Well I do have a cheap old Fram on and think I will swap it out. I just changed the oil with the Rotella 15W 40 and Marvel Mystery w/ a touch of Sea Foam. I ordered an oil pressure gauge with a filter sandwich so I will put a better filter on when I change it out. That all being said, I think SPIKE555 has things summed up pretty well. This is more about mental health than getting rid of the tick. I will embrace the tick once I have eliminated a few basic things to make sure its not manageable.

1) Check the plug wires
2) Evaluate the Oil Pressure when ticking and when not

Over time if it gets louder I will assume the lifters are bad and spend some money to rebuild the top end. I not and things stay the same I will learn to love it.

Thanks for the therapy session!

 

Now you have the right attitude.
Enjoy the truck, life goes on.

In Search documentary trailer - YouTube

 

Well I am happy to report its been about 6 weeks and no ticking. Apparently the flushing and Murphys Mystery etc.. freed up something and its quiet finally.

I do have a question though. I installed a digital oil pressure gauge that is connected to one of those oil filter adapters. At start up its like 34 lbs of pressure but once it gets hot, it actually reads 0 lbs at idle. The red warning oil light does not come on though which I think it triggers at around 6 lbs I think. Just curious, could this setup just not accurately reflect the lower pressures once hot or could it be the additives have made it so viscous that it reads that low. Any thoughts?????

 

Oil light should come on at first key turn (bulb test), then go out in a couple of seconds unless very cold with something that is not 5W40. IMHO your oil PSI gauge is off, normal is 40-50 at cold idle, tapering off as it warms up to 10+. My tired old D1 at 183K does 44 at cold idle, dropping to around 18-20 when warmed up. 42 - 44 at 2500 when warm.

What does your oil PSI read at 2500 rpm warm?

So if your gauge is reading 10 pounds low because of where the port is placed, or the calibration of the sender unit, then you are more likely seeing 40+ at idle cold, and higher when running.

The additives have not thinned it that much, MMO has a viscosity of 3W, even if you were running 100% MMO there should still be some oil pressue.

You could attach a manual gauge where the oil switch is for a test, or to your own sandwich adapter. Seems like there have been posts about the adapter senders not being 100%. I guess you could test the sender with some sort of adapter and an air pump.

 

Check your gauge just because it's new does not mean it accurate, I had a similar problem on a different vehicle. Cost me hours and hours & several hundred dollars for an oil pump only to find out the new $30 gauge was not accurate.

I should add above 20psi the gauge was right, on below 20 psi it read 0

 

I agree, its the gauge.

 

I thought there was 5 1/2 lifters??? Mine does not tick.......Ok ...so i put another engine in it.....I'm busted...