Can Bad lash adjuster on Ford 4.6 cause long term issues?

[panthermike]

Vehicle in question is my 2008 Crown Vic, sitting at about 179k miles. Based on the cars symptoms, a member of a Vic forum believes that a lash adjuster may be causing the issue.

Here's what it does:
After sitting for long periods of time, greater than 8hrs; on cold startup it will make a tapping sound for a few seconds. This is followed by a much quieter tapping sound(almost like loud injectors) for a few minutes, then it's quiet. For a while I was thinking chain tensioners but supposedly the later Vics don't experience this issue as much. If anyone has other ideas, I'm open to them.

Assuming it is lash adjuster, would it cause any long-term harm to the motor? It's been going on for some time, off/on for 15K miles. Someone had mentioned trying to clean them via a flush. The end of the last OCI, I added just 10oz MMO for the last 500 miles. It could be better, but still there for sure. Would something like Kreen or a flush help in that case?

 

[emmett442]

If that's truly the cause of the noise, I'm sure the hammering on the roller follower wouldn't be good for it long term

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Looks like a bad actor could be pulled out with some ingenuity. But dont know. I would hit the modular engine forums.

 

[Marcozi]

Sounds like a leaky lifter. Why? The noise goes away.

 

[D60]

Our '08 F150 has leaking tensioners by less than 120k. But that manifests as rattle at hot idle.

Point is don't believe any myths about "all the issues were resolved by 2008." It's simply not true.

Your noise, being present when cold, makes me think you're on the right track. Try some 10W40 as an experiment to see if it's oil pressure related.

Filter has ADBV?

 

[panthermike]

Our '08 F150 has leaking tensioners by less than 120k. But that manifests as rattle at hot idle.

Point is don't believe any myths about "all the issues were resolved by 2008." It's simply not true.

Your noise, being present when cold, makes me think you're on the right track. Try some 10W40 as an experiment to see if it's oil pressure related.

Filter has ADBV?

I know what you mean, reminds me of the cam phaser issue that was supposed to be fixed on the 2010's. Ford is still having issues with those things.

My last OCI was 4qts 15w40+2qts 5w20 so not quite 40 weight. Trying a 40wt only is easy for sure. And yes, I use Motorcraft filters on it. Last interval I used a Fram TG and was curious about that but noise still present with MC.

 

[dumkid]

You could try a 50 weight or some lucas, thick=quiet lifters in my experience. I've also used mmo to get rid of ticking caused by lifters that were dirty/varnished

 

[Fordiesel69]

The timing chain tensioner block is plastic and warps. May be worth looking at. Also only FL-820s other filters bleed dowm.

 

[panthermike]

The timing chain tensioner block is plastic and warps. May be worth looking at. Also only FL-820s other filters bleed dowm.

Thanks for the tip, it's on my list to take a look at things. And yes, only using the MC filters except for the last OCI

 

[panthermike]

Update on this:

Decided to try the thick experiment, I just recently replaced the oil so I didn't want to dump perfectly good stuff. So I added a pint of STP oil treatment to thicken it up. I've done three or four cold starts thus far and they are significantly quieter. In fact, the loud tapping for the first few seconds has not been happening, it starts off right away with that quieter tapping sound that I explained in the first post. So that is something.

I would assume this would suggest either a lifter or the hydraulic lash adjuster?

 

[dumkid]

Lifters and hydraulic lash adjusters are the same thing.

 

[panthermike]

Lifters and hydraulic lash adjusters are the same thing.

I see haha, I guess I was right thanks for clearing that up

 

[D60]

I've seen vids on how to test them but don't remember specifics

 

[Barkleymut]

Should be easy to remove valve cover on that car. Figure out which side the noice is coming from and take a look inside. You may be able to temporarily solve a problem like this by playing with viscosities but it is a mechanical problem that needs a real fix. **also, my 07 Mustang has a different 4.6 but i changed out the tensioners and they were not plastic. On mine the gasket on the back blows out and causes a tick because adequate oil pressure is not getting to the tensioner. This is not an easy repair, but well worth it if this is indeed your problem.