I have a 96 f150 with a 4.9 and I have a tap that I believe is a lifter tap. My question is can I just replace the lifters and not the cam? Or is there a way to clean the lifters if they are already out of the motor? Motor has 111000 miles on it and previous owner was not the best on regular oil changes. Since I've had it I have done regular oil changes and have run marvel through prior to oil changes 2 times, and put Lucas in. Doing this made it better but it's still there.

 

I had no issues putting new lifters on an old cam at about 300,000 miles. If you clean / reuse your existing lifters, don't change their order when you reinstall. Make sure every lifter goes back into the same bore.

IME the 4.9L is a noisy engine. I'm not sure I would go to the trouble of replacing lifters unless you really want to do it or there is some obvious symptom (aside from a tap) that you're trying to correct. Just run decent oil in it and change it regularly. Marvel is good stuff.

 

I'd be careful doing one and not the other ... My understanding is that cams and lifters wear together and if one is swapped and not the other it can cause issues/noise. I would give the lifters a VERY close inspection before you swap them, same goes for the camshaft. But if you're not pulling the cam from the block it would be difficult to check the wear on the cam lobes. Basically: swap them together to be safe.

 

Back in the olden days before lawsuits were common and safe spaces were necessary, we would hold down on a rocker while the engine was running to see if the noise really was a lifter. A big six has a knack for fooling you. An exhaust leak, for example, can sound like a lifter.

An oil analysis can tell you about metal in the oil and general engine condition. That would be part of an evaluation to determine the extent of work needed.

 

I always heard you were not supposed to do this, but my dad replaced the lifters on my 1964 Olds F-85 (my first car) with no ill effects. This was in about 1977 so probably this means nothing since the oil formulations are so different now. Put some cam lube (like for a new cam) on em before inserting them in the bore would be my only advise.

 

As jas88 said, be sure to use cam lube on the new lifters.

You have to break in New lifters just as if you were breaking in a new flat tappet cam. That mean keeping the throttle at 2000 to 2500 rpm for the first 10 mins or so. I would also use a high quality engine oil with ZDDP or a ZDDP additive for breaking them in. Then you can Run any oil you want afterwards. I would say Rotella 15-40, unless, the temps are to cold. Be sure that each new lifter can spin freely in the bore, or it will stick and flatten a cam lobe.

Also, be sure and do this when the weather is warm. I've read on here where several have commented in the past that breaking in a new flat tappet cam and lifters in cold weather increases your risk of wiping a cam lobe.

As was mentioned, the BIG 6 can fool you with lifter tap. Is the noise audible at startup or all the time when the engine has reached operating temperature? They are known for this. Also, if using a Fram (Orange Can of Death) filter has been known to have the same effect.
It doesn't help that the oil filter sits horizontally on the block. If using a cheap filter, or one without a anti-drainback valve, it will clatter and tap excessively on startup.

 

run the holy living crap out of it when full warmed up (I mean high rpm) and immediately stop and listen. Do the lifters raise heck and then slowly start to pump back up and quiet down? That's good way to ensure it's lifters and not exhaust leak. You can put new lifters on old cam, or reuse old good lifters on same lobes. I wouldn't reuse lifters if it were me, even if no noise, as cheap as they are and as aggravating to get to. I would likely reuse a stock 300 cam.

 

I did this once.

It helped for a few thousand miles, and then got noisy again.

Anecdotally,
t

 

 

old lifters typically collapse due to the spring inside not being able to maintain pressure. the spring gets weaker and weaker.

