[Dennyj1992]

So as the title of thread states, I'm getting a fairly loud ticking noise coming from the engine bay, on cold start. The colder the car, the louder it is.

As the car warms up, it begins to fade away, but never completely goes. I've been told by a few people who have listened to it, that it's "probably" a lifter tick. That's a little scary to me, since I'm aware that over time, damage can be done.

So, I have decided that instead of ripping apart the block (I've got way too much money into this dang car now) that I'm going to give it an oil change soon, with a new filter.

Just to make sure, I wanna see if anyone has had any success with any additives out there, such as Rensol, Lucas oil stabilizer, ARX, and so on. I've only had good results with Seafoam, but that was for bringing performance back to the car, and burning off carbon deposits and what not.

So what do you guys think? If I have to, I can try to get a video of the sound up later tonight, after work. Thanks!

 

[Dennyj1992]

BUMP. No help from anyone?

Any good products out there that may be worth the extra cash/shot?

 

[polygon]

From what you describe, the ticking is almost certainly caused by the valve tappets. In Europe, a popular additive brand used on Fords is Wynn's Hydraulic Valve Lifter Treatment (http://www.wynnoil.co.uk/products-wynns-oil-hydraulic-valve-lifter.htm). I never had to use one myself but it seems to have a high success rate.

If you are told to do an engine flush, I suggest you seek some professional advice before you proceed as there are several conflicting opinions on the need and benefits of flushing an engine. One such reference is this - http://www.carbibles.com/engineoil_bible.html

More importantly, maintain regular oil + filter changes and use the recommended grade for your vehicle.

 

[amc49]

Solid lifters there, one is getting worn a bit. Proper tech there is to measure tappet clearance and yank cam and change tappet for one slightly thicker to take up the slack.

 

[Mandroid]

The first thing you do when you hear a tick is to change your oil. Depending on how many miles on your engine, I would put a third of a can of seafoam in your tank, your oil, and through the vacuum line. Run it for a day or two, then change oil again. I believe most (or all) modern ford engines use 5w-20 motor oil. Use that and a Napa filter.



My spi makes all kinds of mast sounds in the cold. And right before it needs an oil change it starts to sound like a dodge neon on start up.

 

[amc49]

One of the reasons they will tick so easy is because you all use that lightweight oil which is like water. You just haven't figured that out yet. Not me and have never had a ticker ever in the entire stream of cars I've owned in 40 years.............scratch that, one did in like 1971 and lifter was broken, fixed it like the next day.

You guys are killing me by giving hillbilly cures for HYDRAULIC lifters which these DO NOT HAVE. There is NOTHING THERE TO UNSTICK to make it run quiet again.

Seafoam, again, hilarious................LMAO

 

[Dennyj1992]

The first thing you do when you hear a tick is to change your oil. Depending on how many miles on your engine, I would put a third of a can of seafoam in your tank, your oil, and through the vacuum line. Run it for a day or two, then change oil again. I believe most (or all) modern ford engines use 5w-20 motor oil. Use that and a Napa filter.


My spi makes all kinds of mast sounds in the cold. And right before it needs an oil change it starts to sound like a dodge neon on start up.

I do plan to change it, either tomorrow or monday. I've used Seafoam and it always seem to be great stuff. So many people are skeptical of it, but I've only got great things to say about it. Those people I feel are just too scared to use it.

Wait...you drive an SPI? Thought you had a Zetec in that car?

One of the reasons they will tick so easy is because you all use that lightweight oil which is like water. You just haven't figured that out yet. Not me and have never had a ticker ever in the entire stream of cars I've owned in 40 years.............scratch that, one did in like 1971 and lifter was broken, fixed it like the next day.

You guys are killing me by giving hillbilly cures for HYDRAULIC lifters which these DO NOT HAVE. There is NOTHING THERE TO UNSTICK to make it run quiet again.

Seafoam, again, hilarious................LMAO

So you suggest changing the oil to a thicker weight then?

 

[Mandroid]

Nope! Spi to the day it dies lol

 

[spacemanspif]

Lucas oil stabilizer is thicker than gear oil. All it will do is turn your 5-20 oil into an unknown weight oil. I like the idea of 5-40 syn diesel oil as it maintains the cold viscosity recommended by Ford while giving the protection of a heavier oil. I'm running 5-40 in my Monte Carlo and my Focus. Only have 1500miles on the oil in the Focus though so can't really comment on how much the Duratec like it.

