Chevy guy needs help on ford straight six....

I'm a Chevy guy through and through, but my girlfriend insists on driving her '93 F-150 with straight 6 and 5 speed.

It's developed a tick (most noticeable at idle and acceleration) from the engine, and she thinks it's oil pump, but I think it may be a lifter problem - are these engines known for having any problems in either area?

Thanks for the help...

Jeremy

-- It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. -Albert Einstein

Reply to
Jeremy Chavers
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Great combo...straight six and 5-speed. Surprised to hear she's having any trouble at all. As long as the oil is changed in the 300 (4.9L) six, they seem to run forever. Used to have carb problems but since yours is a '93 I would assume it is injected. Your tick may be a stuck lifter...I think they were hydraulic, I had a '84. Hard to say without hearing it.

-BunnMan

Reply to
BunnMan

It seems to be a pretty good combo, but she says as of late (new girlfriend...lol), it's getting sluggish and the fuel economy is going downhill, but she just changed out her O2 sensor and thinks its helping her fuel economy some. Yeah, it's FI, so no carb probs there.

I'll check on the lifters and see from there....

Thanks...

Jeremy

Reply to
Jeremy Chavers

First of all, it's not the oil pump. Sounds like a lifter. Make sure she doesn't have an exhaust leak on that manifold. They are bad about warping. Sometimes they sound just like a lifter. If you decide it is a lifter, then add about 3 quarts of diesel fuel to the oil the next time it's due for a change and then LET IT IDLE for 20 minutes or so and change it. DO NOT drive it and do not rev it up. The diesel fuel will clean the sticky lifter (if there is one). Then drain the oil whilst hot and let it drain for at least a half hour. Change the filter also.

Reply to
Steve Barker

Steve,

At first listen, I thought it was an exhaust leak as well, but then I heard it later in the trip (we went on about an hour and a half trip), and it had more of a hollow sound than an exhaust leak (those I'm *very* familiar with on my '79 GMC), so I'm leaning towards lifters as well - the truck has over

170,000 miles on it, so it may just be time to change them out with a new set (at $1.99 a pop, it's doable).

Thanks....

Jeremy

Reply to
Jeremy Chavers

You can't hardly find an easier engine to change lifters on...:/ Get new cover seals if you do though. The old ones will probably fall apart when you pull the cover. I'd check the valve train first. Make sure each rocker is getting oil. Sometimes the rocker arms develop a wear pattern that lets the pushrod sink into the rocker. The oil hole on the end of the pushrod gets plugged, and no oil will flow. Also, sometimes the rocker studs will pull a bit, or you could need an adjustment. But if a stud pulled a bit, it would be a steady loud clack all the time. Lifters don't go bad very often if you keep the oil clean. In a way, I'd be surprised if it is the lifter, unless the oil changes have been neglected on that truck. MK

Reply to
Mark Keith

They have better anti-drainback valves, thats for sure. Fram seems to have none. I'll never stick an orange original fram filter on my ford

6 again...I tried one on my old engine, and it was a disaster waiting to happen. You won't see anything but motorcraft or purolator on mine. "FL-1A". It may not be his problem, but if he does happen to have a orange fram filter on there, I'd yank it fast. Orange fram filters and inline 6's don't get along. You MUST have the anti-drain valve. This was a problem with the mopar slant 6 also. MK
Reply to
Mark Keith

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