What's with the clacking sound on cold startups. Sounds like dry tappets. seems to go away as oil pressure gets up. '93 Mark 66k mi.

What's with the clacking sound on cold startups. Sounds like dry tappets. seems to go away as oil pressure gets up. '93 Mark 66k mi.

It's the cam chains slapping around until the oil gets to them.....

Yup -- on the mark VIII this is normal for the first 30 seconds. Just until the oil gets up there. Nothing to worry about. it does no damage and the fix is somewhere in the $1100 range.



It's the cam chains slapping around until the oil gets to them.....

My '93 Mark VIII has the same noise-I thought it might be worn cam followers, but this seems to be a logical explaination. I hope these cars don't have nylon timing gears like the '60's and 70's Lincolns did-I have changed all mine out with steel gears and roller chains when available-does anyone know of a roller timing set for the 430/ 462 engine?

If it's only upon startup then it"s the secondary cam tensioners.
Nothing to worry about.

The best cure is a Purolator Pure 1 anti drainback oil filter.

If there is tapping there is definatly more wear going on than if there isn't that noise. Using a true synthetic which flows better and protects superior to dyno oil would probably help. Also the mastercraft filter is idential (purolator makes it) to the pure1 filter and several dollars cheaper. Not to say it is exactly going to wreck the engine overnight, but the noise occurs from metal to metal contact. Just not a very serious form of it.

Sticky valves will make the same noise. I just pulled the intake off of a 150K '93 Mark. Caked with carbon deposits. The intake valves looked like they had cocoons attached to them.