Ford Diagnostic Skilled Mechanic Needed

BRycraft · Mar 28, 2009, 03:58 PM

I am in desperate need of a highly skilled Ford/Mercury mechanic who has excellent diagnostic skills that can diagnose an engine knock on my 1996 Mercury Villager 3.0 Liter engine. It developed an engine knock a week ago and after a couple "friends" listened to it I am told it is not a rod knock but exact location seems to elude them. The motor is smooth as silk when cold, but does have a knock when warmed up, the knock does go away when the engine rpm increases beyond 1500 or so and when it comes back down the knock comes back. I am told it is a lifter as when the oil pressure increases this silences the lifter. Does this make sense?
Should I just bring this to a ford dealer and bend over and hope they use lube...lol... and hope they have a tech who knows what he is doing, also how do I know he knows what he is doing?
or does this justify taking the valve covers off and replacing the lifters in hopes that is the problem?
I am also told that maybe running the motor without the belts to eliminate any potential external vibrations might help and that I should remove each spark plug one at a time and if the sound goes away or the pitch changes I most likely have found my problem cylinder.

Any other suggestions would be great...
Thanks Bill

BRycraft · Mar 28, 2009, 06:00 PM

yea i know we put a lot into it and its a great van, i have a feeling this shop kept it for 2 days for show, threw in a can of stop leak maybe even 2 cans figuring what do we have to lose give me a free oil change, if it stops the leak they save a day of labor, worse case it comes back and have to really do the work... I found out that the original owners of this particular shop last year were sent to jail for embezzling over $400,000 from the village, so now there are different owners. But I paid like $350 for the seals to be replaced so they should have to keep doing the job until its done right, then again at what point do I just eat that and have someone else redo it? Its a tough decision because I don't like throwing money away...



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