Ok guys I need some F!@#$%& help BIG time. To make a long story short, I have a 1997 4.6L V8 with 52k on it that blew up on me and I have recently rebuilt the engine. I was having some timing issues and got that solved but the ticking is still there. Everything under the timing cover is new and it has new pistons. The con-rod bearings and such were imaculate when I tore the damn thing apart so its not that. The ticking sounds like its comming from the intake area but it sounds like a mechanical tick so there is nothing in the intake to do that. I took it for a drive yesterday and could barely pull 120km/hr and the damn thing wouldn't pull past 3000rpm on the highway. The ticking goes away at about 2000rpm and comes back upon letting off the gas and its like it follows the engine rpm starting at about 1700rpm and gets less frequent at idle. I did blow up 2 pistons when i recked the engine and couldn't find the piston pieces when I had the thing apart so they either got spit out the exhaust or they discintegrated (spelling???) inside the cylinder since they were cast al pistons (by the way thhe cylinder walls didn't have a single mark on them). I turned the cam gear with the head off and all the valves seated good it all looked good to me. Something interesting though, when I fired it up for about the third time after letting it sit for a couple hours (before the trip on the highway) a lot of blue smoke came out the exhaust which tells me oil leaked out onto a piston somewhere. I am in seroius need of some good advice because I am 20 years old and this my first truck and if I don't get this freaking thing fixed soon I'll never buy a Ford again. Its been down for months (I have been working lots and haven't found much time to work on it) and I need this thing running again. PLEASE HELP ME CAUSE I LOVE FORD TRUCKS AND I DON'T WANT THAT TO CHANGE!!!

 

Who did all the work on your engine?? If you spent all this time screwing around with that engine why not get a reman one??

 

My girlfriends dad and his brother in law (both heavy duty mechanics with lots of experience on pickups) worked on it when I couldn't. The engine in it is a remanufactured one with only 52k on it so if I can find the problem its a keeper. A rebuilt engine for my truck costs $4700 canadian so I would rather try to solve this problem. I also have a lot of money into this engine so I don't want to go buy another engine if I don't have to. But its looking more and more like I may have to go that route. Any more suggestions???

 

The piston pieces(ones you can't find) end up in the plenum , but I would just look for used motor - carpart.com .

 

Are you sure the timing is right???

 

Sounds like it's beyond that to me - it's f'ed IMO..

 

Ya it most likely is

 

Yea, just like a reman trans - there only as good as the builder and the modular isn't an easy one to get right.

That's why if it were me I would look for a used out of a totaled truck . It's cheaper and it's factory.

Factory motors will go over 200,000 if treated right.

 

So I spent all that money for nothing? Cmon guys you must be able to come up with something more than just "buy another engine". For some reason I don't feel that comfortable putting in an engine thats been in a high impact situation like a crash. That can't be good for the internals of the engine for sure. I can guarentee that if I do that then I'll be buying a "For Sale" sign about 10 min after. What about the heads, a hyd. lifter could that cause a problem as serious as I am having?

 

Well, look where your at now..A used engine will slide right in in a couple hours time.

The motors are tested and guaranteed for a certain amount of time or I wouldn't buy it, but they all are.

It's a roll of the dice either way. I have never had a problem with a used engine. I've heard plenty of probs with remans - even jasper remans had problems. I'll take a used one w/low miles any day.

Yours is smoking and making noises. It's gone now.

Maybe someone can help you. This is just my opinion.

Good Luck..

 

You just don't know how frustrated I am with this engine. I have been and had people working on it for months, and to realize the fact that I may just have to trash the engine boils my blood. I'm sure most if not all of you know how I feel when **** like this comes up its just that its so frustrating to tear it down and put it back together numerous times only to have the same thing happen over and over again with no progress whatsoever. Anyways, anyone have any good sites for me to check out for engines?

 

Warning, I tell it like it is.
Your response to this may be normal for your age.
You have not enough experience and took to many 'look fines' , 'seems oks', etc that came back to bite you.
You are really angry at yourself for the failure even though you may think differently.
When a motor is removed and taken down, you find the original problems and measure/check everything else due to all the work, time and expense involved.
Suppose this were an automatic tranmission? How many times would you take it out and apart to chase problems that should all have been addressed at assembly.
As to your ticking problem, my suspect is a bent valve from a piston collision, that is sticking and snapping closed. This may also make that cylinder down on power.
Compression tests, stethoscope checks etc should find the areas of the noise and lead to a suspect.
The general power loss is most likely cam timing because clamps need to be used to keep them in position for chain install.
Sorry if I upset you but I am more than 3 times your age and see things you don't at this time in your life because I have been there and learned long ago.
Good luck with the repairs.

 

If a piston seezes in the bore for a moment, a small amount of the piston might be deposited on the wall of the cylinder. This will cause the piston to "tick" as the rings pass the "lump" of piston. Had this happen on a Yamaha 1100 some years ago and cured it by honeing the bores. Till then you could not see the problem but it did tick.

 

The problems you are having now is not Ford's fault - it's the rebuilder's fault. The rebuild was not done correctly and completely by possibly the original rebuilder and definitely not by you and your friends. There is also the possibility it blew up from the way you treated it, but I don't know the circumstances and I'm not going to accuse you of anything. You have 4 options right now.

1. Tear it down again, and do it right this time.
2. Replace the engine.
3. Get rid of the truck.
4. Drive it till it blows up and then reexamine the first 3 options.

I know you are upset and frustrated, but this is not a good attitude to take.

What would I do if I were in your position? I think I'd go get a used engine and throw it in. Then I'd tear down the engine, figure out what went wrong, and possibly rebuild it again at my leisure and do it completely and correctly to have a spare.

 

im with the majority here.find a low mileage used engine. if your not sure bring it to someone who can do a inspection and see if it needs some work before it goes in. someone who is reputable and whose word u can trust. ive never rebuilt a motor but... alot easier taking care of a potential problem before its installed.