'93 Ranger Splash w/4.0L, 132,00 miles. The ticking in constant. Does quiet down some at freeway speeds, but there is more noise then too.
I read that it may be carbon on a cylinder head.

How can you distinguish between the two? Hate to fix one problem when it's the other!

Is there a test? A code to be read? A certain symptom that identifies it as one or the other? And if it's the lifter (hydaulic), what's the fix?

The power gets kind of weak at approaching freeway speeds. Great take-off at a light, but gets "doggy" at 60 - 75 mph.

 

Could be a number of things & both problems may not be related.

Where are you on scheduled maintenance, like fuel & air filters, plugs, wires, ect????

For example. a clogged fuel filter can cause high speed/high fuel flow demand problems.
A clogged air filter can cause high speed air flow & power problems too!!!!

So we first need to know where you are on scheduled maintenance!!!!

On the tic noise, you could try using a stethoscope to isolate the area the noise is coming from. A broom handle, or piece of hose will work as a stethoscope sometimes, if you don't have a real one!!!!

If you believe it's engine carbon deposits, there is a decarbon tsb "how to", listed in the "tech ifo" thread, located atop this forums thread page.

You could also try a treatment or two, of Chevrons "Techron Concentrate Plus", at the specified treat concentration, in a tank of Chevron or Texaco gas, then run most of the treatment/s out with some spirited driving & sessions of rpm around 3500 for a mile or two & some freeway running of say, at least 20 miles round trip thrown in & see if that won't clean out the carbon.

Imo It's less costly & time consuming than the TSB proceedure, & has been as, or more effective long term for me, in my 99 4.0L, which suffers from CCDI.
So it's VERY sensitive to any combustion chamber deposits & I have to keep after it & not let them build up, or it'll knock on cold starts, until things warm up & expand a little.

Just some thoughts to ponder.

 

That's just it you see . . . I just bought the truck yesterday.
Maintenance "cycle" wil start on payday. Oil change (Motorcraft 5-30 synth blend), air filter, good idea on the much forgotten fuel filter, etc. Tune up comes this spring when weather is more friendly. Plugs, wires, not sure what e;se it should get until I buy yet another service manual!

As far as the tick . . . I used a dowel and even without it you can clearly hear it "on top" and on the drivers side. I even thought it may be an exhaust leak. The dowel was of little help. Maybe that's a revelation in itself!

 

My 98 tics at idle, it sounds a little like a diesel and has done so since new. A friend of mine has a 98 as well and his sounds the same. I have kept up on oil changes & plugs but only recently changed the fuel filter, all to no avail. It sounds like a lifter to me but Ford told me when the truck was new that the 4.0 non-OHC engine just sound like that at idle. As soon as the engine increases RPM it goes away so maybe you are dealing with a different noise.

 

See: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...19&postcount=4

I would guess the OP's '93 noise issue is indeed valve-related.

 

Yet again Rockledge, you da man. I just got my set of gaskets for the upper intake and valve covers, going to do that next using your guide. Thanks again.

 

Just passing along information I've picked up along the way...