2000 5.4 replaced the lifters - started ticking again - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

sanike · 09-05-2010, 15:03

I have a 2000 5.4 - the lifters were ticking bad on the front passenger side. After about 4 oil changes and every wonder cure in a bottle I could pour in - I replaced all the lifters and plugs. The motor has 178,000 miles. It was not a hard job to replace these. Got it all put back together and after about 35 miles - the ticking started back lightly at first and then by 70 miles it was a loud whacking sound. I let it sit over night and the next morning started it up and the whacking was still there - pulled it around the house to take the valve cover off and in just 40 yards of travel the ticking went away. Drove it around for another 15 miles or so and only after letting it sit ideling for 40 minutes it started whacking again from the same area as the original whack - front part of passenger side. Pulled the valve cover off - nothing obviously loose or broke or scarred anywhere. There was a small scratch on the second and third lobe of the cam but nothing that could be felt - just seen. Pulled the second and third lifter and rocker out - thank goodness for the 32.00 dollar tool - rolled them around and they seem fine. (when we replaced the lifters we did them one at a time making sure we did not mix up the rockers) Started it up with the valve cover off to see if we could see what was whacking and you guessed it - it was purring like a kitten - a kitten I'm ready to put a bullet in!!!!!!!!!!! Valve cover is still off - any suggestions as to what is causing the intermiten whacking sound like the lifter. I am running 5w20 in it but with all new lifters in it would it matter or even quieten it down going to a heavier oil - they are new lifters. HELP HELP HELP

sanike · 09-05-2010, 19:42

I pulled out the first three lifters and one of them I could push the top of it down a little - the other two were solid as a rock. It would push down just a tad but would spring right back up. I checked all the old ones I had pulled out and all but one of them was solid. I'm guessing the one -the new one - that I could squish down the top of is my bad one. If that is so what would cause a new one to go out in just 30 miles and could it be related to why the old one went bad?

**Bert** · 09-05-2010, 21:27

That is unusual. Where did you get the parts?

Eddie Bauer · 09-06-2010, 12:38

5 weight oil is too thin for a engine with that may miles on it - a rule of thumb my father always used was to go up one grade each 50,000 miles.

**Bert** · 09-06-2010, 19:40

The tolerances are a lot tighter than they were in the older cars and they need thinner oil to get around those tight places. We use 5w20 in our fleet vehicles and get up to 300,000 mile whan we replace them and no oil consumption, (1 qt in 2000 miles at the most), or noisey engines.

**chipset** · 09-07-2010, 16:55

You put new lifters on a cam that has 178,000 miles on it with visable scratches ? Not a good idea. You have what is called a collapsed lifter. Why is it not pumping up ? Is it the new lifter in the same spot as the old one ? If so you have a plugged oil gallery
or a worn bore. 5 - 20 is a MUST in the new engines with variable cam timing. I think
your engine is too old for that but use the recommended oil weight the car maker calls
for. You could safely try 5-30 or 10-30 but you may want to wait a few minuets before
driving if using 10-30 after start up when cold. you might hear a little piston slap. normal.

sanike · 09-08-2010, 16:36

I narrowed it down to the second lifter from the front on the passenger side. I used some 1/4 inch poly tubing hooked to a shop vac and ran it horizontally along the oil port. I alaso sucked out the bottom and that semicircle cut out in the bottom of the lifter hole in #'s 1, 2 and 3 lifter holes.
The poly tubing is clear and the oil in at the time only had 80 miles on it so it was pretty clear and I saw nothing obvious get sucked up.
I replaced that one lifter. The one I just put in came from Summitt and they were trick flows and the one I just put in was the same.
Put in new motorcraft 5w20 synthetic blend and a new motorcraft oil filter.
Let the thing idle for a while and after about 45 minutes it started ticking real low then after about 5 minutes of the ticking starting, it got up to that lifter whacking sound as original. I put my head down to the valve cover, and without taking it off, I would bet you it is the same lifter.
At this point I'm sure the lifter is not getting the oil it needs or I'm just fixing symptoms of some other problem causing the lifter to collapse.
Is it time for new heads or valves or springs or WHAT??!!??!! Do I have to pull the head to completely see that lifter oil port or holes that the oil is supposed to travel through.
One other question - if it is that (clogged port) why does it only initially start after the truck has run for about 40 minutes. If the port is clogged would it not do it from the start up instead of when the oil and motor has got warmed up.
I need some help on this - anybody else had this problem before - Like I said before - the colapessed lifter (now 3rd in a row) may only be the symptom.
I checked the rockers and they all seemed to be good and tight with no scratches on them. I checked the cam chain tensioner as well and there was not any play in the timeing chain.
Thanks in advance.