2001 4.0 SOHC engine timing?

Justjoshinya · Oct 25, 2016

I have a 2001 ranger 4.0 sohc edge with an automatic transmission, it has 195,000 miles on it and has been a good truck ive changed a few things on it, the thermostat housing several times, i rebuilt the transmission about 20k miles ago, replaced plugs, wires, and the computer, has a new rearend/axle about 50k miles.

recently it started making a loud rattle or metal on metal noise at rpm's between 2k-3.5k out of these ranges its not noticeable except on startup. i took it to the mechanic he called an hour later and said it was the cats, i said bs but picked it up anyway took it to the muffler shop he said its not the cats. he said sounds like timing chain or transmission. i took it to an actual shop and he said "i dont think its timing chain/guides" he replaced the belt tensioner bearing, and fixed a vacuum leak and replaced the EGR, he also added a "conditioner" to my oil and said he thought my timing guide tensioners are dirty and maybe the conditioner would help. i took it from him, i usually do all my own maintenance but moved into an apartment so dont have space to pull the engine apart too much.

i personally believe its the timing chain tensioner is no good or a failed guide and the chain is expanding at those rpm's causing the noise. the truck runs great beside the noise though i have tried to not drive it too much. i bought the truck at 42k miles and believe the timing components are the original but wont know unless i pull it myself. so now i debate on what to do with my truck pull the engine and fix the timing components or pull the engine and rebuild it and replace components. or drive it till the chain breaks and then dump it, i dont think i could get much for it now with the ominous noise its making.

what would you do?? the money and time without a car are a big influence to me not fixing it.

RonD · Oct 25, 2016

Welcome to TRS

1997 to 2004 4.0l SOHC engines had bad timing chain setup.

Symptom is rattle at startup and rattle at mid/higher RPMs(2,500-3,500), so..............
That's what you got

This has nothing to do with changing or not changing the oil, or related to any lack of maintenance on your part, if this is the problem with your 2001 then it was going to happen no matter what.
Fix is to pull the engine and change the timing chains, guides and tensioners to the newer design, newer design has been bullet proof, so no repeat of this problem in next 200k miles.

Some have tried changing the rear tensioner and front tensioner, and some said it worked.........but most haven't posted back over time, so can't say it would be long term fix.

The guides started to break apart on these so tension might help a bit but they will continue to dissolve over time.
Down side is the 4.0l SOHC engine IS an interference engine, for sure, so if one of the cams slips the valves WILL HIT the pistons, and then you are looking at a much bigger repair cost.

It could very well just be a tensioner issue, read this thread all the way through: http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13532

A different oil has helped some, but not all.

adsm08 · Oct 25, 2016

It is not entirely true that the tensioner/guide issue is not related to maintenance. The tensioners are pumped up by oil pressure, and the rear one is one of the last things to get oil. So on the early ones it is going to happen eventually no matter what you do good oil and filter will help forestall it. I won't use anything but Motorcraft oil and filters on my own SOHC engines.

The noise is the chains slapping around, which is what does the guides in. The chains hit them and damage them. Or at least this is how the engineer explained it to me.

I have seen long-term results from replacing just the tensioners, but it is a hit or miss thing. The success of that repair is wholly dependent on the level of damage to the guides when you replace the tensioners.

Also, there are mixed reports on the "interferenceness" of this engine. I think the issue comes in that the cam can be neutralled which has all valves partially open, and you can spin it safely, but if the cams are timed incorrectly then it will hit. I have run across a number of reports of the rear jackshaft bolt breaking, which will neutral the RH cam, but the engine doesn't bend a valve. I have an engine that did that right now that runs fine with no compression issues.

RonD · Oct 25, 2016

4.0l SOHC is an interference engine, valves and pistons do share space in the cylinder, whether or not valve or piston damage occurs is a roll of the dice when a cam gets out of sync with a crank.

With the number of these timing chain failures on the 4.0l SOHC engines I don't think you can chalk them all up to poor maintenance, so.............
You can of course have any number of engine problems that occur from poor maintenance, timing chain issues being one of these, on any engine, but I am not Ford so I don't blame the victim, lol.
Joking

But 4.0l SOHC timing chain issue, as far as I know, wasn't 100% failure on all engines made before 2005, so other side of the coin is why do some fail and others do not, so there is something at work there, maybe oil type, or lack of it

gw33gp · Oct 26, 2016

I have heard a lot of theories about why some guides fail and some not. One I tend to go along with is the use of synthetic oil helps prolong the life of the guides. I have used synthetic oil since the first oil change and so far at over 205K miles the guides are still good.

I did replace the tensioners around 100K miles but I did it just for peace of mind not because of a rattle. The old tensioners seemed to be still good. At least the spring in them was still strong. I think replacing the tensioners after the rattle starts is a bit too late but that is just an opinion and not based on experience.

Justjoshinya · Oct 26, 2016

Thanks for the replies guys, yea the mechanic said oil was an issue, i do an oil change every 4k miles. truck runs strong just that rattle im 99% sure its the tensioner has failed and chain is rattling against the guides. so i will either sell the truck or fix it, i wont drive it any longer id rather not be forced to replace valves and pistons...

one shop i called wanted $4k to pull the engine, "remanufacture" it replace all timing components oil pump stuff like that and reinstall the engine they rebuild/remanufacture inhouse so it would be my original block.

i find this a little pricey but the other shop wanted $1800 to pull the engine and then parts and labor for the timing chains guides and tensioners. so that would be around 2500 to $3k i would assume. like i said i would normally have no problem with pulling the engine myself and just replacing the chain guides and tensioners, my buddy is a ford mechanic and has the cam tools. but i dont have anywhere to do this so i would have to take it to a shop. so do i rebuild it or just fix the guides/chains or just find a donor engine with under 100k miles.

2001 4.0 SOHC engine timing?

Justjoshinya

New Member

RonD

Official TRS AI

adsm08

Senior Master Grease Monkey

RonD

Official TRS AI

gw33gp

Well-Known Member

Justjoshinya

New Member

Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Members online

Today's birthdays

Member & Vendor Upgrades

Latest posts

Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Follow TRS On Instagram

Latest Album Photos

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store

Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad

Amazon Deals