'97 5.0 Lifter Tick?

[5.0L V8]

So I did an oil change about 2,500 miles ago right before I head on out to the coast. I went with Mobil 1 10W-30 Full Synthetic (first time ever using full synthetic on a 125,000 mile engine block- bad idea?). After the 400 mile round trip I noticed I had a small lifter (or so I think) tick when I returned home.
Well my 2,500 miles was up on my oil change so I just dumped in 5Q of Castrol GTX with a Mobil 1 Oil Filter. I was told if I had switched back to Conventional the tick would most likely go away....well it didn't.

I have heard several methods of getting rid of a tick. I was wondering what some of your guys' favorites were?
Any/all advice and input would be greatly appreciated

 

[koda2000]

i doubt your using Mobil 1 had anything to do with your lifter tick. you change your oil every 2,500 miles? why?

 

[5.0L V8]

It's got 125,000 miles on it, and even when I do drain it at every 2,500 mile mark...it comes out quite dirty. I really don't mind paying $40.00 every 2,500 miles of driving.

Well I never noticed the tick until I ran the full synthetic through it. Coincidence maybe? I don't know.
I've tried the Marvels Mystery Oil on my moms Jeep's 4.0 I6 and it didn't do much of anything. I've heard of running replacing a quart of oil with ATF and letting it idle for about 10-15 minutes before changing my oil next time. Anyone had any luck with this?

 

[FIND]

Don't put ATF in. ATF is just 30 weight oil without some of the additives motor oil has to stand up to the higher temps and combustion gasses it is exposed to.

Synthetic oil is functionally exactly the same as conventional oil. The difference between synthetic and conventional oil is the length of the hydrocarbon chains. A synthetic oil will have more even length hydrocarbon chains, which will make it more durable, perform more predictably under temperature changes, and hold additives in suspension better, since the hydrocarbon chains will not break as easily while they are surrounded by equal length hydrocarbon chains that expand and contract at the same rates.

I think what happened is you cleaned out a bunch of crap that was in your engine. You also probably have some bad sealing from your rings or valves, which is why your oil is getting contaminated and dirty so fast.

That is what caused your lifter tick. Better maintenance. The problem was already there, it was just masked by another problem.

 

[5.0L V8]

So FIND...at this time, without tearing it apart and doing a valve/lifter job, what would you suggest would help quiet/diminish this lifter noise?

Thank you for your time,
Evan.

 

[FIND]

Well, first off, there are several questions I would be asking first. Are we certain it is ACTUALLY lifters ticking? What is causing your oil to go dark so fast? for starters

 

[jremington59]

Are you sure it isn't the egr tube?

 

[SoNic67]

I have a noisy lifter too, combined with lower oil pressure at idle. Switched to 5W40 Shell Rotella T6 with 1/2 bottle of Lucas or 5W50 Mobil1 and the noise subdued.
It's a temporary solution of course. I have it like that for 3 years now.

 

[5.0L V8]

Well, first off, there are several questions I would be asking first. Are we certain it is ACTUALLY lifters ticking? What is causing your oil to go dark so fast? for starters

I can only REALLY strongly hear it when my head is next to or under the driver side wheel well. Cant really notice it if the hood is up and you are in front just looking into the engine bay. So now i'm thinking it may be a header gasket.

It goes away a bit when the engine is brought up from a idle RPM.

 

[5.0L V8]

Are you sure it isn't the egr tube?

Where is this located exactly Remington?

 

[tenny]

if its THAT MINISCULE i would not worry about it at all.......

it may not even be a lifter.......a lifter tick is very easy to diagnose...
and you can even determine which bank the lifter tick is on....
if you can barely hear it standing in front of the truck with the hood open..!!!
its not a worry....this is my humble opinion....

 

[5.0L V8]

Im quite **** about my 5.0. This is my daily driver and am very intent on trying to beat my uncles mileage record on his '91 Exploder with 488,271.

I'm almost a third of the way there and this thing still is purring like a kitten...minus the noisy exhaust manifold gasket -.-
...or so I think.

 

[koda2000]

Im quite **** about my 5.0. This is my daily driver and am very intent on trying to beat my uncles mileage record on his '91 Exploder with 488,271.

I'm almost a third of the way there and this thing still is purring like a kitten...minus the noisy exhaust manifold gasket -.-
...or so I think.

if you hear it on the driver's side, it could very well be an exhaust leak. if it is the gasket (or even a cracked manifold) it'll get noisier over time. in either case, not a critical problem, more of an annoyance. you can try an old mechanic's trick and use a long screw driver on the driver's side valve cover. put the metal end on the engine and hold the handle against your ear. this may help you pin-point where the noise is coming from.