tapping sound

I've got a 1992 ford bronco 5.8 liter engine. My truck started a tapping sound several months back and I was wondering if it could be the lifters or worse scenario rod bearings and if it is the lifters because I haven't had time to tear the the upper part of the engine apart and replace the lifters,could it of damaged the cam? The truck has good horsepower and great oil pressure and I hope those facts say that it is not a rod bearing problem and is their anything that I can do before I start a tear down to determine for sure is the lifters and not something else? I did some months back pull the valve cover and checked to see if a rocker arm was loose and that wasn't the problem.So,if it is the lifters I do know that I'll have to replace all of them.I was looking online at Oreilly's auto parts and they have a set of performance hydraulic lifters and I didn't know if those would be better to use or just plain old stock lifters since I'll have to replace all of them anyway and will I have to replace push rods and rockers also or can I use the ones I have? So, I would appreciate any advice.

Hi Rogmit..,

You're on the right track..,  it could be a broken spring, a bad rocker, a bad/bent pushrod, or a stuck/colapsed lifter. (guessing those are torque-down, non adjustable rockers) (& assuming the noise is constant)

Worst case.., a cam gone flat on one (or more) lobe.

NOTE:  Sometimes an eng. driven fuel pump will make a like noise.

Determine which side the noise comes from. Remove that cover. Inspect closely the visible parts above.

If you can't tell which is the culprit..., using a wood dowel or the like, (messy but with the eng. running) press down

on the rockers (pushrod end) until the noise goes away (or changes) on one of the rockers.

This would be the problem area.  Check that this rocker moves up & down the same distance as the rest.

If it doesn't.., the cam has gone flat. (assuming all other parts are good)

There's nothing "super" hard about the fix here..., just some time involved.  Not real expensive either.

If it is the cam.., might as well do new timing chain & gears while you're there.

(BTW, timing chains can make a noise in some cases)

Good luck & report back if you would.....

B

Just something else to look for.  A cracked exhaust manifold will give a tapping noise that sounds like lifters.  I've had one of those and that is exactly what it sounded like.  Use a oiece of rubber hose, (mechanics stethascope), move it around the engine till you isolate the source of the noise.

Good luck,

>-

Good point by Seabronc..,  faulty exh. manifolds & gaskets can make odd noises.

ALSO; 

I forgot., you can remove one plug wire at a time & listen for sound changes. This is mostly for rod & wrist-pin test.

If it were me.., I'd closely inspect the push rods & rocker cups for extreme wear. They should be clean & shiny.

Re-use them & put them back in the same hole, facing the same way.

Jury is still out as to replacing all lifters..., however they're not all that expensive.  Stock is fine if motor is stock.

You can prime lifters so you don't have to listen to (& sweat) the clatter on first start up.

A new cam req. special (lobe) **** & a set RPM & time for break-in..., & of course, all new lifters.

Rogmit,  I have an 88 Bronco.  About a year and a half ago it started a tapping noise.  I used a sethascope to confirm it was a sticky lifter.  I had 15mi before my schedualed 3000mi oil change.  I bought a bottle of Seafoam at the local auto parts store and poured it into the motor, not the fuel tank.  It is 15mi to the place where I have the oil changed.  By the time I arrived the lifter noise was just a memory.  They changed the oil and got rid of the Seafoam in it.  Life is now good and the problem has not reurned.  That was 15,000mi ago and the Bronco is my daily driver.  Good luck, Brian

http://www.seafoamsales.com/sea-foam-motor-treatment/

ok guys, I did the spark plug wire test and no difference in the tapping sound,but I sure kept getting the **** shocked out of me and I had an insulated spark plug wire tool and a pair of rubber gloves. So,does this mean it is neither a lifter or rod bearing problem and that I have an exhaust leak somewhere and someone else told me to check the bolts on the flywheel.So,what does everyone think?I'm kind of hard of hearing so I really don't hear the sound unless I have the hood open and have my head under it.But,I still want to find out the issue.I just took it to the lake of the ozarks and I got 15 mpg.So,I can't see this being a major issue or You gus might tell me I'm wrong.I can't wait to hear the responses.Oh,by the way,I have shorty headers which could be an exhaust problem like Seabronc suggested.Time will tell.