 

Before you venture into the point of no return in damaging your engine, you should CHECK OIL PRESSURE with a known good MECHANICAL gauge. look at oem tech spec for oil pressure rating. check engine cold and hot.
LOW OIL pressure causes noisy lifters.
LOW oil pressure because oil pick-up screen is/mayBe clogged and coated with sludge;
Oil pump's pressure relief is sticking or has sludge trash build-up on pressure spring/seat;
Oil sludge in oil galley passages restricting oil flow to all moving engine parts ie crank/rod-main bearings & CAM bearings & LIFTER galley oil passages;
Most high milage engines have some degree of oil varnish deposits on them. Most causes are Cheap low or non-detergent oil is being used and;
Another cause of sludge build-up could be a NO or a LOW 160 deg engine coolant thermostat.
OIl needs to be at OEM engine temp to keep sludging at a minimum (about 195f degrees) & to allow the filter to contain contamination from combustion blow-by. These contaminants cause all engines oils break down and add to sludging of ALL engine components if not changed & filtered on a regular schedule. HYDRAULIC LIFTERS have a spring loaded check ball that will fail & leak down when heavly sludged. They can be cleaned, but you will be reinstalling them into The Sludge goo that cause them to fail. SLUDGE is abrasive and sticky.
Consider changing engine oil to a multi-weight (10-WinterWeight 30+) high milage SYNTHETIC like mobil 1, Castrol Syntec, Valvoline are good. Change filter every time with a priemum brand FramMotorcraftK&N are good.
Before Changeing Oil & Filter, USE oil additive like Seafoam with caution, about 1oz to a quart ratio, run at an idle speed about 1-1.2k for a few minutes then Change Oil&Filter. You may need to do this cleaning several times. Be fore-warned this may NOT fix the lifter clatter becase of EXTREME wear. Marvel Oil & ATF are high detergent additives that can be used on new oil. No more than 1 quart in 5 quarts! InMyHonestOpinion - Lead foot causes more engine wear than any thing.
Worn engine bearings cause low oil pressure & cause noisy LIFTERS, Timeing Chain slap, rod knocks, main bearing knock, piston skirt wear or cracks causes slap/knocks; Piston pin wear coases knocks,.
Heavy weight oil is a short term remedy in dampening engine noise. OverHaul or replacement is the real fix and can be costly.
NEW lifers on old cam??? cam lobes may be excessive worn that a new lifer may ACELLERATE the wear to FLAT cam where no lift is at valve! Poping missing back-fire is tell-tale.
Do you have a solid lifter cam? Adjust of valve lash may be fix.
Good luck, may you do well!

 

 

Roller set you can but not advised.

Standard hydralic lifters no way. Even on an inline six you have 24 chances (12 lifters amd 12 lobes) to wipe out a cam lobe since lifters mate themselves to the cam upon break-in.

 

Lifter noise can be from rocker arm wear, ball pivot, or rocker arm shaft, push rod end(s) worn, pluged/sludged push rods not allowing oil to roker arms/shaft,
rockers with a stud ball, lock-nut that are torqued to set lifters hydraulic setting Can be loosened until clatters then slowly tightened to pump out sludge dirt trash in lifter. Not easily done on shaft rocker assembly unless there are adjustment screws.
Is there a service manual proceedure for adjusting rocker arms & lifters identifed on your engine. Most Manufactuers Manuals are POOR in instructions.
I would change the lifters, but at what cost and how involved is the replacement proceedure, Like in how much tear-down of engine is required. May need to get a Knowledgeable/certified mechanic that has done this engine. Is this a "live with" or "has to be Fixed" situation? If nothing has changed in noise 'KEEP ON TRUCKING' !, Expense comes with fixing it, Now or later.
Second opions from someone who has hands on experience and gives you a written guarantee for the work parts & labor expense may be the wayto go. Ford dealership mechanics is a place to start, on line & youTube search on this engine may be helpful.
Not being there & seeing makes troubleshooting in the dark difficult, I can suggest and give pointers that I know and have done in the past.
engine is thirteen years old, milage is not too excessive, It's hard to know history and treatment of your vehicle/engine.
look for TSB tech service bulletins on this engine,
I have always said about CHEAP, FAST and GOOD:
Cheap & Fast IS NOT GOOD
Cheap & Good IS NOT FAST
FAST & GOOD IS NOT CHEAP!
Good Luck, May you do well

 

my bad math! 1996 model is 23 years old! Ha! I stand corrected!