Ford Repair: motor flush vs new engine, new jasper, cam chain

Question
I have a 2000 explorer, Unfort. i exceeded the oil change. Now i have a horrible knock, sounds like lifters, the mech. said there was to much sludge and the left cam chain is loose. He did not tear into the engine, or check the oil pain for sludge (i am sure there is some), he says new jasper engine, other mech. (that have not seen it), says also new engine. Why cant i flush this motor? Where can i find instr. on to do it myself? PLease help cant afford 5000.00 new motor.  

Answer
Lisa-

  Well...first of all, a new motor shouldn't ever cost $5000.  Especially a Jasper motor.  At the most I'd say it should cost around $2500-$3000 (at the very most) plus a few hundred dollars in labor.  Still not cheap...but it's not $5000.  As for flushing the engine, it all depends on the extent of the damage.  If it's just a bad lifter (or lifters) then it would be an easy fix.  But a lifter won't produce a knocking noise...it's more of a click than a knock.  My guess would be that your loose timing chain could be throwing off engine timing causing it to knock...but that's just speculation on my part.  I would go out and buy a case of cheap oil (one of those boxes with 12 quarts in it of cheap generic oil) and a couple filters, drain the oil that's in there now, refill with clean oil and change the filter, drive it for 20 miles or so, drain and refill/change filter again.  You really can't make it any worse by doing that and it might just clear some problems up.  Who knows...it could be a $50 solution to a potentially big $$$ problem.  Hope this helps.

Steve