Tick,Tick,Tick,Grrrrrr.....

[Mike 92 XLT]

Well, after doing over two grand worth of work to this car over the past year, I figured it would be good to go for the next couple of years until I graduate college and buy something new. Hahahaha, I crack myself up sometimes. I just left sunny southern California for my eight month stint in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and right after I got here, I noticed the dreaded tick-tick-tick sound coming from the engine on cold mornings (which is like, every morning out here). I read back through the archives, and found that it's a pretty common problem, especially over 100K (I have 124,000 on mine), and some people have lived with it for a couple of years, so I wasn't too concerned about getting it in to my mechanic to have him look at it. However, it's getting worse. As in louder. You can really hear it at 1500 RPM, then it tapers off, and it's gone by about 2500 RPM. This morning I noticed that it's idling higher too when first started. It usually idles around 1000 RPM in Park when first started, and then 700 or so when put into Drive. Now, it's idling at 1200-1300 in Park and 900 in Drive. This goes away along with the ticking after driving a couple of miles. It's starting to idle rougher too, but it usually idles rougher out here than in California (different gas, maybe?), so I'm not sure if that's directly related or not. So is this something I should get looked at soon, or can I drive it into the ground for the next two years? Or am I going to get stranded somewhere between here and Detroit in the middle of December when it's like minus eight million degrees outside?

peace

Mike

"The Evil Exploder of Death"

 

[mzancz]

Mine has been ticking for 3 years now. It's a 91 with 137,000 on it. From what I heard, I could be wrong, but it isn't really doing any damage, mine hasn't really gotten any louder. And I've heard it can be a different things, lifters, etc...and it can be hard to pinpoint it without spending alot of money.

 

[gijoecam]

Hey, Mike! Welcome to the area! What're you up in AA for? School, I'm guessing? I'll keep you in mind come spring when I finally head out to the dunes... Interested? Let me know.
-Joe-
By the way, you're gonna love what the cold, slush, snow, and salt do to your truck Welcome to the Wolverine!

 

[Ira]

This is a common problem with many of the earlier models. I remember seeing a posting a few months ago concerning similar problems and the relationship to certain oil filters. Maybe someone has the URL and can post it. What it all boils down to is that if you use that famous orange filter (Fram), along with a few others, this problem is more common. This filter contains a cardboard check valve and allows the oil to slowly drain back down after sitting overnight. The next morning when you start it, it takes a few seconds to refill the filter, and this (over a period of time), is what can cause faster wear.

After reading about this, I started using a Wix filter and like it better. It uses a metal check valve and will not leak down. It was one of the better filters in the study and the last one that I bought was less than $5.

 

[Mike 92 XLT]

Hi Joe

Yup, I'm out here for my third year of college at the University of Michigan. I've already been through the winter before, and no rust yet (knock on wood). The truck is undercoated though, and I keep it washed and Zainoed, so hopefully it'll last through this winter and one more. I'd definitely be interested in heading to the dunes in the spring. Where do you live? How many of us are there out in SE Michigan?

Ira, my mechanic back in So Cal works out of a Unocal station, so I've had those kind of filters on it, and my mechanic out here works out of an Ammoco station, so it gets Ammoco filters a couple of times a year. I don't think it has ever seen a Fram filter in its life. There should be a Unocal filter on there right now. So is it still safe to drive for a couple of more years?

peace

Mike

 

[SteveVB]

Mike you may want to get the mechanic to put an oil pressure gauge on it and see what it says. 40-60 psi @2000rpm would give you some piece of mind. Could be that the valve train just has some wear. May try a lighter oil, to get the top end lubricated faster on start up.

 

[AgExplorer]

Mike,

Did you drive your Explorer pretty hard? If so, especially with the long trip, you may have loosened some carbon and it's floating around in the oil and possibly some other places. You may try changing the oil and filter. While you're at it, reset the computer by loosening one of the battery cables. The change in climate may also be affecting it and resetting the computer may help it adjust to the colder temps.

Since you'll be in a colder climate, you may want to go to a synthetic motor oil. It will flow a lot better than a petroleum, getting lubrication to all the vital parts a lot quicker.

 

[Mike 92 XLT]

Yeah, I was thinking about the oil too. I'm currently running 5W30 non synthetic. Do you really think switching to synthetic will help after 124,000 miles?

peace

Mike

 

[Mike 92 XLT]

I changed the oil and the filter and that seemed to cure it. My mechanics said they had a Dodge truck in with the same symptoms as mine, and an oil change fixed it too. I'll keep an eye on it though.

peace

Mike

 

[AgExplorer]

Mike,

If your Explorer has been well maintained for those 124,000 miles, changing to synthetic motor oil will be no problem. It will help extend the life of your engine and you may get better fuel mileage.

 

[my91explorer]

I recently rebuilt my 4.0 which had the same tick, tick, tick noise. It drove me crazy. Well with new push rods and the heads redone (had a crack) and a rebuild I no longer have the ticking..not a once did it tick since the rebuild. I bet the ends of the push rods are worn and it is causing your problem.

Just my 2 cents