Ticking/clicking sound front of engine

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1955moose

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Not true, they use a hydraulic valve lash adjuster. Not the same kind of lifter that a 5.0 liter pushrod motor uses true, but still referred to as a lifter .

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TobyU

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There are no lifters on an overhead valve engine.

There certainly are. At least in the general sense of the definition of lifter. They might call them valve lash adjusters or hydraulic valve lash adjusters but they are cylindrical steel lifter looking devices that fit into their respective bores. They don't ride up and down in there bores since there is no camshaft under them pushing them up . They fill up with oil and dampen the vibration and Noise and keep the rocker arm under constant pressures when the high part of the lobe of the camshaft rotates around it pushes the movable end of the rocker on top of the valve tip down and opens the valve. So if lifters were called lifters because they lift the pushrods up or is it because they get lifted up or moved by the cam?? Then I guess these could be called holders or Keepers. But we already have valve keepers which are also called valve retainer locks but usually referred to as keepers. Even on overhead valve engines they are referred to as lifters. Many have holes drilled into the side and pump up with oil pressure just like a common hydraulic lifters.. The only thing different about the 4.6 and 5.4 2 valve is instead of being dished where a push rod fits into the top cup, they have a domed almost push rod tip looking end that goes into the rocker arm. They might also have a fancy name for rocker arm but it's still the connection piece that rocks and pushes down the valve spring on the tip of the valve stem. On the Ford modular engines they just do not bolt in. They are simply held in by geometry and pressure. Chrysler was the first ones I saw back in the 80s that used rocker arms like these with no actual fasteners to hold them in place.
Google Ford 4.6 lifter and you'll see plenty of results and pictures of the part that holds the rocker arm up under tension..
 

Flexpedition

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Timing chain guides are plastic and the passenger side often fails first. Tapping could be the chain against the front cover.
 

rjdelp7

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Not true, they use a hydraulic valve lash adjuster. Not the same kind of lifter that a 5.0 liter pushrod motor uses true, but still referred to as a lifter .

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They are not 'Hydraulic' and not a lifter. The valves remains in a sprung, closed position, until cam lobe pushes down the lash adjuster/cam follower to compress the valve spring. The cam sits over the valves. The cam follower is more of a rocker arm.
 
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1955moose

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I like Toby's explanation better, so there!

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Gameza902

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Thanks guys. So I finally figured it out. Timing chain is very loose and rubbing against the front cover. It's now to the point where there is a dime sized hole in the front cover from the chain rubbing. So I'll be replacing the timing set, the timing cover and flushing the engine replacing oil pan gasket and redoing oil change. My question is. Will I have to remove the top valve covers to get to the front cover? And is there a gasket needed for the front cover after I replace it? Or do I use gasket sealent with the front cover?
 

TobyU

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They are not 'Hydraulic' and not a lifter. The valves remains in a compressed, closed position, until cam lobe pushes down the lash adjuster to release the valve spring. The cam sits over the valves. The lash adjuster is more of a rocker arm.

As I mentioned above they call them lash adjusters or hydraulic lash Adjusters but most people commonly refer to them as a lifter. It's kind of like a lifter and pushrod all-in-one as opposed to traditional lifter pushes the push rod as it moves up. So if by definition it doesn't move up or lift so it can't be called a lifter but as I said so many people refer to them as lifters I think most know what they're referring to. Technically the part that everyone refers to as rocker arms on overhead valve engines are usually really supposed to be called cam followers. But they're kind of shaped like a rocker and most people just call them a rocker arm.
Plenty of ohv engines have these that are hydraulic. I believe if you go get a brand new 4.6 one and push it down with your thumb it will move in quite easily. Once you put it in the engine and the oil goes in the little hole in the side of it it will be hard as a rock like a traditional lifter pumps up.
I don't get hung up on the pedantics as the generalizations and even calling stuff by the wrong name still works just fine when you're tearing into things and fixing engines. Typically you end up with part numbers anyways from searches and parts diagrams so the names don't matter too much. But then again, I'm really only concerned with the end result of getting things fixed.
 

rjdelp7

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Google/Bing/duckduckgo,push rod lifter and overhead valve cam follower. Not even close. Apple and oranges.
 

TobyU

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Google/Bing/duckduckgo,push rod lifter and overhead valve cam follower. Not even close. Apple and oranges.

I said "rocker arm" or "rockers" as people call them are cam followers.
I said "lifters" as people refer to them are hydraulic lash adjusters.
Never stated push rod lifter or any other lifter or lash adjuster was same part as rocker arm or cam follower.

Btw, how does this help or someone diagnose or fix a ticking (whatever you decide to call it) part inside the engine?
 

Tony91932

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The original timing guides were damaged, so I removed them and replaced with new chain, sprockets, and tensionors well after replacing went to started and motor would not turn so I removed them and tried to spin crankshaft still would not spin, I removed the pan to inspect shaft, rod and bearing everything is in order. It is not frozen because it will turn about an inch back and forth nothing else was removed it has me baffled. Any ideas?
 

Lee_H

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I have a 2003 5.4 2v engine that at times will tick. Usually low oil or on start up and low rpm stop at a stop light. As a fact finding measure try one or maybe two quarts of Marvel mystery oil or very similar cleaner. Type F transmission oil (not FA) is an even older old timer test with the two quart cleaner and the rest regular engine oil. This is a test for a week of driving at the most then dump and do a normal oil change. If things improve, it is dirty parts. No improvement or more noise then try thicker oil on a change right away. That usually means worn parts.
 
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