I'm sure I can... Driving my Tahoe till I get this figured out.

 

a common issue on Fords in the mid 90s was the rubber gasket split and the inside part got sucked into the oil pick up screen... very common.

checking timing chain stretch is easy and take about 5 minutes to do...

do it like this... and you'll need a long 1/2 drive ratchet... 6 inch extension and a socket for the BIG bolt on the bottom pulley and a light...

Remove the Distributor cap so you can see the rotor button... just move the cap off to the side and you can leave all the plug wires on it...

Clean the Timing tab so you can see the ZERO mark and the degrees after it... clean the timing line on the Balancer... I paint mine white

Using the 1/2 inch drive ratchet and socket with extension put in on the lower bolt and turn the engine COUNTER clockwise slowly until the timing mark lines up at ZERO making sure not to go past... if you do keep going counter clockwise until you line it up at zero....

once its on ZERO put your eyes on the rotor button and watch the rotor... now turn the engine CLOCKWISE until the rotor button starts to move...dont move it but just until you see it start to move... count the degrees on the timing tab that the mark has moved.... How many do you have... more than 8° replace the chain

 

Would it make a knocking that would go away as warmed up? or...would the oil pump knock if going bad? Always thought I should have had that replaced while the pan was off since it sounds like getting the pan off is a pain.

 

well thats where the pressure gauge comes in handy... need to know what the cold vs hot pressure is...

Oil pump wont knock but would cause the bottom end to knock... it is possible the bypass is sticking open when cold and bypassing oil

timing chain wont knock but can sound like a type of knock when the chain is slapping the cover...

with as many miles as your engine has and being non-neglected all its life I'd think the chain would be fine still... but it is possible

 

I dont think it's the chain. When I changed oil last I got under the truck when I started it..you can feel the knock on the passenger side of the oil pan...hear it the best right there as well. Seriously not looking forward to this job but it cost me over $800 to have my pan replaced a couple years ago due to the time involved. It may have to wait until winter til I get the time to do it. This sucks.

 

Do you know what all has to come off to lift the front of the engine or does the whole engine have to be lifted? Whats the best way to do this? Will also buy a lift if needed..still cheaper than paying someone else.

 

if you have a 4x4 its pretty simple...

you'll need to pull the Upper Intake manifold...

Pull the motor mount bolts... and drop the exhaust from the manifolds...

I'd also pull the radiator

its a tight fit coming out but it can be done... you'll need to lift the engine until the block hits the firewall and tunnel

EDIT...

here is a Simple very effective test to do....and do this when COLD when the engine is knocking...

get a Test light...hook one end to ground... either battery or the cable ground on the engine and verify the light works by touching the Positive post and lighting the light...

Start the engine COLD and while knocking take the sharp end on the test light and poke the spark plug wire directly on the distributor terminal... this will short out that cylinder.... this will also cause the cylinder to go dead and the rpm will drop a tad...

test ALL 8 and see if shorting out a cylinder makes the knock quit??? if it does you have a rod bearing on the way out...

usually if the noise is on the passenger side its the cylinder on the drivers side... make sense to you?

 

Sounds fun....not....but doable. Dont need to disconnect anything behind the engine or anything? Transfer case, tranny etc...?

 

Yep, makes sense! Will give that a shot. Ugb....why me? Why me? Hey, thanks for all your time and input, I really appreciate it! Sure wish it were something simple.....

 

good luck. I'm sure it'll turn out.