No More Ticking !

[GTMountain]

So, ever since we first got our 97 Mountaineer she's had a tick coming from the drivers side.

My first thought was exhaust leak since I have the crap manifolds. But the manifolds checked out and I couldn't find a leak at the gaskets. (early built 97 older egr style, no worries there).

Next thought was a stuck lifter. I let her idle for an hour with several revs after adding some Seafoam then changed the oil to 10w-30 Mobile1 + some Marvel Mystery Oil + some Lucas Oil Stabilizer. Even after running her for a while this seemed to make no change.

(Also note: I only use Wix or Motorcraft filters)

Now I'm thinking it MUST be a worn rocker. To test, I went heavy on the next oil change adding a bit more Lucas. Figuring this would thicken up the oil a bit and she'd get quieter if it was just a wear issue. Still no dice ... wtf ?!

So, we've lived with the noise for a while now figuring I'd replace the rockers and lifters when I had the time.

Now ... She comes due for another oil change this morning ...

She gets 5Q of Mobile1, a half quart of MMO, and a half quart of Lucas (I live in the desert so no worry on thickness). I start her up after and the noise is not only STILL there but it seems louder (though maybe I was just hearing things with irrational anger). I take her for a spin and stand on the pedal (pissed off). I do this a few times and on the 3rd run ... Silence ... It was a stuck lifter the whole time. She just needed to redline a few times to free up.

So, if you're like me and have been slowly driven nuts by ticking but also typically drive around like an old lady you may want to add some MMO and stand on the pedal a few times to see if you just have a stuck lifter that wont give at low rpms/loads even with solvents in the oil.

 

[Josh P]

Wix is the only filter I have ever bought for any of my cars. I found that I can use the same filter on all my cars, 51773. It's a long 2 quart filter. Drive it like you rented it.

 

[GTMountain]

Low oil pressure due to crap filters *cough-fram-cough* is often a cause of noise but in this case it's just a very stubborn lifter.

Update: After she cooled down I started her back up and the lifter was stuck again (must be seriously gummed up) but the noise stopped the moment I rev'd her hard (1st time). I ended up reving her hard, taking a long drive, and then holding RPMs at 4k for 2 or 3 minutes, then letting her cool slow before shutdown. I'll have to keep the MMO dose high and keep breaking her free with hard revs everytime we take her for a spin until she starts staying unstuck. Never had one stay sticky. Likely a symptom of being driven so little by the previous owner.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Josh P's filter if memory serves has a different type thread than the ones required for the 5.0 filter brackets, since the bracket is a relocation bracket. Also, I've had decent luck with MotorMedic Motor Flush in older stuff like this, my 256K mile 2000 has a 5.0 and made a slight bit of main bearing noise on cold starts and it went away after the first oil change and a good flushing out, no reason that engine won't last a long long time now since I change my oil every 3K, might be overkill but that truck has had 3K mile changes since new and it's smooth as glass.

 

[GTMountain]

I've never used a true motor flush though I do use a heavy dose of Seafoam when I first get a vehicle in a similar way.

 

[Josh P]

Josh P's filter if memory serves has a different type thread than the ones required for the 5.0 filter brackets, since the bracket is a relocation bracket. Also, I've had decent luck with MotorMedic Motor Flush in older stuff like this, my 256K mile 2000 has a 5.0 and made a slight bit of main bearing noise on cold starts and it went away after the first oil change and a good flushing out, no reason that engine won't last a long long time now since I change my oil every 3K, might be overkill but that truck has had 3K mile changes since new and it's smooth as glass.

Good point, my junk uses 3/4 16 thread filters and the 5.0L explorer is M22 1.5. The 51592 filter is longer, anyone using that filter?

 

[GTMountain]

So, here's my plan for getting this long time stuck lifter to stay unstuck.

Everytime we go for a spin we'll give her a hard rev under load once she warms up. Gonna do this for a week and see if she starts staying unstuck.

If this isn't enough, I'll drain and save the oil, pour in 5Q plus a full quart of MMO and some Seafoam, repeat the unsticking process for a whole day of misc running around. Then drain out my solvent saturated oil and put back in my proper oil.

If still a no-go I'll rinse and repeat until I get so frustrated I tear the motor down ... lol

 

[hsquare]

Forgive my ignorance . . . but what does Seafoam do to engines?

 

[GTMountain]

It's basically a solvent. You can add it to gas, oil, and even use an aerosol version for spraying into your intake. It's the Hoppe's no9 of automotive additives.

