Ford 4.6 Oil Quesions...and engine tick

[ClearDark]

Greetings,

Thanks all for the responses. I have not changed the fuel filter or the PCV yet. The plugs were changed, and aside from the transmission service, the only thing I have done is changed the belt tensioner pulley.

Im thinking I might try some Motorcraft, Pennzoil, or Mobil 1 5W20 synthetic engine oil here shortly. However, I did notice something new about the ticking.

It's hard to tell, but it seems to get even louder, and appears to be originating from down behind the throttle body. At least, with an ear down, it was louder in that area. Does that lead to any new conclusions?

 

[aquariuscsm]

If it were my car,I`d loose the Castrol and try Pennzoil yb or Valvoline wb 10W30 and an oem oil filter and see what happens. I used to use GTX way back when,but when I tried it again awhile back,I had startup lifter tick on every startup. Same thing happened with my friend`s Altima when the oil change place put GTX in. I wonder if they changed something in their oil formula that some engines just "don`t like"?

 

[tig1]

Is it possible that you may have a bearing failing in one of the belt pulleys? Also you may need to replace the plastic air manifold because they may fail where the alternator bolts on to it at the rear of the alternator. They will leak water as that is the crossover water tube for the heads. I replaced mine before it failed because of the reputation it has.

 

[hal]

those 4.6L V8's can make some valve-ticky noises. it's really nothing to be concerned about if it's not too loud. perhaps the slightly lower visc. of 5w30 made it more pronounced so i would not switch to something lighter than that.

 

[ClearDark]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
If it were my car,I`d loose the Castrol and try Pennzoil yb or Valvoline wb 10W30 and an oem oil filter and see what happens. I used to use GTX way back when,but when I tried it again awhile back,I had startup lifter tick on every startup. Same thing happened with my friend`s Altima when the oil change place put GTX in. I wonder if they changed something in their oil formula that some engines just "don`t like"?


Interesting observation. I will drain the GTX and refill with Pennzoil Platinum synthetic (if I can get my hands on it) or Mobil 1 5W30. I think im going to stick with 5W30.

This intake manifold has already been replaced with the updated design, thankfully.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Originally Posted By: Art_Vandelay
Here is the under valve cover photos of one of his other cars:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1160087&fpart=1

I can't find the Lincoln but this is just as good for reference.


And there are photos of just as clean engines that were run on conventional oils.

Just to keep it REAL...



Here's some sludge.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/fullsize/2650544220084747309wYHhJl


Big deal. Go to your web site and select the Las Vegas Taxi test. You'll see sludge there on the only engines that they torn down running only syn.

Please stop with every post with the koolaid. People (more run conventional than syn) are PROVING that good old normal oil works well.

Lets see where is the other part of the tag team is...

I'm sure he will show up soon....

 

[MillerMan]

well I have problems with my 2005 Grand marquis 4.6 on startup. the warmer it is the worse it is, it's timing chain. but it sounds like a rod or main bearing until the oil hits it hard. which is 1 to 3 seconds long

when it's was below zero F there was no noise on start up, even after sitting for few days outside.

a month ago I went from M1 0w-20 to motorcraft syn blend 5w-20, amazingly after going to motorcraft there is tick in the top of the engine, until it gets warm. never had with M1. it sarted 15 seconds after changing the oil to motorcraft on the first startup the oil was changed. filter is motorcraft 820s or what ever. I will be adding 15w-40 as the top up oil this summer, but come next fall it will be 0w-x for winter

old thread on the problem:

4.6 starup noise

 

[ClearDark]

Alright

After reading, and reading, and talking, and reading, I have finally settled on:

Pennzoil YB or Valvoline WB conventional motor oil. I am going to switch back 10W30 using a Motorcraft "S" oil filter, and see what happens. If results are nill, I will probably switch back to 5W30, and maybe try a synthetic blend. If that does not do it, then screw it. I will live with it.

Thanks for all the replies. I will be sure to update with results.

 

[tig1]

Bill you misread my post. I only wanted to show the other side of the exposed engine story with a pic of a sludged engine. I didn't mean to infer it ran on dino. Who is the other part of the tag team?

 

[wgtoys]

A friend of mine has a Grand Marquis with this motor which developed a hard to identify tick-tick-tick sound. Oddly enough, his cleared up one day after doing an oil change to Castrol GTX 5W-30. I'm not sure what oil he was running previously, and I suspect that the sound going away when he changed oils is coincidental, but he now will not use anything but GTX.

I never did figure out what really happened, but I heard the before and after noise myself.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: tig1
Bill you misread my post. I only wanted to show the other side of the exposed engine story with a pic of a sludged engine. I didn't mean to infer it ran on dino. Who is the other part of the tag team?


I'm curious too? I know Bill has had great results with conventional, just like I have had with M1? I dunno? I didn't post my pics in this thread, somebody else did.......

 

[Art_Vandelay]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Originally Posted By: Art_Vandelay
Here is the under valve cover photos of one of his other cars:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1160087&fpart=1

I can't find the Lincoln but this is just as good for reference.


And there are photos of just as clean engines that were run on conventional oils.

Just to keep it REAL...


