Hey Everyone,
I have noticed that this explorer has alot of lifter noise at idel and in park. When I first bought it a lifter would stick for about 10 seconds when you would fist start it and after that I would not do it again. The day that I took delivery of this SUV i had the oil changed and a quart of slick 50 added, I figured that might take care of the lifter sticking. It seemed after this oil change the lifter problem only got WORSE! Now it clicks almost all the time except after the engine is good and warmed up, and even then it sometimes does it. Like I said before i had slick 50 added to the engine, I am also running 10w-40 oil. Is that the correct type to run? Is there anything I can do to help quite the lifter clicking, or get rid of it all together. On a side note where on the engine is the oxygen sensor and the MAF sensor. Thanks for the help, you guys are great!
Sean

 

Two thoughts on the lifter noise; others may have better info. As I see it, there are 2 possibilities: 1) the lifters aren't getting any oil (clogged oil pathway, oil pump not pumping or pumping insufficiently) or 2) the lifters are damaged or worn to the point that they just need to be replaced.

For the side note, the MAF is next to the air filter housing (between it and the tube that goes to the throttle body). The O2 sensor on my '92 is located on the Y pipe where the exhaust from the two sides comes together upstream from the cat.

 

I have had this problem with my 4.0 litre v6 as well as at least 4 others. Ford's design of the rocker arms is very poor to say the least. THey cut the oil holes in the rocker sockets too big and this cuts into the push rods, wearing the sides of the pushrods to nothing. I am sure that if you pull the valve covers off and take the rocker shafts off you will find that the pushrods are very badly worn. Lots of people have said that the lifters foul but if you look at the pushrods you can tell that they are worn. If you pull one of the push rods out and compare the two ends you will be able to tell with no problem, they should look exactly the same. I have seen them worn over 1/16". This makes for a loud ticking engine. I have had one person comment on the "Diesel engine" in my explorer. One thing to note. BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL when removing the pushrods. There are plastic guides that snap onto the lifters. THese guides not only guide the end of the pushrod on installation, but they hold a cup that goes into the end of the lifter in place. If the plastic clip is broken, the oil in the cup where the push rod sits will make the cup stick to the end of the push rod and will come out with the push rod when you remove it. If this happens, you MUST BE VERY CAREFUL not to drop this cup into the engine. It happened to me and i had to remove the upper intake manifold to get the piece. Luckily for me it didn't drop into the oil pan. If it falls into the oil pan you will have to go to the ford dealer and buy the entire lifter for $50 just to get the new cup out of the new rocker.

Hoppy

 

Check your manual,It may or should say 5w30.Check with the Ford Dealer.I have been told not to run anything but 5w30.My manual calls for 5w30.