I purchased a 92 F150 flareside 2 months ago, i'm going to use it as a daily and a work truck.

Once i got it back to my shop, i started it after sitting over night and heard a slight chatter on startup. I asked the guy NOT to start the engine before i got there, he must have, there was no chatter when i purchased it, until i let it sit over night.

The chatter was faint and was only at startup, so i changed the oil with 10-40 and this time upon startup it was very loud, then went away. I'm guessing he dumped some heavier weight oil in there and started it up before I purchased it.

The oil pressure gauge is either broken, or the motor has no oil pressure.

I suppose the oil pump could be shot however anything I do at this point may only be a temporary fix. If i put some lucas and 20w50 it may run for another year or it could go tomorrow.

The truck is in pretty good overall condition and has 136k miles...which is a shame as it runs great, has tons of power, doesnt burn or leak oil really at all with lower mileage on it.

So I came here to ask all of your advice. I bought this truck because it had everything I was looking for in a truck. I'd like to do a motor swap (351w or 460) but thats a little to extensive and unnecessary at this time.

What would you guys recommend?

Pull and rebuild, take a chance replacing mains while its in the truck, swap in for a used engine?

I have maybe $1000 including labor (most of which i'll do myself and with the help of a friend who owns a garage but ill still compensate him for his knowledge, time, tools, lift, etc) that I could justify putting into the truck. I would like to keep it at around $500..but dont know if I can make that happen. Even if I were to get a used engine I would want to regasket it.

Also, will any year and model 302 short/long blocks work? I'm may have a lead on a mustang shortblock..

I pulled the bed cap off today, and treated the little bit of rust on the extended cab, painted the factory gray strip black and cleaned it up. Going to be swapping in a straight axle after the weather breaks but so far I love it.

Thanks in advance.

 

If it is a tap at startup only, especially after sitting over night it is probably just the lifters and rockers waiting on oil. to get to the top end, if it goes away quickly after start up it is not a huge deal to worry about. If the mains were bad it would be a knock and would not go away.

First thing to do is either by a new oil pressure sender for it, or install an after market oil pressure gage. Both can be had relatively inexpensively. I believe the way to test the actual gage on the dash is to remove the wire from the sender and touch it to the engine block and the gage needle should peg out. If the actual gage in the truck works then it is the sender.
It has always been my experience when the bearings are going or gone the oil pressure is good and as everything heats up the oil pressure goes away.

As far as swapping the motor, which ever you decide I would find a used motor and go through it and have the machine shop work it while you are still driving your truck. Then when the motor is done you only have to take the truck doen for a weekend to do the swap

Matt

 

Change the oil with Rotella and run that for a little while. The diesel oils have more detergents and better suspension properties so it will clean everything fairly well. I agree that it does sound like the lifters, nothing to be worried about unless it's constant.

 

Thats what I thought when I first got it home...but unfortunately with the fresh 10w40 I can hear it throughout the rpm band very very faint upon acceleration. The old oil was very thick and black. No silver, yet.

I've heard my fair share of bearing failures and valve taps, ticks. I thought the rod was going to come through the block when I replaced the oil and started it up..whichever it may be rod or main I would rather you be right, but i'm feeling I'm not that lucky and thats why the guy sold it. I will check into it more before I make any rash decisions.

As it is now, it starts and runs around the shop yard fine.

Great information on testing the gauge. I picked this truck up as a small project to use it for work, so transportation and time isnt an issue. It may sit for awhile before I get to work on it as it needs more work to do on it before its street "ready" anyway so that is just one more thing on the list.