Oil starvation on start-up. yeah. Turn the truck on and it sound like there's a ball in my engine being knocked around (low tone). Only happens on cold start-up (over three hours after last run) when the truck does that nice rev up thing. Oil pressure gauge stays low until the noise goes away (avg 1-2 seconds). Use synthetic oil, fram hp1 oil filter, just changed. durring the change I noticed the oil was a nice shade of black (3500mi), which is something I thought didn't happen to sythetics, and color change didn't happen on prior changes. Before oil change, had an obnoxious variable ticking from the top of the engine and the oil change made it go away (only had it for a few days). I'm guesing they're all linked (noise, color, and ticking), but I'm not sure where to start. After start the oil press sits at around the R and M where it's always sat. no changes in gas miliage, engine temp or idle quality. No valve cover leaks. Pump dying? Pressure spring? The noise on startup lasted for a good 4 seconds today, and that's a long time to look at super low oil pressure and that little red "engine" light.

Any ideas? Clarification? Thanks.

1989 F-150 : 5.0, shorty headers, Flowmaster cat-back, K&N filtercharger intake, Powermaster alt., MSD-6T, soon to be Mass-Air...doesn't know she's not a Mustang

 

Get rid of that Fram filter! I've found that my truck clatters at startup with filters other than Motorcraft, so that's all I now use. There's a website (not sure of the address) that compared a bunch of different filters, and Fram turned out to be one of the worst.

1986 F-150 4x4 300 I6 NP435

 

Check the oil pressure with a mechanical gauge to see whats going on . Synthetic oil gets as dirty as any other oil . How long have you been using the synthetic oil ?

 

Had the same noise on my truck. Switched to synthetic oil but also added a quart of LUCAS oil. Haven't heard the noise again, and that was in 93.

 

I've been running a Fram filter in the truck for a year+ with no problem. Prolly will go to a better filter (if you find a link w/tests, lemme know.)

As far as the sythetic: again, been running it for a year+. changed weights once. Two changes went to 15w-40 (don't ask me why, I was young...)

I guess changing the filter would be a simple thing to do, at least to see...

1989 F-150 : 5.0, shorty headers, Flowmaster cat-back, K&N filtercharger intake, March pulleys, MSD-6T, soon to be Mass-Air...doesn't know she's not a Mustang

 

Run a quart of Rislone every oil change. May help. Can't hurt.

 

Found the link:

http://members.nbci.com/minimopar/oilfilterstudy.html

 

Defintely a filter issue. The filter should have an anti-drainback valve to hold oil in the system above the filter. Obviously, yours is leaking. Install a better filter. I highly recommend Puralator. Good quality filter for $2.50.

Variable ticking in the covers is usually a stuck lifter. Next oil change do a flush with Seafoam, Gunk, or STP engine flush. It'll help the lifter noise.

Randy

 

Haha, welcome to the wonderfull world of worn main bearings, you should also be able to duplicate the noise around 5500-6000 b4 shifts, and when evening out after acceleration, oil drainback valve guys ? , i assume this is a check valve, i have never seen a filter with a check valve is it in the 1/2 npt or somehow in the 6 or 8 smaller holes ? As for your noise i would add a blue can of stp to your oil every oil change, how many miles on the 302 ?

 

Brown: Thanks, I'll look it over...

RGAZ: The ticking went away with the oil change, and I also put some oil cleaner in.

otto: 131K on the motor.

This only started inside the last month or so. It's now progressed to when the motor has been stopped for only 30 minutes or so. gonna change the filter and see if that helps. figure I might get a rebuild on the motor this summer (or upgrade to 351?), since the thought of the li'l henry dying had crossed my mind. I'll let ya'll know after tomorrow what happens at least with the filter change.

Thanks.

1989 F-150 : 5.0, shorty headers, Flowmaster cat-back, K&N filtercharger intake, March pulleys, MSD-6T, soon to be Mass-Air...doesn't know she's not a Mustang

 

Otto, check that link out above. It's an eye-opener. Good explanation too about the science of oil filters. You think to yourself; Would a large corporation try to save a little money for higher profit and risk maybe ruining a engine that costs thousands of dollars to replace? After reading the link several months ago, I conclude yes they will!

http://members.nbci.com/minimopar/oilfilterstudy.html

 

Wallmart carries Motorcraft filters.

 

Yeah, found wal-mart carried those for 2.77 after I paid 7.79 at the ford dealer...damn..

But the problem is solved. Put in the motorcraft (eye-opening link to that filter study...whoa.) and the engine fires up without a bad sound. not more little red "engine" light and no more pounding. YAY!

Thanks for all the info. Still one more problem, but that's another post...

1989 F-150 : 5.0, shorty headers, Flowmaster cat-back, K&N filtercharger intake, March pulleys, MSD-6T, soon to be Mass-Air...doesn't know she's not a Mustang

 

I had the exact same thing with my rig (and yes i use motorcraft filters), and I coudn't figure out what the hell it was. Finally I yanked the motor and decided to put main bearings in. Well while putting the mains in (which had 120k on them and they were QUITE worn) I noticed #7 piston had play in it when I pulled and pushed on it. Well after mains and the wrist pin bearing my oil pressure went back up to 35lbs (from 2lbs on warm idle).

A Very cheap fix but time consuming! I had less than $40.00 in the fix.


1988 F250 5.0L, AOD, 4.10's, Headman headders, 2.5" duals, 33" bfg's

1980 F100 with Roller 1988 5.0L carburated, headders, dual exhaust, Borg Warner T-5 5 speed Transmission, +Much More 13.78 Quarter Mile

 

You know, I hope I really haven't just covered up a problem, but I guess that's a problem in itself. Everyone's got a story about a symptom and either how easy, or how hard it was to fix. I'm sure my tired engine will need to be replaced soon, but hopefully I'll be able to get a few more trouble-free miles out of it right now.

1989 F-150 : 5.0, shorty headers, Flowmaster cat-back, K&N filtercharger intake, March pulleys, MSD-6T, soon to be Mass-Air...doesn't know she's not a Mustang