Lifter Rapping @ start ?

[DjM]

Need some help, when I start my 1998 3.0L Ranger after it has not run for 3 or 4 hrs. I get a very loud rapping that I think sounds like a lifter. after about 10 min. it goes away and the truck runs smooth with no rap. Sometimes in the AM the truck will even shutter a little while it raps, I've used Seafoam both in the fuel & oil and the problem went away for a month but now it's back, using Seafoam again has not helped. I've just changed the oil and added a quart of Lucas oil treatment two days ago but I still have the issue. Every time I try to get it to a service station tyhe sound is gone. I think it may be a lifter that drains down and then takes a long time to pump up.

Thx.

 

[DjM]

The previous oil change was a multi wt. 20, I had them use a multi wt. 30 this time.

 

[98RedRanger]

Same thing happens to me, not sure what it is. I've got a 98 ranger with a 3L also. I'm probably going to be getting all new spark plugs soon and probably gonna change the oil since I went through a little more water and mud than I should have. Hopefully it will help it. It seems to me like it's just when it's dead cold from sitting over night but i crank it up and it runs rough for maybe 2 minutes then runs smooth the rest of the day.

 

[Southern_Trendkill]

Does it sound like this?

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

does it make the sound louder under load? don't forget about piston slap.

does it sound like just 1 lifter or what?

 

[DjM]

No it sounds the loudest when I start, and it seems not to get any worse when under load. It sounds like it coming from the top end but I can't zero in on where.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

well you can remove the valve covers and run the engine..prepare for a mess and some smoke.

anyways you take a screwdriver and push down on each rocker arm until the noise goes away to find which one is noisy. do this by unplugging each fuel injector

i also recommend killing each cylinder one by one to eliminate the possibility of bottom end noise.. i learned the hard way and got to do a cyl head r & r twice for free.

what sounded like a a lifter was actually a broken piston skirt