Sooooo I actually picked up my truck today. Its a 92 sr5 pickup with the 3.0efi v6 in it. I went on a good test drive a couple days ago. Everything sounded fine during the test then tonight I filled her up (with 85) and took it onto the highway and it developed a tick sound under the hood audible in the cab. After about 15 miles of around town driving the engine light came on. The oil pressure is low but the level is good and just had a oil change a couple hundred miles ago and oil is still clear. Any suggestions? Ahhhhh I just got this truck hours ago! Could that have been the low octane gas? Should I take it to a mechanic?

 

-"A tick sound" is a very vague description when it comes to a 10 year old engine.
-How did you verify oil pressure is low? Are you looking at the stock gauge? Where does the needle point at idle and acceleration. You didn't mention an oil light. That's good news.
-CHECK THE ENGINE LIGHT.!!!!! its trying to tell you something.
Search on how to check the engine light code. It's pretty easy.

-does the engine idle and drive smoothly?

 

The ticking sound sounds like the lifters it sounds like one lifter and stays with the rithem of the rpms and can be heard at idle with the hood up.
The oil pressure seems low yes on the stock guage it stays at about the first low line unless i get it above 3000rpm then it goes about halfway. at idle it sits at almost zero. It drives smooth, no loss of power or hickups or anything, but with the hood up it sounds not quite right and theres the ticking lifter sound, but i know it is 20years old and i'm not familiar at all with how these are supposed to sound. And yes i will check the engine light right now and tell you what it reads.

 

Valve adjustment, page EG2-19:

http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1993/engine/64tuneup.pdf

 

got a code 71
Code 71 Which indicates:

EGR VALVE MALFUNCTION--EXHAUST GAS TEMPEATURE BELOW SPEC. FOR EGR CONTROL

--EGR SYSTEM


--EGR GAS TEMPERATURE SENSOR/CIRCUIT

 

My computer is not letting me open even if i download the files for the ncttora.com any other places theres a manual? Is a chiltons or similar manual worth while?

 

Okay so i took it back to the people i bought it from they're gonna take a look at it on Monday. thanks for all your help and suggestions. i will update this thread with what goes on and what it ends up being.

 

The 3vze ticking is USUALLY the fuel pressure regulator; they tick like a bee-otch.

 

So the check engine light was nothing. The EGR valve main electrical wire had worked itself unplugged. I plugged it back in and reset the system. No more check engine light The engine tick is just noisy injectors, totally normal. Thank you for the suggestions but everything's good.