 

[Dennyj1992]

Lucas oil stabilizer is thicker than gear oil. All it will do is turn your 5-20 oil into an unknown weight oil. I like the idea of 5-40 syn diesel oil as it maintains the cold viscosity recommended by Ford while giving the protection of a heavier oil. I'm running 5-40 in my Monte Carlo and my Focus. Only have 1500miles on the oil in the Focus though so can't really comment on how much the Duratec like it.

So your saying no to the Lucas then? If it makes it a thicker weight oil, then hey, I'm all for it.

 

[amc49]

Thicker oil fine until you try to crank in subzero temps where you are located.

Re: seafoam...........

'Those people I feel are just too scared to use it.'

Not scared, rather smart enough to not do it.

I sold it to hundreds knowing it causes plenty of problems, you either get that or you don't. Can't change lemming ideas so may as well cave in and collect the incentive off the product, which ran more than most any other brands. That's right, they PAID US to lie about the product, how ideas like that get locked in peoples' heads. People like me drumming it in over and over and over.

I will say it again for those hard of hearing, just WHAT is it you think you are cleaning out there??? If trash in engine it was far better off firmly attached rather than free floating as it can be after you dissolve it loose to trash your bearings. If decarboning engine and intake you just half clogged your cat bigtime and why so many cars get sold after PO screws them up doing it. Where on earth do you think that smoke cloud came from??? The fact that it CAN work knocking things loose makes using it even more scary to those WHO CAN THINK.

The only use I could see that makes any sense would be lesser amounts run casually in the fuel to say keep injectors clean, and having never run into injector issues in all the time I've owned cars I don't waste money on it. The fuel itself has cleaners to do that but everybody wants to think 'this must be better', the big lie to oneself there.

What is the most common denominator of seafoam users???????????

Young guys or those older who do not know much about cars. I've seen the demographic there, the sales reps showed it to us. I added the 'do not know' part but that fits in 100% with the 'young guys' thing. Like right here. Separate them at your peril. I saw that demographic tramp into the part store all day long and it was solid as a rock.

Thicker oil helps ticking but only one way to do it right. I've already said that.

 

[Mandroid]

Thicker oil fine until you try to crank in subzero temps where you are located.





Re: seafoam...........





'Those people I feel are just too scared to use it.'





Not scared, rather smart enough to not do it.





I sold it to hundreds knowing it causes plenty of problems, you either get that or you don't. Can't change lemming ideas so may as well cave in and collect the incentive off the product, which ran more than most any other brands. That's right, they PAID US to lie about the product, how ideas like that get locked in peoples' heads. People like me drumming it in over and over and over.





I will say it again for those hard of hearing, just WHAT is it you think you are cleaning out there??? If trash in engine it was far better off firmly attached rather than free floating as it can be after you dissolve it loose to trash your bearings. If decarboning engine and intake you just half clogged your cat bigtime and why so many cars get sold after PO screws them up doing it. Where on earth do you think that smoke cloud came from??? The fact that it CAN work knocking things loose makes using it even more scary to those WHO CAN THINK.





The only use I could see that makes any sense would be lesser amounts run casually in the fuel to say keep injectors clean, and having never run into injector issues in all the time I've owned cars I don't waste money on it. The fuel itself has cleaners to do that but everybody wants to think 'this must be better', the big lie to oneself there.





What is the most common denominator of seafoam users???????????





Young guys or those older who do not know much about cars. I've seen the demographic there, the sales reps showed it to us. I added the 'do not know' part but that fits in 100% with the 'young guys' thing. Like right here. Separate them at your peril. I saw that demographic tramp into the part store all day long and it was solid as a rock.





Thicker oil helps ticking but only one way to do it right. I've already said that.

Hahaha your such an ass.

 

[amc49]

Thank you, just trying to pass along what I have pretty much verified so many times I can't count, your choice to use that or dump it while laughing. Remember, looking at your own result is only one outcome and not reliable evidence in any testing procedure on earth since your judgement is pre-prejudiced. Look at the great mass of other users and tell me you still see the same thing. They taught you that in science class if you were awake to hear it. I also see great numbers of people who tilt their futures with self-bullshit and what humanity does best. One either looks accurately and critically at himself or he doesn't and so much the worse for him there. Most can't and how those additive companies survive to even thrive.

