knocking when cold

[85rx7_93ranger]

i just bougth a 93 ranger today, has a bad tranny which i was expecting to replace but i might have to replace the engine too. i just wanna know what you guys think and how much longer you think the engine has left. It has 237k miles runs great but when its cold it has a lifter knock it sounds like and its pretty loud but when it warms up it stops....?? ive never had a ford, is that normal? i hope not lol, btw i come form the jeep family and im so sick of the damn things i thought id give ford a shot)

 

[Angie]

Are you hearing the noise from under the valve covers? as in could the sound be rocker ticks? if so the ford 4.0L has only one major down fall. the oiling system into the tops of the rockers do and will click and tick. I call it the normal ford sounds. as is the whiny power steering pumps.. another ford pet peeve. if as you say she quiets down I wouldn't be all to concerned. example... I just rebuilt a 4.0L and still have a faint rocker click to it. these rockers run on a main rail and the rockers arnt adjustable.

best way to tell the life of her is to give it a good compression test. I feel you will still get some good life from the motor as long as you check oils, and don't try to kill her off on purpose.

hope this may help.

 

[85rx7_93ranger]

ah thank you thats what i have heard before and just wanted some reasurrance, that most deffinantly sounds like the deal, and the whinny power steering...lol ya i got that too, so this is normal? i thought the pump was going bad, it whines at a idle for a while and then..again..warms up and quits....o boy this transition into fords is gonna be a strange one


lets hope this ranger doesnt fall apart everyday and suck 1,000's of dollars from my wallet like the damn cherokee did!! lol

 

[85rx7_93ranger]

I love rangers, i just wish they all had rotory engines hahaha! then id be able to do anything with em cuz thats what im used to..well that and junk ass mopar jeep parts

 

[Angie]

As for the power steering pump... LOL yep another bad design, however, it is just noise... check the resevoir for the oil level, and you will get many more miles from it as long as it doesn't run dry tooo often on you. if it does run low top it up and forget about it till it becomes more whiney and check it.... i have run them dry and added oil to no harm done.