2.3L ('83-'97) Crank walk rod knock?

[white92ranger]

I wonder why it's happening right after oil changes...? Something running dry when the filter fills up?

Makes me wonder if partially filling the filter would help, or a 90 degree adapter and completely prefilling the filter at an oil change. Too bad the filter sits horizontal on the block.

i always partially fill the filter so it wouldve had the best chance possible but it still happened. could be the 1-2 seconds with no oil pressure was the nail in the coffin.

disabling the fuel pump and cranking it for 10 seconds after an oil change would eliminate any dry starts.

 

[XLTsplash]

I'm thinking of getting a crank kit for my 1992 2.3L because it has 189K on it. I had a friend of mine listen to the noise. He is an amazing Ford Master tech. He thinks the noise is coming the lifters not pumping up all of the way. Caused by just a little too much bearing clearance. From now on, I will pre fill my oil filters and maybe change from a FL1A filter to a FL400. The smaller FL400 will fill faster and has less room for air in the filter. I don't know if the 2.3L oil pump has enough volume to keep the FL1A completely full of oil. I'm also thinking about running better oil. You would think that the oil in the bearings would be enough to protect them until oil pressure builds back up after a oil change. I know that oil ingredients have changed a lot over the years. They have removed zinc and molly. I think I need to do more research on the Bobs the oil guy site.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I'm thinking of getting a crank kit for my 1992 2.3L because it has 189K on it. I had a friend of mine listen to the noise. He is an amazing Ford Master tech. He thinks the noise is coming the lifters not pumping up all of the way. Caused by just a little too much bearing clearance. From now on, I will pre fill my oil filters and maybe change from a FL1A filter to a FL400. The smaller FL400 will fill faster and has less room for air in the filter. I don't know if the 2.3L oil pump has enough volume to keep the FL1A completely full of oil. I'm also thinking about running better oil. You would think that the oil in the bearings would be enough to protect them until oil pressure builds back up after a oil change. I know that oil ingredients have changed a lot over the years. They have removed zinc and molly. I think I need to do more research on the Bobs the oil guy site.

To fill the new filter,
Press your foot to the floor while cranking. This enables the "clear flooded engine" program and the injectors won't fire. Once you have turned it over for about ten seconds let your foot off the gas pedal and it should fire up.
If it tries to start during this procedure then one or more injectors are leaking.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I think you're overthinking it on the oil side... on the oil pressure side the early aluminum oil pan Ranger 2.3L's had oil pressure problems due to the oil pan gasket seeping into the oil pan and plugging up the pickup tube screen, aside from that they have a dumb amount of oil pressure compared to most other engines... I'm talking hot idle of 25psi and 55psi cruise on at least my '90 with a turbo stealing some oil flow, if it can do that it can deal with whatever oil filter is there... I'm running and have always just ran stock Ranger oil pumps, nothing fancy. The valvetrain on the Lima's are somewhat noisy, I've learned to just ignore it, they just work, at one point I spent $.80 and put dimes under each lash adjuster as it was recommended by a user at one point but I don't think it did anything...

 

[XLTsplash]

I think you're overthinking it on the oil side... on the oil pressure side the early aluminum oil pan Ranger 2.3L's had oil pressure problems due to the oil pan gasket seeping into the oil pan and plugging up the pickup tube screen, aside from that they have a dumb amount of oil pressure compared to most other engines... I'm talking hot idle of 25psi and 55psi cruise on at least my '90 with a turbo stealing some oil flow, if it can do that it can deal with whatever oil filter is there... I'm running and have always just ran stock Ranger oil pumps, nothing fancy. The valvetrain on the Lima's are somewhat noisy, I've learned to just ignore it, they just work, at one point I spent $.80 and put dimes under each lash adjuster as it was recommended by a user at one point but I don't think it did anything...

I do tend to over think things. I just want to know the cause of this problem, to prevent it in the future. I've had many 2.3Ls in Mustang IIs, I still own three 4 cylinder Mustang IIs. I've only had the noise in both of my 4 cylinder Rangers after a oil change. I just looked up my old post when I was having the same noise in my 97 Ranger at 131K miles. The engine had what I would call good oil pressure 54 PSI hot at 2,000m RPM, 31 PSI hot at idle. When I was chasing the noise in my 97 I ended up installing a brand new complete cylinder head, and a new oil pump. The pick up screen was nice and clean. It still had the noise. It wasn't until I replaced the pistons, main and rod bearings that the noise stopped. My Dad had a 89 Ranger with a 2.3L that he bought new. It was still running great at 240K miles went it was hit head on by a Chevelle. One day when my mom was driving the 89 it lost oil pressure. I dropped the oil pan and found the pickup screen clogged with black sludge. I cleaned the screen and installed a new oil pump. I don't remember it having any noise. Not long before the oil screen had clogged, I added Energy Release additive to the oil. At the time I felt the additive had caused all of the sludge in the engine to break loose and clog the screen. I didn't know about the oil pan gasket problem. Now I feel maybe the Energy Release saved the engine from damage when it lost pressure. I wish I could find the TSB about the oil pan gaskets falling apart, I bought two TSB index's one 1988-93 and one 1990-95. The only TBS I found was not flipping the engine upside down when removing the oil pan and installing a updated oil panel for oil leaks.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Not sure it was a TSB, just over the last 23 years being on Ranger forums I've heard it passed around... when my '90 was stock I don't remember if it made noises or not but I went turbo starting this weekend of 2009 so yeah...

 

[XLTsplash]

My 92 Ranger 2.3L with 189K miles had the same noise after a oil change. I just took the engine apart and the bearings all looked good, No copper showing. The problem that I found with mine was that the oil pick up screen was 70% clogged with oil pan gasket rubber. I also found a crack in the cylinder head. I installed new pistons, rings, bearings, oil pump and a reman head.