 

[Mbrooks420]

It's a cleaner. It helps remove gummy deposits when poured into the oil, and removes carbon deposits when sucked in through a vacuum line.

Smelling marvel mystery oil leads me to believe it is nothing more than kerosene. I've heard of people having god luck flushing with a quart of tranny fluid, due to all the detergents.

 

[GTMountain]

MMO is:

-70% Light Aromatic Oil (Pale Oil)
It is a Naphthenic Oil, so while it oxidizes faster than a Paraffinic oil, it does clean and dissolve sludge and carbon well and cleans up after itself from any oxidation. serves as base oil as well. [Naphthenic oils have more solvency and are more polar (they are attracted to metal more), but oxidize faster. Group 5
-29% Mineral Spirits
Cleans Varnish very well. General cleaner. Also acts as an antioxidant.
-38 parts per million (ppm) Boron
AW/EP agent, friction reducer, antioxidant
-900 ppm Phosporous
AW/EP agent
-1/2% 1, 2 ortho-Dichlorobenzene
EP agent as it interacts with Iron to form an Iron chloride barrier under any ZDDP or other AW additives. Also very good cleaner/solvent, and friction reducer
-1/4% 1, 4 para-Dichlorobenzene
EP agent as it interacts with Iron to form an Iron chloride barrier under any ZDDP or other AW additives. Also very good cleaner/solvent, and friction reducer
-Oil of wintergreen - For the scent
-Red Dye - for the color

It's the added oil of wintergreen that's getting ya.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

If it was me, I'd just do the Motor Flush, I've done it on stuff and brand new oil come out black as coal, I did it on a 300 l6 and the oil came out black, it was new beforehand, but the engine is as quiet as they come now. One thing I've heard, but have NOT tried and do NOT endorse is I know someone who says you can change the oil with however much ATF it would take to fill it, and running it for 5 minutes, but I've never tried it.

 

[GTMountain]

I'd consider adding SOME atf but I'd never fill her up. I'd be worried even at idle. Motor oil and ATF are just too different.
If this upcoming week doesn't clear things up I'll probably try the motorflush in addition to my plan.
Ahhh ... You made me think of the good ol 300 straight six. What a great motor. that beast was.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I think they would typically add the ATF before an oil change, topping it off, and driving a few days, then change.

 

[SWIGIN]

I have had lifters fail already as low as 50,000 miles. No amount of cleaning would have helped.

I'd just bite the bullet and replace them, they are not expensive but you do need to pull the lower intake.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Word of wisdom, if you pull the lower intake, I've been told that there's some bolts that will more likely than not twist off due to being in coolant passages. Also, do NOT overfill the engine with oil of any type, if you do the partial ATF, I'd change the filter and that'll take up give or take a quart between what it holds and what will be "above" it, and a quart in a 6 quart engine won't be much IMO. I personally wouldn't fill an engine full of ATF, it's a 10 weight oil AFAIK but it's not formulated the same as engine oil by any means.

Now, the Motor Flush can be added to regular oil, reason being I believe is it's combustible if it gets into the chamber, so it won't hydrolock an engine, however, it also thins your oil, follow the bottle exactly as it says, and don't drive it while its in there.

The 300 l6 was a tank engine, I've seen them with oil that had literal sludge floating in it and them be just fine after a change

 

[GTMountain]

I'm going to give it the prescribed plan and then see. Right now, every start she ticks but once she's warm and we give her a hard rev it stops every time.

The other day I saw an old f150 short bed manual with a 300 that the guy had blown. All I could think was "How?!". Only other motor I've seen take unbelievable levels of abuse and shrug it off like a 300 are the Volvo B230f(t) and later i5 versions. Seen 300s and those Volvo motors without a lick a oil on the dipstick and the thing drove to me . Ofcourse, while those Volvo motors are well built they don't compare to a 6 cylinder capable of towing the space shuttle, haha.

 

[SWIGIN]

Word of wisdom, if you pull the lower intake, I've been told that there's some bolts that will more likely than not twist off due to being in coolant passages.

Not too much wisdom there to be had, there are no bolts in coolant passages when dealing with the lower.

The only ones I ever had a problem with are the 4 at each corner but I always install studs at each corner like other Ford V8s had that way you can hang your gaskets without having them slide around.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Not too much wisdom there to be had, there are no bolts in coolant passages when dealing with the lower.

The only ones I ever had a problem with are the 4 at each corner but I always install studs at each corner like other Ford V8s had that way you can hang your gaskets without having them slide around.

Well I've never personally been into a 5.0, but you learn every day, the guy who told me is mostly rattling off stuff I doubt he's got experience for like he claims.