2.9l lifter ticking on and off and "Pissing Me Off"

88 XLT Ranger · Jun 27, 2015

Sorry guys

I am tired of dealing with my 2.9l 1988 Ranger this lifter ticking has got me mad as hell. I am dealing with another issue with my other post but this is strange. I put 3 quarts of Lucas and one of the sticky STP treatment and one of 20W-50 Valvoline. I get this on start up serious lifter ticking I drive 6 miles under a load going uphill it gets quite going into town I shut it off for 3 minuts than start it up real loud lifter ticking and engine running rough. The strange thing a few minuts into my drive it gets quite again runs great. This on and off ticking I have real tired of it. I got California smog check and with lifter ticking I know it wont pass

Now my question is on the 2.9l they have adjustable rocker arms with hydraulic lifters can they be adjusted to quite them down? most hydraulic cams and lifters don't have adjustable rocker arms

Spott · Jun 27, 2015

Can you put an oil pressure gauge on your engine and give us a number?

You don't want to be treating the symptoms, and ignoring the underlying problem. If you've got serious oil pressure problems, merely quieting the lifter tick won't help you much.

88 XLT Ranger · Jun 28, 2015

Spott said:
Can you put an oil pressure gauge on your engine and give us a number?

You don't want to be treating the symptoms, and ignoring the underlying problem. If you've got serious oil pressure problems, merely quieting the lifter tick won't help you much.

I have the Dummy light only no gauge on my 88 I did have the oil light come on once but never did it again. When I start it up cold I hear a strange sound like sucking sound in the oil pan like one second than gone

Spott · Jun 28, 2015

None of them ever came with a gauge, you'll have to get one or borrow one or go to a shop and have them test it.

As far as valve adjustment goes: if it's bad, correct it, but don't go misadjusting things on purpose.

Here's what the service manual says:

88 XLT Ranger · Jun 28, 2015

Spott said:
None of them ever came with a gauge, you'll have to get one or borrow one or go to a shop and have them test it.

As far as valve adjustment goes: if it's bad, correct it, but don't go misadjusting things on purpose.

Here's what the service manual says:

Thanks Spott

On my other post bubbling issue Ron gave me info on adjusting the rocker arms. I should pull the valve covers see what is going on and adjust them one full turn first see if it helps the ticking

Spott · Jun 28, 2015

That's not what Ron said, go back and read it again.

He said exactly what my service manual said, except he said "on an old engine, adjust them properly first, and maybe add an extra 1/4 turn" (paraphrased).

88 XLT Ranger · Jun 28, 2015

Spott said:
That's not what Ron said, go back and read it again.

He said exactly what my service manual said, except he said "on an old engine, adjust them properly first, and maybe add an extra 1/4 turn" (paraphrased).

Spott thanks

I see the lash part I am lost I can't get the service manual to open I got dial up. How do you do the adjusting properly? I hate to bother you folks on this issue if I pull the valve covers what it the first stage and doing the adjusting properly. I might have some out of adjustment I need the TRS 101 on this as not to mess it up

Spott · Jun 28, 2015

Did you look at the pic I posted? That's my photograph of a page in my '88 Ranger factory service manual. There's nothing more to "open up". You just read the words in the picture.

Spott · Jun 28, 2015

Listen, I gotta stop you here, man. You've posted 6 different threads about the same 2 problems in this same forum, since February.

You're confusing everyone by repeating the same things over and over, in different threads. We can't look back and see what you've already done or already been told, if you don't stick to the same thread.

You keep asking for help, but you don't pay attention to the responses. You were instructed in February to get an oil pressure reading on your engine. You were told a month ago to do a full garden-hose flush on your coolant system. You were given step-by-step instructions for the "glove test" in mid-May, and you still hadn't done it (or apparently read those instructions) in late May when you asked again.

Yeah, it's going to cost a few dollars for equipment and supplies to pinpoint your problems, but you were the guy quoting $900+ for parts for an upper engine rebuild (which wouldn't solve the ticking; your problem is almost certainly camshaft bearings). If you want to fix this thing, you're gonna have to do some tests, you're gonna have to report what you find, you're gonna have to follow the advice you're given, and you're gonna have to answer the questions asked of you.

If you don't, then all the answers from all the experts in the world aren't going to help you fix your truck.

88 XLT Ranger · Jun 28, 2015

Spott said:
Listen, I gotta stop you here, man. You've posted 6 different threads about the same 2 problems in this same forum, since February.

