Yeah, try the Marvel Mystery Oil, cant hurt.

No not all '03's in the VIN range are doomed, some '04's that are not even considered bad have failed from a bad oil pump.

If the MMO does not help then you need to make a big decision.

 

Brought my DISCO II to the oil change guy yesterday did an engine flush, while it had the flush chemical in it, the engine ran smooth as silk and the clicking noise completely disappeared. He ran a new filter with the flush, then put a few quarts of oil through it and changed it to a Bosh filter and refilled it with oil. We put in Castrol 10w 40 mineral an a quart of Lucas oil treatment. As soon as everything was paid and I got around the corner the F#^*&@* clicking came back, though not as bad. I am convinced it is either a lifter or a rocker sticking.

Anyway am on my way from Laguna up to the Lost Coast today, hopefully 500 miles without incident.

Thank you all for your advise I will keep you informed.

 

Well made it up to Bodega Bay and the clicking noise was gone, slightly coming back at low idle. I guess the clean out helped a lot.

But have a new problem.......

The horn went crazy, started beeping when I turned left and right, people waving fists at me, I was helpless my wife was mortified...

Finally I punched it, if it was a bull it still would be knocked out.

Seemed to work

 

Bodega Bay...Are you in the SF bay area? Great story by the way!

 

I want to thank you for all your help and info...Could you clarify "big decision" for me? Thanks again!!!

 

Your horn button(s) are lose and about to pop off.
This is common with DII's, the spring in the horn buttons is bad and shorting out.
Some have been woken up at 2am with their horn blaring.

 

In the context of the original post by "big decision" I meant sell the truck or replace the engine.

 

Well

Made it to Mendocino, stayed in a upscale B&B waited for the horn to go off at 2am, I was however woken at 1:30 am by a town siren which goes off anytime
somebody calls 911 (cat up a tree), got back to sleep fitfully with the horn ring Sword of Damocles looming over me....

Now my cruise control does not work at all....

My wife is starting to accuse me of breaking everything by "fiddling with the car"..

The clicking is starting to become a minor issue....

 

I will just put my two cents in here. Many disagree, and by all means this is my experience only. This is with Royal Purple on every change. I ran 10W40 and developed a tick. being in the business, I have seen that you can run a lighter weight oil with RP because it has a higher film strength, as do most synthetics. I drained it and added 10W30. Tick gone. One of the posts mentioned no tick during the flush. A flush is lighter weight. It flows through clogged passages easier. I have ran 10W30 everytime since (Have done an ATF flush and dropped the pan at 135K). I am closing in on 200K fast and still have no tick. I will add that my longblock was replaced at 50K due to an oil pump problem back in 97. It isn't just the new ones, and I attribute the 04's going out just like all of the previous years. There just werent that many of them produced.

 

cehck your vacuum lines. There should be a bladder looking thing on your throttle. There should be a hose coming off that going to a tee fitting. From there, one will go through the firewall to the brake switch, and another going to a vacuum pump under the airbox.