Something sticking......

Not a "lifter" in the strictest sense of the word, but it has a hydraulic lash adjuster. These are available separately. The cam follower must be removed (special tool required) to remove the lash adjuster.

You can check to see if TSB 03-25-06 applies to your car...

I found the TSB. I believe it applies, well, it appears to. Does Ford fix these problems on their own coin?

Well it appears that TSB 03-25-06 applies to Romeo built engines, and mine happens to be a Windsor. Thanks anyway!

Sounds to me like it's most likely a problem with your valvetrain. Listen to it closely and see if you can tell if it sounds like top end noise or bottom end noise. Bottom end noise is generally lower pitched and more 'thunky'. Top end noise is usually higher pitches and more of a 'ticking' noise. The first thing I'd do is adjust your valves.

In indeed the problem is a bad bearing, you most likely don't need a new engine. At the least you need a new bearing, perhaps some machine work if it's worn badly or scored the surface of the crank. Either way you slice it, you don't need a whole new engine as most likely your engine is pretty healthy. May just need a 'freshening up' with new bearings and refinishing some journals.

I'm curious, is your oil pressure low at any RPM?

Cory

I forgot to mention...... about 2 years ago, I had a 4.6 with what appeared to be a valve train or exhaust leak kind of tick..... turned out to be a scored cylinder wall. These motors run a very short, skirtless piston with antifriction material somehow embossed into the major and minor thrust faces (90% to the pin)... some of the old stuff I've learned through the years is getting replaced with new experiences.

I would suggest, then, in master guaging the oil pressure at each head while the noise is occuring. I've been mostly diesels these last couple of years but I do know there are provisions for checking oil pressure at the head. There is the possibility that oil pressure is dropping at elevated rpm and this could indicate a restricted oil pump pick up or a problem with a cylinder head orofice.

Wow....sounds complicated. Would an engine gunk flush take care of a restricted pickup? Also, it realy doesn't have to be at to much of an elevated RPM to tick. Sometimes 1500-1700 RPM. Thanks!

Nope. No low oil pressure at any RPM.

Perhaps.... but, there's no sense in trying something like this without being sure that's the problem. I've seen a lot of damage result from misguided shotgun repairs. Too many times, some of this stuff just depletes your resources so that when you toss in the towel and visit the mechanic, there's not enough funding left for a proper repair.

Check the oil pressure..... do it tha way I described.... this is the only way to know for sure.