Valve Tapping at 3000rpm

[solaceinsilence9]

yea, the title pretty much sums it up. Should I worry about this? I change the oil regularly, every 3000 miles, or 6 months (which ever happens first...) with a new filter as well. I keep 10-40W in summer and 10-30W in winter... Should I switch to a thicker oil? Would some Lucas help? Or should I dump some seafoam in there next change? The oil pressure reads normal also. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Twizzler09]

I wouldn't worry about it too much.

As I understand it (I could be wrong on this) the oil flow to the top end on the 4.0 is quite poor, and as a result the pushrods wear prematurely, creating some amount of Valve Lash. Which is usually heard in the form of "ticking" or "tapping".

It sounds to me as though your just starting to see, or rather in this case hear, the result of this condition. The lash might not be a whole lot yet, to the point where its only noticeable at higher rpms where the valves are moving far more rapidly and with more force.

Thats my thoughts, anyhow. The 4.0 experts are lurking around somewhere, hopefully they get in on this.

 

[LITTLE FOOT]

you should be using 5-30w in it. dont worry about it, it wont blow up. but if it gets louder i would go get new lifters and rods.

but try 5-30w, it makes a diff.

 

[Giant squid]

You should probly use the recommended oil for your engine, My owners manual say to use 5-30w, but 5-20w is needed to meet some emmision standards in the US ive heard.

Quote "There’s pressurized oil at the rocker shaft to lubricate the rockers, but there’s no direct way for that oil to get to the pushrod sockets. There’s a passage in each rocker that allows oil from around the rocker shaft to migrate out to the small hole in the top of the pushrod socket, but it’s wide open on the outer end so there is no pressure there to feed the oil down into the socket. Apparently the small hole in the pushrod socket that intersects this passage is supposed to meter oil down into the socket somehow, in spite of all the motion that’s trying to sling the oil out from the open end of the passage in the rocker. It’s hard to believe that any oil can actually get into the sockets, so it’s no wonder they wear out prematurely." - Doug Anderson

Pushrods are cheap, Lifters and rockerarms are not. I would inspect your rockerarms for pitting on the valve side and out right replace the rods. What kinda milege you lookin at right now?

 

[solaceinsilence9]

Well thanks for the replies. I wasnt aware that was the type of oil weight to use. I purchased this truck from a car lot... no manual came with it. Ill be sure to put 5-30w in it this next change. I didnt think it was a cause for too much concern, i've heard of ford valve tapping for AGES its just rather annoying to hear that when I put some gas to it.

 

[Stranger ranger]

you should be using 5-30w in it. dont worry about it, it wont blow up. but if it gets louder i would go get new lifters and rods. but try 5-30w, it makes a diff.

Are you 100% sure. NO
Any 4.0 can go at any time for any reason. Ask me how I know. I've been around 6 of them. 3 lasted many moons and 3 well, should have made it farther than the other three. You cant just say it wont blow up so someone who is going to believe anything you tell them. Don't sugar coat.

Well thanks for the replies. I wasn't aware that was the type of oil weight to use. I purchased this truck from a car lot... no manual came with it. Ill be sure to put 5-30w in it this next change. I didn't think it was a cause for too much concern, i've heard of ford valve tapping for AGES its just rather annoying to hear that when I put some gas to it.

Has anyone ever taken a look at the oil cap? Says it right on top what to use. If my 94 has it then a 98 dam well should have it. In this case, I'm not sold on oil being your concern and cause of the noise. Maybe, although not likely. A worn rocker arm and pushrod assembly will tap at idle. It will sound almost like an injector tap, but you'll hear it more distinct on the side of the motor and not so much in the cab, especially when you accelerate. You normally only here this tap at idle. I valve noise at 3000 rpms is usually the sypmtoms of dirty mass air flow sensor, leaky intake gasket, and a few other things.

 

[Giant squid]

oil cap on my 2000 just says "engine oil", no vis. Ford told me the vis would be labeled there but no... I am canadian but i dont think that matters cuase the truck waas still made out of the twin cities plant. kinda stange i thought

 

[Twizzler09]

I've seen plety of Fords at work that dont have the Oil Weight written on the cap, so I "almost" always use 5W-30 in those motors. Its a pretty safe bet.... most commonly specified weights on older Fords is 5W-30, newer Fords is usually 5W-20....but you still catch the oddball every once in awhile.

If there is a sticker under the hood labeled "Catalyst", it sometimes has the oil weight written on it. Not always, but fairly commonly. It also has other helpful info on it such as Plug gap, etc. Again, not always though.

 

[okietheranger]

I've seen plety of Fords at work that dont have the Oil Weight written on the cap, so I "almost" always use 5W-30 in those motors. Its a pretty safe bet.... most commonly specified weights on older Fords is 5W-30, newer Fords is usually 5W-20....but you still catch the oddball every once in awhile.

If there is a sticker under the hood labeled "Catalyst", it sometimes has the oil weight written on it. Not always, but fairly commonly. It also has other helpful info on it such as Plug gap, etc. Again, not always though.

my lifers tap like hell too only when i hold the gas stedy though at wot its fine but i ran mine out of oil when i frist put the engine (hole in the oil fliter) only for liek 30 sec when i noticed i had no oil pressure i a bottle of lucus in it which helps the oil pressure like crazy but didnt really help the noise, sometimes when i drive it sounds like a wood pecker is under the hood i think a lifter is collapsed though

 

[93ranger420]

you can use 10w30 or 10w40 just as safe as 5w20 or whatever other shit some idiot says its so important to do, yea bullshit with 265k miles and 10w30 used for them all, i highly highly doubt it does a dam thing, oil is oil, just dont use 80w gear oil or something oddball, but the difference in 10w and 5w is about as much as the 2 teams in the superbowl.