Just replaced the timing belt on my 95 Ranger 2.3 4 cylinder tonight. She's about to turn 60,000 miles and Ford recommends it at this mileage interval, so I decided to tear into it. Other than a little difficulty breaking the crank pulley bolt loose, and getting the PS/AC bracket out of the way, it was a fairly simple job. Got it all put back together, fired it up and had a very pronounced tapping, not knocking, identical to the sound of a motor with a bad lifter. I quickly shut it off and double-checked to make sure nothing was rubbing or hitting anywhere. The oil pressure gauge had shown normal oil pressure. After finding nothing I started it up as I had put cooling system flush in it and let it warm up. Gradually the tapping got quieter, then went away. Now it is just as quiet as it always was, but the thought of something being wrong in there worries me. Anybody have any ideas as to what might have happened to make a noise like this that would just go away by itself?