4.0 sohc knocking??

[mitchp09]

hey guys i have a 2001 4.0 sohc ranger and its knocking pretty bad. i went to park my truck and i noticed it. i have it narrowed down to the top end on the drivers side. im positive its not an exhaust leak. anybody have anything else like this happen or have an idea on what it could be, im gonna have it towed home tomorrow because i dont want to damage my motor any further. any help is appreciated

 

[shane96ranger]

I've not heard a knocking sound, but a clicking sound on one. It was the timing chain guides.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

they can get slapping pretty good on them. There are 3 chains...one for each head and one for the counter shaft in the middle. It's quite a common occurrence with the early SOHC's.

 

[straycat]

Is it a loud knock, or more of a faint knock that could be a lifter tap? My truck is real quite while it is running and I stand beside it...but when I go up against a wall (Walgreens drivethru) I hear a bit of a noise and it is supposed to be normal since it is the valve train. It is the echo from the wall I am hearing and it is nothing to worry about. If it is a loud knock that can mean a few things as well as a cam issue, piston/ring issues or worse...crank issues.

 

[shane96ranger]

Is it a loud knock, or more of a faint knock that could be a lifter tap?

It's a SOHC. Does it have a lifter? I thought they didn't anyway.

 

[mitchp09]

first of all sorry for not getting back ive been busy with work and what not, but it was the front timing chain tensioner. when i pulled off the valve cover i pulled out 3 pieces of plastic that were from the tensioner side of it. Have any of you put in a new tensioner?? the chain seems fine and i really dont want to make more work for myself. I keep seeing posts about tool kits to hold the cams in place while doing the timing chain, i guess my question is do i need the tools to just to the tensioner and chain guide??

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

If it is just the tensioner you can simply unbolt the tensioner, install the new one and torque it to spec. The plastic is more than likely from the chain guide, or cassette, they are the part that is know to break up and fall apart letting the chain slap around. If the cassette needs to be replaced, you will need the specialty tools (there are 8 of them).

And yes there are lifters (hydraulic lash adjusters) in the SOHC.