Lifter ticking on the highway

[PANTERA]

Got a 92 Ranger with 91000 miles. (Local driver) Recently when driving on the highway for a period of time (engine is around 3000 RPM) a lifter on the driver side will start ticking bad until I'm able to drive at a lower RPM (say around 2000) and the ticking will fade away. I'm using 5W30 oil by the way, and the oil pressure appears to be fine. Thanks for any advice.

 

[pcollins]

Pretty sure all rangers take 5W-20. I wouldn't worry about it pretty much all rangers tick.

 

[Explorin94]

Pretty sure all rangers take 5W-20. I wouldn't worry about it pretty much all rangers tick.

The older rangers used the 5w-30. He may have a drain problem back into the oil pan starving the oil pump and that is why it may be ticking on him. Look into your valve cover through the oil fill or PVC and see what it looks like in there. If it is crusty you may want to take the valve covers and intake off to clean it out. Run some Seafoam on the next oil change too.

 

[buzzferd]

Have you changed brands of oil recently? Also if its been a local driver you could have a partially plugged oil sump. Next oil change take a piece of wire with a hook on the end and fish around in the oil drain hole for sludge or build up of crud in botton of pan. If clean i'd suggest Marvel oil or Rislone.

 

[Hahnsb2]

2.9s get 10w-30.

 

[PANTERA]

Thanks for the help guys. I'm doing an oil change tomorrow, and intend to do an oil pan check as Buzzferd described. I wanted to remove the oil pan to check the pump and clean the innards, but looking through the Haynes manual and it makes it sound like a big process such as removing the starter, unbolting the engine mounts jacking up the motor, etc. so I may wait until I got a little more time. I just didn't realize there was a lot to removing the oil pan!