1988 Aerostar Purchase

[Ranetti]

I have just purchased a 1988 Aerostar XLT with 35,500 original miles on it. It is very clean and runs excellent, except it has a slight valve tap. Is this common in this engine and application? I've owned an "87 Taurus and a '92 as well and have never heard either 3.0 make sounds like that. It seems to go away and come back, but under acceleration froma stop, it is noticeable. Other than the cheap original radio, it's a great little machine.

[MarkP]

That is low miles for an 88. I've got slightly less the 60K on my 88 a Aerostar and the engine makes no such noise. Perhaps yours sat around unused enough and missed some oil changes and a valve lifter has become sticky. You might try an oil change including a can of upper cyclinder head lube like Marvel Mystery Oil for a few miles to free up the lifters and then do another oil/filter change back to freash oil if it frees up. I've had very good luck with this process on a couple of engines with stuck lifters in past.

[Ranetti]

I thought something like that might be called for, but hearing it from someone else reinforces that opinon. Thanks for your input.

[TallPaul]