How bad is it to run a 3.0L flex fuel ford ranger engine that has a tapping noise?
I have a 2000 ford ranger lte 4x4 with a 3.0L V6 flex fuel (can run 85% ethanol) and it sound smooth and good when cold, but when engine warms up, it develops a loud tapping. I thought it might be a bad hydralic lifter. I'm not really sure. I changed the plugs and they were TERRIBLE beyond anything I have ever seen. I'm really surprised it even ran. I bought it last week and it has had major neglect issues. It had rusty water in radiator. Bad wheel bearing. Bad nasty oil and incorrect oil filter. Bad wheel cylinder. I put new plugs, wires, wheel cylinder, wheel hub assembly, master cylinder, new oil and filter and drained and changes the sh*tty water in radiator and replaced with good antifreeze and water solution. The tapping is still persistent though… It runs down the road good now and has nice power, but it just taps… Any ideas on what it might be? Do you think it is a nasty lifter and what damage could be caused by driving it with a bad lifter?
This is the asker… I also failed to mention that the milage is 182000 and the poor thing has had a rough life due to neglect and no maintanance. I bought it cheap though and only have put 400ish dollars in parts now, but I really don't want to yank the intake and change some lifters… Thats too much work for me right now… Lol… I don't take my vehicles to mechanics unless I can help it either… Some will just rip you off sometimes for trivial parts and no labor… What's some good oil additives that you guys might recommend for a stuck lifter? I might try the old transmission fluid in the oil trick and see if that cleans it up some…
Go buy some Marvel Mystery Oil and pour it in the oil and run it for awhile and see if that helps. I have had good luck with it quieting noisy lifters. Or before you do that run the new oil you put in a 1000 miles or so and change it again and then add the Marvel Mystery oil and run it a normal oil change interval.
Assuming it is noise associated with the hydraulic lifters on the valve, I don't think you'll hurt it to run it. Hopefully, as you do oil changes the ports in the lifters will begin to clear up and it may quiet down.
Only use premium fuel it may clear up, the loud taping noise COULD be a catalytic converter ( if it has one, you can tap it with a hammer if its loose on the engine side it could be bad
hope it helps out
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