You're confusing everyone by repeating the same things over and over, in different threads. We can't look back and see what you've already done or already been told, if you don't stick to the same thread.

You keep asking for help, but you don't pay attention to the responses. You were instructed in February to get an oil pressure reading on your engine. You were told a month ago to do a full garden-hose flush on your coolant system. You were given step-by-step instructions for the "glove test" in mid-May, and you still hadn't done it (or apparently read those instructions) in late May when you asked again.

Yeah, it's going to cost a few dollars for equipment and supplies to pinpoint your problems, but you were the guy quoting $900+ for parts for an upper engine rebuild (which wouldn't solve the ticking; your problem is almost certainly camshaft bearings). If you want to fix this thing, you're gonna have to do some tests, you're gonna have to report what you find, you're gonna have to follow the advice you're given, and you're gonna have to answer the questions asked of you.

If you don't, then all the answers from all the experts in the world aren't going to help you fix your truck.

Good Point there Spott

I guess its the Panic stage I have trying to save this truck not having funds to buy a used $14K 4X4. I did do the glove test with other means plastic bag it was negative. I did the flushing and burping with no luck it still has lifter ticking and overheating that got better. After Bars leak no loss of coolant and no overheating just bubbles in the reservoir. Like you said cam bearings that is a total engine re-build way more than that the truck is worth. I just spent $3200 on a re-built trans than this issue. You get to the point of being stressed out to much and panic looking for help maybe in my case a little to much. Sorry to bother you fine folks real sorry

Spott · Jun 28, 2015

I'm afraid the Stop-Leak quite possibly clogged parts of your cooling system; while fixing one thing it caused another problem.

If you can get an oil pressure number, you can know for sure if it's worn cam bearings, or if it's something easier and cheaper (but it's not worth attempting the easier cheaper repairs if the problem is caused by cam bearings, so you need to find out first).

Were you able to get my picture? I'll type it out for you if you can't.

88 XLT Ranger · Jun 28, 2015

Spott said:
I'm afraid the Stop-Leak quite possibly clogged parts of your cooling system; while fixing one thing it caused another problem.

If you can get an oil pressure number, you can know for sure if it's worn cam bearings, or if it's something easier and cheaper (but it's not worth attempting the easier cheaper repairs if the problem is caused by cam bearings, so you need to find out first).

Were you able to get my picture? I'll type it out for you if you can't.

Spott thanks

I do very much appreciate you hanging in there helping me out. I finaly after 5 re-fresh with dial up got the photos to come up and copied them to my computer photos. Thank you so much Spott on testing oil pressure I have a gauge how would I hook it up to test it? doing this myself?

Spott · Jun 28, 2015

You need to install the gauge hose into the same hole the oil pressure sensor is in currently. If you want to leave the gauge as a permanent accessory, get a T-fitting so you can mount both at the same time, but if you're just testing you can set the factory sensor aside for now.

You may need some plumbing parts to get your gauge hooked up; you'll have to see what you have.

Get a pressure reading at idle with the engine warm, and another at 2000 RPM. You're hoping for a number like 40 PSI at 2000 RPM, but let us know what you get.

88 XLT Ranger · Jun 28, 2015

Spott said:
You need to install the gauge hose into the same hole the oil pressure sensor is in currently. If you want to leave the gauge as a permanent accessory, get a T-fitting so you can mount both at the same time, but if you're just testing you can set the factory sensor aside for now.

You may need some plumbing parts to get your gauge hooked up; you'll have to see what you have.

Get a pressure reading at idle with the engine warm, and another at 2000 RPM. You're hoping for a number like 40 PSI at 2000 RPM, but let us know what you get.

Thanks so much Spott

I will get it tested with your info its great help and appreciated. I also got my Chilton Manual to help out. I hope the oil pump is ok will let you know

Big Jim M · Jun 28, 2015

Long story made short! If the lifter makes noise at start up and then quiets down, the problem is the lifter is leaking pressure while shut down. This is NOT repairable with a simple adjustment.
If a lifter makes noise at all times then POSSIBLY an adjustment will make it quiet at all times. as this lifter has worn itself too large for the adjustment it has. So making the rocker adjustment MIGHT take the noise out of that lifter.
My advice is to use the engine as long as possible and leave adjusting alone.
Big Jim

2.9l lifter ticking on and off and "Pissing Me Off"

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