I have a 2000 Ranger with the 3.0 Flex engine. The thermostat stuck in the closed position causing the engine to overheat thus causing the head gasket to blow. Like a dummy, I tried to fix it with a miracle fix in a bottle. Of course it didn't work. I was following the directions like they said to and now I have this awful engine noise. My question is, can too much water in the oil cause the lifters to collapsed? I'm going to pull the heads and do a gasket and resurfacing like I should have done in the first place. Is it a good idea to replace the lifters also?

 

Check your oil pressure. You may have a coolant in your oil or a clogged oil pick up screen.

 

I actually replaced the oil pump. The screen wasn't clogged so i'm going to go ahead and replace the lifters when I do the head gaskets.