Lifter sticking? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Lifter sticking?

explorerhot

Member
Joined
September 10, 2002
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
City, State
Ft.Worth ,Texas
Year, Model & Trim Level
95
I have 95 with 4.0 142,000+ miles, in the morning my motor will tick lick a lifter is sticking and then will suddenly stop and sounds normal. Anybody know any easy fix like oil addatives to free up sticky parts or something that doesn't require a valve job???
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Worn rockers and push rods.

Try the search feature you should have a few hits.

I would say that the oil treatments wont have much effect. If its a valve tick its most likely worn pushrod,rocker arms. Your search will turn up the fixes(new treated rods and arms)
 






What kind of oil filter are you using. FRAM's are notorious for causing ticking on startup because of a back checkvalve design.
 






I have a 95 XLT with the same problem, I have tried several different treatments and 3 oil and filter changes later it's still ticking at start up. I am looking into new lifters, pushrods and rocker assemblys. Check Ebay I found new lifters for less than 18.00 each new, Beats the heck outta 40.00 each. Keep in mind the heads will have to come off to pull the lifters so anticipate a weekend project rather than a evening project. Remember to get your head gaskets also (head set is cheaper than buying individually). Let me know if I can be of any more help, MATT
 






I've got a '96 XLT 4.0 ohv with a ticking lifter problem also but mine is kind of weird. When I start it up in the morning the motor is normal with NO lifter noise. But when it gets fully warmed up I get a lifter ticking sound (sounds like one lifter making the noise). I experimented by red-lining the motor in first and second gears and then coasted down to a stop and the sound is gone for a little while but comes back after a couple more miles. My motor has 31K miles with oil changes every 3k miles. Other than that the motor runs like new.
 






OHV engines are notorious for ticking whether there is anything wrong with them or not. And it doesn't hardly matter how many miles are on them
 






Would running a slightly heavier oil slow the ticking for a while? Any of you tried STP? It thickens viscosity (similar to heavier oil).
 






I run Pennzoil 10w-40 with a can of STP. Still get the tick, tick, tick when hot. I might try 20w-50 on the next oil change and see what happens. I don't think it's varnish stuck inside the lifter, inside my motor looks like it just came off the assembly line, super clean. I'm going to pull the valve covers and check the rocker arms for wear in the tips. Nothing makes a vehicle appear like crap than a clacking lifter.
 






I take it this is your first Ford?

I was always told that if you have a Ford over 2-3 years old and a lifter DOESN'T tick then it's probably going to blow up soon (Just kidding)

Like the front disc brake issues and automatic transmissions that have recalls every other year for wanting to slip into gear, a lifter tick is just one of those "Ford Things" you learn to live with .... hell, I've even come to love these little anomolies, it gives Ford's their 'character'

What happens is an oil passsage, usually on a rear cylinder, doesn't get as good of oil flow as it should on start up (Purely a design problem) and it takes a bit for the lifter to 'pump back up' ... I learned to quit worrying about it 20 years ago or more
 






mine ticks too.

in park i can hear it, and it increases with rpm, but the engine noise drowns it out. it usually only does this when its hot, and it doesnt really sound like a bad lifter... just a slight ticking sound. i've heard its normal.

oh yea, 96 4.0l with 150k miles and 10w-40 oil
 






Longjohn119 - I've had a Ford in my family since 1964 when we got our first 1964 Mustang. Now that you mention it most of them had some sort of lifter noise, some loud and some slight. I remember I had a hell of a lot trouble with 289-302 water pumps blowing. I guess I'll try the 20w-50 oil and if that don't work I'll live with it. I sure don't want to pull the heads just to change the lifters if they ain't that bad (only as a last resort).
 






If I remember right 64 and 65 Mustangs had the solid lifters ...

My first car in 1975 was a '67 Mustang .... traded it in in '78 for a '73 Formula 400 Firebird ....

Man hardly a week goes by where I don't wish I had that Mustang back ... that and the '71 T-bird Special Edition (Only 500 made) .... Don't think I'd be able to easily find the recommend 101 octane gas for the T-bird though ... That 429 was probably the only Ford motor I ever owned that didn't have a lifter tick but it had Hi-performance heads stock ...Lordy could that car fly down the Interstate
 






Nah, they had hydraulic lifters; the 289-Hi Performance had the solids. Me too, I wish I still had that '64. Traded that in for a '69 Mach 1.....that's another car I wish I still had.
 






I used a product called Engine Restorer & Lubricant that you can buy for either a 4,6,or 8 cylinder. Comes in a can and you can pick it up at Walmart or Autozones. It didn't seem to do anything at first but after about 200 miles I could tell that the lifter tick was considerably less noticable. By around 400 miles it was hardly noticeable at all unless you were really listening for it. It costs about $10.00 for a 6 cylinder can so it's not really cheap but it's worth a try before tearing into the motor.
 






I heard of that stuff....suppose to have some kind of copper additive to coat scratched cylinder walls and other surfaces. Do you have to use it at every oil change? I'm kind of skeptical about "snake oil" products but, hey, if it works I'll try it.
 






Bringing back a thread from a few months back...

I've got the lifter tick and only 600 miles left on my used car warranty. Is this something that's truly wrong with the engine, needing to be fixed, or is it just something I need to learn to live with? Thanks.
 






Isn't it a coincidence that most problems start near or after a warranty period is over? I still have the tick-tick-ticking lifter after I did an engine flush and oil change. Geez, I would hate to have to pull the cylinder heads just to change the damn lifters but I may have to. Planning on keeping my "X" forever so gotta fix it right.
 






I never knew this was so common, Both of my explorers dont tick at all, but one does have an oil leak.
 









Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





carlover said:
my 4.0 ohv ticked semi-loud. i changed the oil to mobil-1 full synthetic and it help alot. not saying this will help you guys out, just throwing out my experiences..

I'm running Royal Purple, noise is still there. Wasn't there before I switched around 12,000 miles ago though. Wonder if this could have something to do with the longer intervals I'm going inbetween oil changes now? I wouldn't think so but the motor never did it until this winter.
 






Back
Top