engine ticking cure

[MichiganLarry]

The 2.9 in my sons truck has been ticking since the engine overheated and cracked the heads. I replaced the heads and have tried a bunch of different, cures to correct the ticking. Everything from STP, Rizlone, Marvel Oil even flushing the engine twice. Never could get the ticking to stay gone. Would quiet down then eventually come back. Did another flush and oil change yesterday. Today I had to drive the Ranger to work (approx 35 miles) and it was ticking like crazy by the time I got here. Seafoam was recommended by a mechanic friend of mine. So I ran up to the local Autozone and bought a can for $10. According to the directions it called for 1/2 can to be added to the oil. I put it in and started the truck up. Still ticking. Drove back to work (a little over a mile) and by the time I got back here it was completely quiet. Hopefully it will last this time but I was so impressed with this product I had to post this up here.

Anyone have any experience with this stuff?

 

[lifted1987]

Nice. Got the same ticking. Ill try it out. Thanks man.

 

[MrE_Powers]

you gotta change the oil soon though.

 

[IMenriched]

you gotta change the oil soon though.

yeap it isn't ment to be in there forever.

you prolly had a piece of crud in the lifters and it finally flushed out with the seafoam allowing them to pump up

take it that you used the same lifters with the different heads?

did you remove the end caps of the rocker assembly shafts and flush the center shaft out?

 

[MichiganLarry]

I didn't do the head swap myself. Traded a young mechanic a set of 35's and rims for the labor. But I would bet he didn't clean out the shafts.

Update. On the way to work today it started and stopped ticking 3 or 4 times. Sometimes the ticking was as bad as ever and then it would completely go away.

Put new front pads and rotors on it last night and now the brakes work great. Still need to address the high idle and the ticking.

 

[blue83ranger]

my '88 ticks the same way, before the heads cracked it didn't tick at all then the heads cracked and got antifreeze in the oil and i replaced them and sometimes it ticks some times it doesn't. Temp, RPM, load on the engine, and freshness of the oil make no difference, it just ticks when ever it wants too, I tried the seafoam too and some pennzoil stuff that helped some but it still does it. I would be very interested if you ever figure this out. and on mine it's only 1 or 2 lifters and i did clean out the rocker shaft, but they where already close to spotless.

 

[Big Jim M]

Guys the ticking noise is from wear in the valve train. The hydraulic lifters have a small amount of PLAY in them to compensate for wear. As long as the wear is within these tolerances the lifters are quiet. When the tolerance is violated with more excessive wear the lifters start to click.
SOME engines have adjustable rocker arms. These can be adjusted 1/2 turn or so on the adjusting nut and the click should stop. Others do not have an adjustment and these will need slightly LONGER push rods. These longer pushrods are available at the Ford dealer. The longer push rods are the equilivant of adjusting the rockers...they have the same effect.

The wear can be in the camshaft, the lifters, the pushrods, the rockers or even the rocker balls or the rocker shaft. But Ford has a way to shut the damn click up.

Before hydraulic lifters all lifters were solid and had no cushion in them these lifters had to be adjusted frequently to keep them fairly quiet. The old guys had a saying..."if you could hear em you knew they were working".
Big Jim

 

[lifted1987]

I tried the seafoam. Highly reccomend it.

 

[jaymegriffiths]

I tried the seafoam. Highly reccomend it.

sea foam cured my cold tick. well, lifter knock. there is still the injector tick but nonetheless. thats all it did tho...

 

[Will]

Before hydraulic lifters all lifters were solid and had no cushion in them these lifters had to be adjusted frequently to keep them fairly quiet. The old guys had a saying..."if you could hear em you knew they were working".
Big Jim

Brand new Honda's still have solid lifters that require adjustment.

On your Ford, I would take the lifters out and take them apart and clean them. While it's apart, inspect the valvetrain pieces for wear. WHen I bought my 4.0 it was a symphony orchestra. I ended up pulling all the lifters (which means taking the heads off) and every lifter was internally jammed and every rocker tip had the shape of the valve stem beat into it. I could not got the lifters apart until I devised a way to use compressed air on the oil hole and, wearing wleding gloves to contain the small explosion without personally injury, blew them apart in my hands. Then some hoppes and a .44 brush to clean them out. It was a clear case of the previous owner never changing the oil. I ended up going through the entire motor--but it's been trouble-free for 8 years.

There is no magic stuff to fix problems. You can mask the symptoms long enough to sell it--and then burn in hell. But you can't fix it with a can of whateveritis.

 

[Jay FX4]

You can mask the symptoms long enough to sell it--and then burn in hell.

That comment is the epitome of awesomeness!

 

[ajmiller]

mine ticks a little too...ill have to try this!

 

[MichiganLarry]

Update. The ticking is back on what sounds like one lifter/rocker. The wierd part is that it comes and goes on some of the other rocker/lifter and is pretty constant on this one. I really don't want to pull the heads. Kicking myself in the butt for not having new lifters put in when the head were installed. I guess I am going to pull the valve covers and clean the rocker assemblies and the pushrods. Do a valve adjustment if it can be done on an 89 and see what happens.

 

[creepinjeepster]

If someone was to use the seafoam, how long would they leave it in before changing the oil and is it a one time thing or would they have to do it periodically? Of course with the exception of replacing the rods. Can anybody also tell me if (As Big Jim M said) the 1990 model 2.9 have the adjustment screws on it for tightening up the rods and lifters?

 

[MichiganLarry]

I was at the Ford dealer last night and they DO NOT list anything but standard length push rods for the 2.9. I'm not sure where Big Jim is getting his information but they don't make em!