Bill,

I think it is absolutely fine to run conventional oil in this car. Perhaps it is the best use of money to do so. However, I suggested he use the Mobil 1 rebate to grab 2 jugs for $12 each. Due to the situation why not avail oneself of the additional cleaning power of synthetic? While a conventional may keep an engine just as clean as a synthetic, you don't think it will clean one as well or as quickly as Mobil 1 do you? That's all I wanted to suggest to the OP.

 

[milwaukee]

I had a "low mileage" used Marquis with 135K miles. It had a mysterious small tick in the valvetrain but the car ran like new and was super nice. I ran autorx and it went away.

Modular Ford v8's are awesome motors.

My guess on the tick was it was caused by a tiny bit of crud in the valvetrain and the autorx cleaned it out.

I have used autorx a bunch of times on different cars and this was the only time I saw any results.

I have used every wt of oil known to man in these motors 5w-20 to 20w-50 (don't string me up/I was trying to slow a leak without fixing it on a 270K mile car).

By far and away the thinner the better. 5w-20 and 5w-30 for me. I haven't had a 4.6 for a few years so most of mine got 5w-30 because then 5w-20 was more expensive.

 

[tig1]

It's been my experience that dino creates sludge at moderate OCIs, above 7000 miles. In years past even less miles. However with 31 years of using M1 oils, 10000 miles and above OCIs, my engines have stayed as clean as the pics of OVERK1LLs engine. No doubt todays dino is much improved over what I used 45 years ago.

 

[ClearDark]

Alright. Just before I went to get the oil and filter, I read a post about Pennzoil Platinum, and I decided I was going to go to synthetic. Afterall, it's a better oil for cleansing and what not.

I got to the China Mart, and saw rows and rows of oil. Yep, they had Pennzoil Platinum in quarts and 5 quart jugs. Then, beside it, I saw a deal on Mobil 1 Synthetic. 5 quart jug for $22.00.

So, I walked out with the Mobil 1 oil and a new motorcraft filter. I will drain and refill with mobil 1 tomorrow, and will post my results.

Stay tuned.

 

[ClearDark]

I went ahead and drained the GTX dino oil and replaced it with Mobil 1 and a new filter.

Ticking is still there. Upon further analysis, the ticking does not appear to be valve noise afterall. It is probably ticking injectors. The worst of the ticking noise appears to be around the fuel pressure regulator (when heard with a stethoscope).

Either way, the engine seems to like M1, and next oil change I may switch to a Mobil 1 Clean 5000 or 7500 blend.

Thanks for all the help submitted here.

 

[tig1]

As my 4.6 does yours will do well on M1 at 10,000 OCIs. Never wear it out.

 

[JustinH]

The problem is the oil filter.

The 4.6 likes the motorcraft oil filters, anything else will tick at startup.

I have owned probably 5-6 cars with this 4.6L motor. Some of them do tick, the injectors for this motor are VERY LOUD.

With the 96, I would just keep the oil level up, and keep it changed regularly, with the OEM filter.

The only maintenance I would do with this motor, is put in some OEM spark plugs when the motor is stone cold. Torque them properly. If you are cheap, you can buy autolites, they are the same as the motorcraft plugs.

Don't worry about it, just drive it. The motor will outlast the rest of the car.

How is the oil in the trans? I would change that first.

 

[ClearDark]

JustinH,

I use only Motorcraft "S" Filters for this car. I believe it is the FL-820S (thinking from memory). I bought a case of them when I acquired the car. So it is not the oil filter unfortunately. I believe it is the fuel injection system, or an exhaust leak. It ticks, warm or cold, at an idle, but goes away above an idle. I thought I was hearing the ticking at WOT, but I really was not. I haven't been able to hear it above an idle since I thought I heard it that one time.

I recently changed the plugs. Motorcraft platinum plugs came out; looked like originals. Either way, I put new Autolite Platinums in the car, and all is well.

I dropped the transmission pan 2 weeks ago, drained the fluid from the pan and torque converter, and replaced the filter and refilled with Valvoline Maxlife trans fluid. One step ahead of you.

Upkeep is my #1 priority, and I refuse to slack off on maintainence. This past weekend I replaced the idler pulley, tensioner pulley, and put a new serpentine belt on, as well as a fresh change of Mobil 1 synthetic.

Thanks for the advice anyhow.

 

[Art_Vandelay]

Originally Posted By: ClearDark
JustinH,

I use only Motorcraft "S" Filters for this car. I believe it is the FL-820S (thinking from memory). I bought a case of them when I acquired the car. So it is not the oil filter unfortunately. I believe it is the fuel injection system, or an exhaust leak. It ticks, warm or cold, at an idle, but goes away above an idle. I thought I was hearing the ticking at WOT, but I really was not. I haven't been able to hear it above an idle since I thought I heard it that one time.

I recently changed the plugs. Motorcraft platinum plugs came out; looked like originals. Either way, I put new Autolite Platinums in the car, and all is well.

I dropped the transmission pan 2 weeks ago, drained the fluid from the pan and torque converter, and replaced the filter and refilled with Valvoline Maxlife trans fluid. One step ahead of you.

Upkeep is my #1 priority, and I refuse to slack off on maintainence. This past weekend I replaced the idler pulley, tensioner pulley, and put a new serpentine belt on, as well as a fresh change of Mobil 1 synthetic

Thanks for the advice anyhow.


Did you go with the Autolite single or double Platinum plugs? I'm just curious since I'm going to do mine shortly and you stated it's running well after the change. I think the doubles are APP104 and just a single P for the other version.