs a “cold start tune” which will help with the surging.

I spent some time with the truck yesterday listening to the engine with a mechanics stethoscope. The noise is apparent basically everywhere you listed to the engine, the stethoscope is very sensitive. Difficult to pin point. However it is most noticeable on the valve cover above cyl 5, it is also very clearly heard from the oil pan (I can hear the tick everywhere I touch the scope too) valve cover, header tubes, head bolts, oil pan, intake, etc
Aside from the tick the engine sounds very normal, all injectors clicking ticking etc

That is all the time I had yesterday.
The plan now is to pull the spark plugs and look at them. Also drain the oil and take a sample, and then cut open the oil filter. If this is a lower end knock there would be material in the oil filter.

The intake and valve covers will be removed and a full inspection will take place. I’m
Expecting to find an issue in the valvetrain, loose rocker arm, valve seal in seated, bent pushrod, something of that nature.

 

[DintDobbs]

After my annual trip to the mountains, I heard my Sport making a rythmic ticking that changed with the RPM. Gave it a good look over and found one of the spark plug wires jumping around on the end of the plug. Disconnected and resecured, fixed the ticking.

Don't overlook the small stuff!

 

[Josh P]

How does the oil look on the stick? Any shiny glitter? With the tick, is it enough to feel like a weak cylinder while driving, or is it just a noise?

 

[410Fortune]

Just noise
Nothing obvious on stick
No smell of fuel on dipstick
running fine, smoothly, any misfire would be slight
Blue smoke from exhaust so… valve or valve seal?

 

[Josh P]

Just noise
Nothing obvious on stick
No smell of fuel on dipstick
running fine, smoothly, any misfire would be slight
Blue smoke from exhaust so… valve or valve seal?

For there to be blue smoke, either a valve seal is bad or a intake valve isn't fully closing and the engine vacuum is sucking the oil up through that cylinder for the others to burn. Worst case, broken or extremely worn rings on a piston. Could be a few things, hopefully nothing major.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

if its not backfiring, i would say the valves are ok, and may have the wrong type of seal? its on start up, or cold start up only correct?

 

[410Fortune]

No the noise is constant always there
He smoke is always there too
Granted we have not run it much only on and off the trailer and then for a few in the shop
I get to tear into it this am after coffee and warm up the shop… 30 degrees last night

 

[Kirby N.]

Man dude. This sucks so much. I feel for you and Eddie. When I got my 4.0 back together and it made the noise it was the worst feeling. All that work and time and money and for it not to work correctly. I know you are determinined to get it sorted and I believe you will, but what a drag that you have to. I think so much of it has to do with parts availability and quality declining

 

[410Fortune]

appears the pushrods are/were hitting the rocker arm body
i must have the geometry off or my 6.3 pushrods are too long? stay tuned..........

In this picture I turned several pushrods to reveal the “grind” marks

The geometry is off ….And 3 rocker arms now have side to side play in them which could explain our noise, yet the bolts are still tight

I’m reading about valvetrain geometry with pedestal mounts and hydraulic lifters… again

 

[Kirby N.]

That is odd that it didn’t make noise right away.

 

[410Fortune]

This whole fiasco could have started because I have a tenancy to overthink stuff and research the internet until my eyes bleed

My good friend Brett and my buddy Scott are both engine freaks, lets just say they know valvetrains very well
So Ive been sharing these pics and info all morning. lots of good information and very helpful. Early bronco forums and of course mustang forums also very helpful for explaining proper valve train geometry

Brett pointed out to me that:
stock lifter, stock head, stock stamped rocker arm, stock valves
why would pushrod length need to change from stock?
Nothing was changed between lifter and rocker arm

I measured for pushrods using comp cams adjustable pushrod.
I did the whole pattern check and torque the pedestal rocker to 20 ft lbs, should take between 1/4 and 1 full turn after 0 lash
all of that is true. I came up with a 6.3" pushrod so that is what I ordered
now we have this noise
I should probably be using stock pushrods (6.27")
My measuring technique was flawed , first off I didn't check the sweep pattern I just checked that things were centered, not the proper way
proper geometry is achieved by using a degree wheel and setting a valve to half lift and checking angles. I never did this, nor should I have too.
I have learned alot today

I will report back........... the fix maybe as simple as stock pushrods and re torque the valve train
I am going to check oil sample and cut open filter before I do anything else

@CDW6212R is our resident expert on these pedestal rockers and valvetrains. I am hoping by sharing all of this info I can get this thing sorted out on paper and then in the engine bay

Still does not explain the initial oil loss? I have 3-4 rockers that will move side to side quite a bit but the hold down bolts are still torqued. This maybe normal. I am going to check a stock engine (I have one sitting in the shop lol)

pics from this am:



here are the pics from this am removing intake and valve covers to reveal the valvetrain and grind marks on pushrods
My sport trac is likely doing the same thing
Would be interesting to remove a valve cover on it and have a look.
I have valve tick, I have gotten used to that noise with performance cams and headers.....but maybe it is not supposed to be there!!

Houston we have a problem. See the marks on the pushrod? Well they are all marked a little bit in same spot

Stock pushrod vs brand new comp cams magnum 6.3

Removed rocker arm and pushrod from cyl 5 intake valve (one with the most marks and was the loudest)