Here is a thought----If I pull the covers and the oil drain plug---and with the help of an air pump /blow the oil drain holes out? Or,gradually pore a solution down the holes and let it flush out,and do this at all locations--would this possibly clean out the sludge if it is there,or if my solution flows,give me a better look at the situation?

 

Mine never had a problem of the oil getting back to the pan and I'm betting your's doesn't either. The passages are too small going up to the top. It couldn't hurt anything do what you propose. If you get the covers off pull the rocker assemblies, mine were plugged up with crap and required a good cleaning.

 

I just joined. I own a Bronco II with a 2.9 with tappet noise and almost zero oil pressure at idle without adding something to increase the viscosity. There is about 145,000 on the engine but it's been tapping since at least 110,00 when I got it. I'm thinking about doing a swap with a 4.0 but can anybody tell me if that engine has the same problems as the 2.9? My other option is to pull the pan, replace the pump and hope for the best.
Anybody reading this and thinking their engine doesn't do this and has lots of oil pressure should consider connecting up a real oil pressure gauge because the dashboard ones are in the "Make Believe" range - mine reads normal all the time.

Thanks for reading and your input.

 

Okay, here's my take on it. First of all, the cam bearings are more prone to wear before the bottom end (or so I've read -- however, the bottom end can wear out as well), not to mention the valvetrain itself is prone to issues due to oil delivery problems. I'm still wondering why a hydraulic-lifter equipped engine does NOT have an oil-thru pushrod design (hollow pushrods and hole in the lifter above the rod). I have these same issues, minus the oil pressure issues -- I'm guessing because I have the idiot light and the sensor is at the bottom end (and the sensor is maybe a year or so old because the old one was leaking, I think... could have been the valve covers and other leaks making me think it was leaking), which would mean it's more of my valvetrain and cam bearings to be the issue, as well as probably the oil pump and pickup screen which is notorious for clogging... not to mention I haven't gotten to changing the oil again and getting rid of the Fram filter and putting in a Purolator. I myself am probably going to get my rig through this Winter and then next Spring / Summer maybe invest the time and $$$ into a rebuild. The 2.9 has issues, but if they are kept in check, it's not that bad of an engine. The 4.0 is better overall from what I've seen and read, and I may also consider that swap as well, but I would probably want to rebuild the 4.0 I put in my rig before I swap anything, especially if it's from a junkyard donor vehicle... but that also would depend on what it comes out of and how many miles are on the clock and the overall general appearance of the engine condition. That's my $0.02... and yes, OSin, you should be ashamed for knocking the trusty 2.9!!

 

Kernil-panic has been doing his home work.

Don't look in the J-yards for that 4.0. Try to find an Exploder with a bad tranny in your area. Thene you'll be able to hear that engine run and maybe get by with some minor part replacement like gaskets and tune-up stuff. With that exploder you'll get the engine harness and computer and other nick nacs that you might need for the engine swap.

Then take those axles out from that Exploder and toss them under your rig or sell them to recover some of your swap costs.

Then you'll have an exploder body that the Junkyard might give you a few bucks for instead of you giving them many bucks for just an engine.

 

LOL, not a chance in you know what!!!

Good write up kernel

 

I knew that'd be your response! Thanks. I actually had been thinking of yanking a non-turbo FI 2.3L from a Ranger and possibly doing a swap, mostly because either way I go, 4-banger or 4.0L, the parts availability is crazy and both of those motors can be built up fairly easily. Not to say that the 2.8 or 2.9 or any of it's predecessors can't, just not much in the way of widely available performance parts. I've also toyed with finding a 3.0L Ranger or Aerostar (preferrably Ranger w/5-speed) and going that route, since the computer is the same as the 2.9, the only difference is the 3.0 uses a MAF sensor, not a MAP sensor. There's probably program differences somewhat between the two, considering the difference, but any route I were to go would involve some kind of work / workaround... which is why I'm still considering building up the 2.9... because I'm hardheaded like that and I enjoy the challenge!

 

the problem is really serious and you will not fix it by dancing around the car with flushes, brushes and magic solutions I had the same on mine and still do. I tried fixing it. I thought raising the pressure will solve the problem, so I fixed the pump, machined the crankshaft, changed rod and main bearings. The pressure went up significantly and tapping reduced, but it is still there any time I go for 10 minutes or so at 2000 rpm or higher (usualy on freeways. In the city, where the traffic is dense and I shift gears constantly, no problems uccure). B2 is a very rare car in Russia, don't meet them often. But Cologne 2.9 V6 is a familiar engine for us cause there are lot's of Ford Scorpios (European) running around with this engine. Lots of them have same problem. The reason is mostly camshaft bearings wear. It's not cost effective to replace. I won't. I'll wait till it dies completely and take a "new" 2.9 from Scorpio. This will cost me around $300 to $600 depending on engine condition. Or I'll sell it before that... I mean the car ...

 

It's less or the same amount of money to replace cam, crank, and their bearings than to buy a "new" engine. Most of the time it's not so much lobe wear, but bearing wear, as far as the cam goes. You can probably check your cam and crank dimensions, and if they are not worn too much, you can probably get by with little machine work, if any, and modify the oil passages in them (chamfer, etc.) and put new bearings, pump, lifters, oil-through pushrods and rockers in, etc. and be done. I'm waiting on some info and then sometime in the next 6 months to a year I will be rebuilding my 2.9. BTW, madclone, whereabouts in Russia are you? I've visited Moscow once before and enjoyed my trip. Merry Christmas to all!

 

after an abnormal December high above zero C. Finally it's winter About rebuild - he-he In Moscow prices only parts would be close to $1000 if from US or $600 if European and that's w/o labour. "New" engine is waaaay much better

 

Yes, silly me, I forgot about how costs over there are "different" I'm sure if you found a Scorpio with an engine that was in better shape or for parts, it'd be "cheaper" for you. It really sucks that they don't have auto parts stores that are reasonable like they have here in the U.S. Most people who have never been anywhere in Russia probably wouldn't understand, but I do! Wish it were snowing like hell here... instead, it's raining and "warm"

 

the prices for US parts are crazy mostly because of the shipping. European prices are better, but they don't have much of them cause it's a rather old and unpopular engine over there. Still I got KS bearings set fron Germany for $60, while similar bearings set from US could be up to $200