Got a oil pressure problem

[Vikz808]

So I just cam swapped my 91 4.0, went well but it seems like my ticking won’t go away. The initial start up is fine, but as the truck gets to operating temp(about 190) the ticking seems to get pretty bad and the oil pressure drops to about 10psi. Looking for a solution to this ongoing ticking problem.

 

[Dirtman]

Did the ticking start after replacing the cam or was it a pre-existing problem?

 

[Vikz808]

It was a pre existing problem, I changed pretty much everything on the valve train. Then I opted to swap the cam thinking it was worn & it was but after changing there was no improvements

 

[Vikz808]

The oil pressure is another in itself, don’t understand how it can drop all the way down to 10psi when it get to operating temperature. Initial start up it’s at 40psi

 

[MikeG]

10 PSI is fine at idle.

Did you clean out all the oil passages when you replaced the cam?

Edit: oil flows better when it is heated up......

 

[Shran]

Yeah, 10 is fine. If it's got oil pressure at all and isn't making noise at idle, there is enough oil pressure. At any speed above idle you should see an increase and if you don't or it drops that's where you need to be concerned. My 2.3 will show almost 90psi when cold and drops down to a normal number after it's run for a bit.

Did you replace the lifters? Pushrods? Valvetrain adjusted correctly?

 

[RonD]

Assuming the "ticking" is valve train then best thing to do at this point is to find out which rocker is making the noise.
Pull all spark plugs
Pull valve covers, if you know which side then just pull that sides valve cover
Turn crank manually for TDC on each cylinder and spin those 2 push rods with fingers, should be hard to spin but spinable
Easy to spin is where the noise is, either warn rocker, push rod issue or bad spring in lifter(new cam so not the lobe)

 

[Vikz808]

10 PSI is fine at idle.

Did you clean out all the oil passages when you replaced the cam?

Edit: oil flows better when it is heated up......

Tried my best to clean it out but no improvements

 

[Vikz808]

Yeah, 10 is fine. If it's got oil pressure at all and isn't making noise at idle, there is enough oil pressure. At any speed above idle you should see an increase and if you don't or it drops that's where you need to be concerned. My 2.3 will show almost 90psi when cold and drops down to a normal number after it's run for a bit.

Did you replace the lifters? Pushrods? Valvetrain adjusted correctly?

Replaced everything on the valve train not even a couple hundred miles ago, then replaced the cam. So almost everything is still new

 

[Vikz808]

Assuming the "ticking" is valve train then best thing to do at this point is to find out which rocker is making the noise.
Pull all spark plugs
Pull valve covers, if you know which side then just pull that sides valve cover
Turn crank manually for TDC on each cylinder and spin those 2 push rods with fingers, should be hard to spin but spinable
Easy to spin is where the noise is, either warn rocker, push rod issue or bad spring in lifter(new cam so not the lobe)

Checked them all before start up and they were all pretty much good,but didn’t check them after rotating the crank

 

[Vikz808]

Did the ticking start after replacing the cam or was it a pre-existing problem?
It was a pre existing problem, I changed pretty much everything on the valve train. Then I opted to swap the cam thinking it was worn & it was but after changing there was no improvements

 

[Dirtman]

You sure the noise isn't an exhaust leak or an arcing wire/coil? Both can make a tick similar to valvetrain noise.

 

[Vikz808]

You sure the noise isn't an exhaust leak or an arcing wire/coil? Both can make a tick similar to valvetrain noise.

No I’m sure it’s a valve train, definitely sounds like metal to metal contact on the top end