I would pop the valve cover off and check the rockers/lifters and look for clearances. I've seen them worn out so they tap.


The 5.9L motor has always had a little tap from slight ping and you can counter that with higher octane or a 1 step colder plug.
Yes you can drop out the front suspension and drop the pan and replace the main bearings and rod bearings, but usually if that’s the problem you have low oil pressure.


If you are using 15W-40 in your truck you are clearly using the incorrect lubricant!

You should be using 5W-30 in very cold weather and 10W-30 in hot weather only! The additives are very different as the 15W-40 is diesel oil and your engine isn't designed for its use.

The other thing I do is I only use Mobil One Fully Synthetic 10W-30 High Mileage in my truck. It flows like water even at -54F so no need to ever change the oil weights for winter driving or summer driving. I change it at 5000 mile intervals religiously.

 

I'm running 5W-30 in it. Never put 10W-40 in there. I just got it changed and asked for 10W but they put 5W in anyway. I think I'm going to drain a quart out, add in 10W and put some Lucas Oil Stabilizer in. I heard a lot of people like that stuff.

Ill pop the cover off and see if anything is loose. The girl that's a certified tech that changed my oil at Sears said it's definitely some kind of rod knock, weather its a lifter or bearing.

Oil pressure sits a hair under the middle mark at 80 degree weather at idle. Is that good?

 

your pressure sounds fine however i do have a couple of comments, hopefully i caught you in time

1) NEVER EVER mix oil weights, the additives packages are different and can react causing problems, this is the same reason we suggest sticking with one constant weight of oil over the life of the vehicle.

2) NEVER put any additives into clean motor oil (a little seafoam right before a change is ok on occasion, but nothing else) as additives are not regulated so you never know what you are actually putting in the oil. Think of it this way, oil additives are the modern day equivilant of snake oil

3) idk of any chain places that have ase certified techs doing the oil changes, usually they train and certify them by their own standards (at least with the careless work i have seen done around here thats what they must do) so take anything they told you with a grain of salt and not as the word of god.

 

On the 5.9L, 5W-30 is most of your problem.

IndyD

 

Can you please explain this statment?

 

Number one, I have a 5.2, not a 5.9. Second, the girl went to college for engines. I can understand the oil additives not being reccomended, but what choice do I have at this point? I want to keep it running as long as I can as the knock gets louder, becuase it's getting louder at idle.

 

if you want to change the oil weight you need to drain and refill the system, and then stick with the 10w from then on out.

also i never said she didnt, i just said dont take her word as that of god and explained how it was in the area i am in which is the reasoning behind my statement

 

Well, I'll tka eyour word for that. Now, do I have a chance to extend the life of the motor if I replace the rod bearings before they spin? Or would they just wear back down to where the old ones were very quickly? (That's what somebody told me.)

 

i have never heard that they would wear back down very quickly, but im sure indy, hydra, master tech, and whitewidow will have better insight on that question thatn i do

 

+1 10w, NOT 5w unless you live in Alaska.

IMHO... Full dump, refill with a quality 10w30 and filter swap, Add Rislone, run 1500 miles/30 days, Full Dump, refill with a quality 10w30 and filter swap. Listen and see if it has improved before any wrenching.

5.2 & 5.9 = same oil procedures

IndyDurango