Why I say, fix the driver first................the bigger problem there 70% of the time.

I have never used additives since first car in 1971 and a whole string of motorcycles before that back to '65. I have NEVER paid EVER for car or bike repair of ANY KIND and can easily fix any issue the rest of you limp on forever with your additives.

Let me know when you catch up to me.

Oh, hahaha.............you are 100% correct. I AM an ass, I've earned the right.

 

[Dennyj1992]

Why I say, fix the driver first................the bigger problem there 70% of the time.

I have never used additives since first car in 1971 and a whole string of motorcycles before that back to '65. I have NEVER paid EVER for car or bike repair of ANY KIND and can easily fix any issue the rest of you limp on forever with your additives.

Let me know when you catch up to me.

Oh, hahaha.............you are 100% correct. I AM an ass, I've earned the right.

...but you do have a point! A good argument to back it up as well.

So, I'm confused on one part. Your saying that using fuel injector cleaner every once in a while does NO harm? Are you saying it's a waste of money though?

 

[amc49]

It hurts nothing at all, but I never do it. Buy quality fuel and no issues, the fuel has plenty of cleaners in it by federal law.

Most of those additives massage the car owner's mental state far more than they do the car good. I asked the customers that were familiar with me and they would say they didn't know but they 'felt better about using it', it being whatever the additive was. Proof of the self-bullsh-t thing to me.

I on a whim maybe 3-4 times over the last 40+ years have actually tried an additive or two just to screw with myself, I got them for free from overstock at the part store our garage had a contract with. I developed ideas from that that they did nothing, I saw nothing there except product that disappeared into the cars and did nothing.

I have never though ever put anything in oil to clean the engine insides. Never had the need as the engines ran pretty clean and I know enough about oiling systems to know you just don't do that unless you like rebuilding engines. An absolute no-no in my world.

 

[sailor]

Many like to use a GOOD fuel system cleaner like Chevron Techron that's basically a concentrate of what they use in the gasoline once a year or every oil change as a preventive measure - on the "can't hurt" theory.

I'll use various chemicals when needed, like a cleaner when a car has set a long time & I know there's old fuel in there or dry gas when excess water is suspected (not often now with E10 being common).

Regular use without reason doesn't make sense, as amc pointed out.

 

[Mandroid]

Thank you, just trying to pass along what I have pretty much verified so many times I can't count, your choice to use that or dump it while laughing. Remember, looking at your own result is only one outcome and not reliable evidence in any testing procedure on earth since your judgement is pre-prejudiced. Look at the great mass of other users and tell me you still see the same thing. They taught you that in science class if you were awake to hear it. I also see great numbers of people who tilt their futures with self-bullshit and what humanity does best. One either looks accurately and critically at himself or he doesn't and so much the worse for him there. Most can't and how those additive companies survive to even thrive.

Why I say, fix the driver first................the bigger problem there 70% of the time.

I have never used additives since first car in 1971 and a whole string of motorcycles before that back to '65. I have NEVER paid EVER for car or bike repair of ANY KIND and can easily fix any issue the rest of you limp on forever with your additives.

Let me know when you catch up to me.

Oh, hahaha.............you are 100% correct. I AM an ass, I've earned the right.

Yes, you are correct, these have solid lifters. I did not know that because I have an spi. I always run what my manufacturer suggests for oil, I figure that they built the damn car, so they probably know what's best for it. I have a lot to learn about cars, I'm only 20. However I AM an apprentice General Motors technician so I'm not a complete idiot. [][][][][][]**

 

[Dennyj1992]

Yes, you are correct, these have solid lifters. I did not know that because I have an spi.

I guess I'll say it back then. Zetec till it dies!!! [whip]

[bootyshake][bootyshake][bootyshake]

 

[Mandroid]

I guess I'll say it back then. Zetec till it dies!!! [whip]





[bootyshake][bootyshake][bootyshake]

It wont die lol

 

[Dennyj1992]

It wont die lol

Damn right. Get those Valve Seats pressed in with larger ones, or change your head before it does buddy! [loveff]