Spark..! spark..!   How funny... ^_^ /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

From this report, I don't think it's any of the serious problems.  However., I think you should have someone with

great hearing listen to it. If they feel it's louder than you think.., try one of the oil additives (as suggested) to see

if anything changes.

And/or they may hear it near the exhaust.., then it's just gasket time or maybe a crack somewhere...

Get a piece of rubber hose and use like a stethascope.  Move it around the engine untill you locate the problem.  Dis you check for a cracked exhaust manifold?

>-

Seabronc,I have shorty headers that are about 8 years old and they are made by Flowmaster,I paid about $299 when I got them and I was pricing headers and they have gone up considerably,I tried spraying carburetor cleaner around the exhaust to see if the rpm's would change,at first I thought the engine revved a little and I ran out of carburetor cleaner and sprayed the same spot but it didn't seem to do anything the second time and I took it to the exhaust shop and they said there wasn't an exhaust leak but I think they only checked what they put on so I'll try to listen with the hose and I'm going to check the flywheel.I had to put a rack/pinion in my wife's car and now I can concentrate on my Bronco.

Spraying around the exhaust wil not cause the revs to change.  That only works on te intake side to check for intake gasket and vacuum leaks.  That old hose trick has served me well for locating engine noises.  That thing about the cracked exhaust manifold was just one of numerous possibilities, I just didn't want you to not check that area.  Another possibility is one of the push rods not getting enough oil at the top end, etc. etc. 

To my knowledge, the Windsor engine did not have adjustable rockers, the only adjustment I'm aware of is by using different lengths of push rods.  The rocker mount may need some snugging after so many years though.  If you take the rocker covers off, don't be surprised or dismayed by it having a lot of crud in there.  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Good luck,

>-

Seabronc,I took the hose and went around engine,oil pan and exhaust and the noise seems to be coming from the transmission,it had been slipping a little and when I backup in reverse on a hill,it sounds like something is coming apart.I have 237,000 miles on the transmission,it might be time for a rebuild.I've never rebuilt a transmission before.Is it that hard and do you have any recommendations on rebuild kits?Or do you think it might be something simple with the transmission.It was slipping really bad going up a hill today and this is the first time it has done it on a hill.What do you think?

I don't believe rebuilding a transmission is a job for someone that has never done it before.  Ypu would be betteroff in the long run having a shop rebuild it or just simply replacing it.  A shop would most likey swap it for a rebuilt one.  The big advantage here is that if it doesn't work when done, you can take it back.  If you do it yourself and it doesn't work correctly you have just wasted your money.

If you are bent on doing it yourself, get a good book and

Good luck,

>-

ok guys,with your help and diagnostics it is determined that the noise is the transmission,when you put a hose next to the bell housing on the transmission that is where the ticking sound is coming from along with the transmission starting to slip.So,the next thing I need help with is some ideas about my transmission.I have an E4OD transmission in my 1992 Ford bronco and I only want to take it out once.Advice from Seabronc is to have someone else rebuild it and that is a good idea because I had a 72 Monte Carlo when I was younger and I tried to rebuild it becuse reverse went out on it,I fixed the reverse but it wouldn't go into park when I was done.My truck is a daily driver and I do take it off road once in a while so would I just have it rebuilt and add a shift kit for better performance or is there a different transmission that can be put in it but is beefier than the E4ODfor my 92 Bronco.Any suggestions?

I changed a timing cover on a 96 ford bronco with the 5.8 and i have a knocking noise come from the driver side

Hi Frank..,

Un-clear, are they related..?  Meaning did the noise began AFTER the T-chain cover change..?

A "knock" is a "deeper" sound than a ticking or tapping sound. The latter is usually a rocker arm or lifter.

You can find it by removing one plug wire at a time (eng. runn'n of course).  The noise will quit or lessen on the subject cylinder.

Was the timing chain OK..?  i.e. NOT sloppy loose.