4.0 OHV valve job cost?

[nthn135]

Anyone know roughly how much it'll cost to have a valve job done (parts and labor) to a 99 Ranger with a 4.0 OHV?

Also, how long should I expect it to take a mechanic to do this?

Thanks

 

[Big Jim M]

WHY would you want to have a valve job done.. Most of what you will get is more wear from the valves and seats being ground away.. Is something wronng??
Big JIm

 

[nthn135]

Ya, I have a previous post describing the problem, but in short:

engine begins to lose power after about 5 minutes of driving. It starts to tick/click at mid-high rpms, and really isn't drivable at all. Most people have told me its most likely the valves.

I've already changed the spark plugs and done the "obvious" things.

 

[Will]

Carlsbad--is Smokey's Speed and Machine in Oceanside still in business?

Anyway, before you do anything do a compression check. If the cylinders are all reading 130-150 then your valves are sealing fine. A valve job isn't a common repair anymore. A burned exhaust valve might occasionally show up as surging, and that once seat might need grinding, but not a whole valve job.

You need to get a new set of Most People. Most People know jack shit. Ticking and clicking are not valve job issues. They are probably stuck lifter issues, or worn rocker issues. Valve job issues are sealing issues. Buy a gauge from Harbor Freight, which I think has a store in Carlsbad, and check the sealing. Then if it shows good sealing, get ready for some wrenching to get those valve covers off. If the lifters turn out to be stuck the heads will have to come off to fetch them out of there.

It sounds like the oil is warming, getting thin and then trouble begins. I spent 11 hours hand planing today and don't have much sense left, but I'll think about what it could be.

 

[nthn135]

You've been a bigger help than just about anyone thus far.. Thank you!

The engine is actually brand new to this truck. Bought it at a junk yard w/ 150k miles - they compression tested it and tested for leaks and all that good stuff. So assuming they did there job that means the valves should be fine I suppose. I'm new to all this and didn't realize the coorelation between valves and compression and all that

So now the issue may lie, as you said, with the lifters or rockers.

I actually recently replaced the valve cover gaskets, and the rockers looked fine. Looked like oil was getting to both sides fine. The only thing I have yet to do as far as the "obvious" is change the fuel filter, but I doubt thats causing the issue. The gas is about 5 months old.. Maybe its gone bad? who knows.

 

[Big Jim M]

I agree

Will said most if not all of it. If a compression check was done by the parts place then it AIN"T the valves!! As far as the lifters/ rockers go I'd forget about them for a while at least.
If the thing runs good when cold and then runs badly warm I'd be looking at the rest of the engine and not the valve train. Valves run badly from startup to finish!
I think you should give a much better description of what happens and when it happens..
Give temperature, rpm, gear... anything that might help in trouble shooting your problem.
It's pretty obvious that you don't know much about what happens after you turn the key, so put as much in writing as you can think of.
How badly does it run?
Does it miss and sputter?
What gear and how many rpm does it do it at?
Big JIm