• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Please help my friend out

Michael_

FBBO Gold Member
FBBO Gold Member
Local time
7:52 AM
Joined
Jan 31, 2019
Messages
1,524
Reaction score
1,558
Location
Germany
My friend with the 1990 lincoln mark VII was on the way to prague when his engine started to make funny noises and the check engine light came on.
(According to him the check engine light comes on when the engine overheats or oil pressure is low.)
He describes the noise as "ticking like a diesel".

He sent me a video but unfortunately he is standing at the drivers door and not in front of the engine.
I have no idea why ^^

He asked me for advice.
Before the video i guessed maybe oil pressure was low due to faulty oil pump etc.
But judging by the crappy video i'm not really sure what it is.

He says after he let it sit for a while the noise was going away or at least getting better. But its coming back.
When he goes down hill or off accelerator check engine light tends to go back on...

Probably meet him saturday so if the car isn't in the shop by then could take a closer look ^^

He was driving 200 miles this way if i got him right which of course wasn't smart. (Except he's very lucky and its just an exhaust leak...)

Just 2 weeks ago i heard the engine running myself. It was running LIKE NEW. No funny noises at all.

Car just has about 15k miles on the odometer. He bought it last year and put about 2500 miles on it in the last couple months... Would really be a shame if the engine already needs to be rebuilt...

BTW: Does somebody know if ford sells complete crate engines like chevrolet does?

Video

 
It may have Solid lifters. Possible one broke and clacking
 
It may have Solid lifters. Possible one broke and clacking

I would think it has hydraulic lifters. Not sure though...
It's the same 5.0-liter Windsor V8 engine as found in the Mustang of the time.
 
A 90 Lincoln with a solid lifter cam? WTF. Does the frickin' thing have any oil pressure?
 
Does the frickin' thing have any oil pressure?

Problem is he does not have gauges for water temperature or oil pressure. Just ONE idiot light for both.
So he has no idea about the actual temperature and oil pressure.

But since he was driving the thing for about 200 miles this way i would think there is some oil pressure. :D
 
Problem is he does not have gauges for water temperature or oil pressure. Just ONE idiot light for both.
So he has no idea about the actual temperature and oil pressure.

But since he was driving the thing for about 200 miles this way i would think there is some oil pressure. :D
Ya, nothing much we can do from here except guess.
 
Ya, nothing much we can do from here except guess.

Yes i thought maybe someone can tell something from the video that i missed.
I will send him the link to this thread per mail. Maybe he can/wants to provide further information...
 
That is the sound of a dying 302.. time for a new engine period.. loss of oil pressure with enough to keep it turning and the bottom end is lose enough to not lock up.
 
That is the sound of a dying 302.. time for a new engine period.. loss of oil pressure with enough to keep it turning and the bottom end is lose enough to not lock up.

Are you sure?

Man this would suck as the engine only has 15k miles on it.

Do you know if ford sells complete crate engines like chevrolet does?

I told him IF the engine needs to be rebuild i'd rather buy a complete crate engine from ford. (If they sell any)
Reasoning is i would not trust anyone in germany to rebuild that engine correctly.
So instead of spending thousands and potentially end up having problems again i would skip this crap and buy a brand new engine.
 
I’d bet my stash of beer on it!
 
Sure, could be a bad pump OR something external got bent? I'm sure he'll find out pretty soon, internal or external. Sorry about that.
 
Before you jump the gun and start buying new crate engines....take it to a local mechanic and ask him to have a look over it, if you and your friend have no mechanical ability. NOBODY can diagnose the engine is completely rooted from that one video.
 
Before you jump the gun and start buying new crate engines....take it to a local mechanic and ask him to have a look over it, if you and your friend have no mechanical ability. NOBODY can diagnose the engine is completely rooted from that one video.

Of course it should be throughoutly looked over before buying expensive goods.

We can take a look on saturday (if the car isn't already in a shop until then) but i will not be going to pull and tear down his engine.
I dont have the equipment (no engine hoist, stand etc.) and he is not working on cars at all.

Edit:

Its also quite a major undertaking and i've never done it before.
 
Last edited:
Good Lord man, does your friend have hoofed feet?, looks like the Jersey Devil's car.
 
that's a non-HP 4.6 DOHC engine. It has hydraulic roller lifters & 4 camshafts. FIRST THING is to get a free check engine light test at Autozone, Advance, etc. Look for an oxygen sensor fault code. To me, it sounds like an exhaust leak (God willing).

I suppose it's possible that a lifter collapsed (no push rods) or a rocker arm bent, but that would be rare (a problem I've never heard of with those engines).

It is possible that a spark plug backed out and/or stripped the threads. There are some issues with that happening on the 5.4 SOHC engines, but they are super similar designs..... so "possible"
 
that's a non-HP 4.6 DOHC engine. It has hydraulic roller lifters & 4 camshafts. FIRST THING is to get a free check engine light test at Autozone, Advance, etc. Look for an oxygen sensor fault code. To me, it sounds like an exhaust leak (God willing).

I suppose it's possible that a lifter collapsed (no push rods) or a rocker arm bent, but that would be rare (a problem I've never heard of with those engines).

It is possible that a spark plug backed out and/or stripped the threads. There are some issues with that happening on the 5.4 SOHC engines, but they are super similar designs..... so "possible"

According to him and what i've read online its a 5.0 not a 4.6 ?
Its a 1990 Bill Blass Edition.
Other/older cars that are not lsc or bill blass had smaller engines as far as i know.

Well according to the sound in the video i also thought it COULD be an exhaust leak.
If so he would be very lucky...
 
According to him and what i've read online its a 5.0 not a 4.6 ?
Its a 1990 Bill Blass Edition.
Other/older cars that are not lsc or bill blass had smaller engines as far as i know.

Well according to the sound in the video i also thought it COULD be an exhaust leak.
If so he would be very lucky...
Whoops! Yep, you're right. It's a 302 (5.0).....so, cam, rockers (I think roller hydraulic single cam)....****, you're screwed on the "check engine light". I think that's an old OBD I computer maybe....or actually pre-OBD I. Just diagnose it like an old Mopar, but yeah, don't drive 200 miles unless you're SURE it's an exhaust leak.
 
Of course it should be throughoutly looked over before buying expensive goods.

We can take a look on saturday (if the car isn't already in a shop until then) but i will not be going to pull and tear down his engine.
I dont have the equipment (no engine hoist, stand etc.) and he is not working on cars at all.

Edit:

Its also quite a major undertaking and i've never done it before.

I'm not suggesting removing the engine and completely tearing down. I'm talking about basics - oil pressure check, compression test, checking the plugs, ignition wires etc.
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top