1990 Ranger 2.3L Clicking Sound After Rebuild

[Andysue28]

Hi there Ranger Station! Long time reader, first time writer.

I recently finished rebuilding my 1990 2.3L 4cy engine for my ranger. I had a clogged oil pickup tube screen that just ruined a perfectly good, running engine.

I took the block to a machine shop, had it bored, honed, and boiled clean. Then put a new crank, pistons, rod/main bearings, the works. Had the head refinished as well.

I finally got it all put back together and dropped into the ranger last night. It started right up and runs smooth. Although I hear a clicking sound that worries me. It's not loud enough to hear from inside the cab of the truck, but standing outside the truck it's easily heard.

There was some initial clicking from the lifters when I first started it up, but that went away fairly quickly once they got oil. It sounds like a valve train clicking sound, but to me it sounds louder under the engine than standing near the head.

I can't remember if the sound was always there when the engine was running before. Do these engines have a normal clicking sound? I've heard that SOHC engines are a little noisier than others.

I'm going to try to upload a video I took of it soon.

Video uploaded of it running: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e42utnIjJ8

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[enjr44]

Take the fan belt off and with the engine cold start it and see if the noise is still there. It will not over heat for about 5 minutes.

It sounds like you have more than one noise going. Taking the belt off will eliminate everything outside the engine.

 

[Andysue28]

Thanks for the help enjr44, I'll give that a try last night.

I did try going through the engine putting a steel pipe on parts and putting my ear to the pipe to see if I hear any clicking, didn't hear anything from the pan, water pump, valve cover, or alternator though.

But, it does sound louder near the fan so I'll give that a go.

 

[Andysue28]

Well, I took off the serpentine belt and started it up, still had the clicking sound. I checked all the plug wires just in case it was this "spark plug knock" I've heard of. That didn't make the click go away. So I took off the valve cover and checked all the lifters/rockers, seemed to have the same amount of play when the lobes weren't pressing them down.

I'm going to drive it a little bit and see if this is just lifter noise that will go away once they get fully pumped up with oil, I've heard it can take 45 min - 1 hour of running for that to happen.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[XLTsplash]

I kind of have the same thing going with my 97 Ranger 2.3L. I have some valve train chatter. I had good oil pressure, So I installed new lifters and cam followers, Still had the same noise. So I installed a new head and oil pump and still have some valve train chatter that you can hear at idle, out side the truck. It's not a ticking. I've heard it call marbling because it kind of sounds like marbles coated in oil rolling around in a can. It's loudest at the valve cover and it's at cam speed. I seems to have quieted down a little the more I drive it. Last weekend I drove it 100 miles and it seems to have gone from two lifters chattering to one. I hope it's just air trapped in the lifters and it will work it's way out. I have done a lot of searching for answers to this problem. I seems like many people have had this problem with roller cam 2.3Ls. after oil changes or head rebuilds. I never found a good answer, so I don't know if It's a noise that goes away or if people just live with it. None of the many other older 2.3L that I've owned and rebuilt have ever had this noise and my older 2.3L don't have roller cams. You would think a roller cam would be more quiet.

 

[XLTsplash]

Any updates on your 2.3L noise ?

 

[Andysue28]

So I've been driving the Ranger around, to work and back. Up to about 150 miles on the new engine. I think the clicking is a little quieter than before.

I took it to my parents house and let my step-dad listen to it, he said it sounds much better in person than on the video I took. Not sure if it was my phone's microphone or maybe it just sounds better after some miles have been put on.

I'm planning on changing the oil again this weekend, make sure there aren't any metal shavings in it and then just run it. Now I'm just kicking myself for not replacing the clutch while I had it out.

Thanks again for your help, love this forum!