High Mileage or Not

[DonSor]

My 99 Ranger 4.0 is approaching 100K miles. I've been pretty diligent changing my oil every 3-4K miles using the standard 5W/30. I'm not ecperiencing any problems although sometimes when I first start the vehicle I hear a slight klitty-klak when ideling and the noise seem to go away when I get moving and don't hear the noise at all after the engine is all warmed up. I've read a lot about oils and additives but don't know who to believe regarding all the miracles vendors claim regarding their products. I would like your oinion. Would I be prudent to change to a different type oil such as high mileage or semi-synthetic or a higher viscosity oil perhaps such as 10W/30? As the saying goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

[lectraplayer]

To me, 100K-miles is "just getting broken in good". You can expect at least 250K-miles, and easily more. While you can try a higher viscosity oil (I would suggest during the summer only, though), you're probably doing best running your regular oil. Otherwise, I would angle toward synthetics, and maybe a little Lucas.

[albertaranger]

My 3.0 Vulcan ranger makes the same noise. Probably lifters/rods. I am not too concerned about it as there have never been OBD2 codes or other problems. I am considering going to high milage oil anyways and I have 130000 KM. Not for the noise, but to help the seals and such. My oil stays new looking for at least a couple of thousand KM and I am very religious about changes every 5000km.

0.02

[DonSor]

I added a quart of Lucas Oil Stabilizer to four quarts of the standard Castrol 5/30 oil. The noise seemed to have increased in intensity. If this continues, I will drain my oil again and install what I had been using before.

[Scrapper]

there not even broke in until 100.000 these days specialey a ford rager or ford ranger or ford ranger xlt you take care of it like that rangers will go for ever. if not lifter a injecter can tick to my dads 2002 does and he never like fords until he got his ranger 4 years now and just oil and the normal maitanace 200.000 now keep it...but for there cars dono...

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by DonSor

My 99 Ranger 4.0 is approaching 100K miles. I've been pretty diligent changing my oil every 3-4K miles using the standard 5W/30. I'm not ecperiencing any problems although sometimes when I first start the vehicle I hear a slight klitty-klak when ideling and the noise seem to go away when I get moving and don't hear the noise at all after the engine is all warmed up. I've read a lot about oils and additives but don't know who to believe regarding all the miracles vendors claim regarding their products. I would like your oinion. Would I be prudent to change to a different type oil such as high mileage or semi-synthetic or a higher viscosity oil perhaps such as 10W/30? As the saying goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

by the way he run 10-30 pensoil in it.

[lectraplayer]

One thing I've figured out about Ford cars, you've GOT to keep that transmission fluid fresh. That's what happened to my Taurus.

[SultanGris]

I bought a 90 ford ranger 4.0 about 8 years ago that had 115K on it when i bought it. It had a klickity klack noise which I assumed was the lifters. It seemed to go away when it warmed up for quite a while. I drove it until it got 198K miles and the older it got the longer the sound lasted before it went away, and had I not drove it for too long adding water after my intake manifold gasket went out before I fixed it I have no doubt that it would still be running fine today. Seemed to be a common problem with the 4.0, never affected performance or caused any breakdowns, but the noise was always there from 115K to 198K miles. I changed my oil every 2K-3K miles, and always added a bottle of STP every oil change. I drove it hard. After the intake manifold gasket went out and I drove it to long it started pushing water out of the overflow container. I replaced the heads and the head gaskets about 4 times before I figured out that it mustve cracked a piston sleeve, as it would and still does drive perfectly fine for about 5 or 6 miles until it warms up, then it starts pushing water out the overflow container, but when its cool it runs fine, but always has the klickty klack.

[chazzone]

Originally Posted by DonSor

I added a quart of Lucas Oil Stabilizer to four quarts of the standard Castrol 5/30 oil. The noise seemed to have increased in intensity. If this continues, I will drain my oil again and install what I had been using before.

Dump the Lucas, and don't go to a higher viscosity oil, either. The reason that Cologne engines develop a lifter tick is due to wear, but it's not likely to grenade the motor any time soon. It's just a part of their character.

More than 90% of the wear an engine experiences is during start-up, and the higher the viscosity, the longer it takes to protect the engine components. Ford designed it to use 5w-30 for a reason.

Check out http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/ and get a load of how Lucas products stand up to other brands. It's not pretty, and the increased viscosity from the Lucas is why your lifters are noisier than usual.

I use Castrol full-synthetic 5w-30 or the same vis Mobil 1, which ever is on sale when I need to change oil.

Btw, I only change mine every 9k miles, with a fresh filter and top off every 3k. That's in an '89 BII w/ 300k+ miles.

-zz