Changing hydraulic timing chain tensioners

[JJMaine]

So when I recently did my head gaskets and timing components I used Cloyes tensioners. Now I don't know if I'm being paranoid or not but I swear I hear some slight noise on cold start and at idle. It's very slight but it wasn't there before I did my head gaskets. I'm not concerned about using the Cloyes guides at all but the tensioners have me worried I must admit.

After doing a couple hours of looking last night at first it seems like there are a few people who have had trouble with the Cloyes tensioners on the 4.0 SOHC engine. Most have been fine but a few had very early failures and at least one that failed to prime from the get go.

All that to say I'm switching to Ford tensioners and have ordered them along with gaskets. At least at that point I'll have done everything I can for longevity and it it'll be what it'll be from that point forward.

I'm wondering though for those that have changed the front tensioner. What's stopping me from loosing it with a 27mm wrench and finagling it out by hand? I've read a lot of posts where people say to remove the throttle body, t star housing etc. but to me it looks like I might have to remove my one coolant temp sensor but from the it's home free? I'm not pre priming them so going back in should be easy enough with some doing? I can reach my hand in under the EGR and turn the tensioner no? Just trying to prepare myself and gather as much info as possible before doing it outside in freezing temps lol.

If at all possible I'd like to not have to disturb the cooling system at all (other than that temp sensor) and deal with that but if I have to I will Thanks guys as always!

 

[SenorNoob]

Would there be enough room to pull it all of the way out? Either way, not much harm in trying when you are ready to the job. Just be prepared to take more apart.

 

[JJMaine]

To me it looks like there is plenty of room. Good point, I'm just going to expect the worse and hop for the best. I'm going to have to order another jug of coolant because no one sells the motorcraft coolant local. Is it okay to mix it with something like Peak gold?

There's also a 59% chance I'm doing this for no reason but I know myself and there's only one way to get it off my mind . Apparently I didnt know myself well enough when I put the engine back together lol.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

To me it looks like there is plenty of room. Good point, I'm just going to expect the worse and hop for the best. I'm going to have to order another jug of coolant because no one sells the motorcraft coolant local. Is it okay to mix it with something like Peak gold?

There's also a 59% chance I'm doing this for no reason but I know myself and there's only one way to get it off my mind . Apparently I didnt know myself well enough when I put the engine back together lol.

Where's your nearest dealer? Ford dealers should always have the Motorcraft Gold coolant. To get straight 100% Gold instead of 50–50 premix here, I have to go to the dealer. The aftermarket gold is supposed to interchange with Motorcraft gold, but there isn't much price difference.

There was little cost difference between the dealer and the auto-parts stores for Gold, either.

 

[JJMaine]

Yeah I didn't think of getting some from a dealership. Hopefully I won't need it I'm 99% sure I can get the front tensioner out and back in with only removing the temp sensor. And I may not even have to take that out.

Mind you, my tensioners are only 200 miles old so I'm expecting to only need the 32ft lbs of force I torqued them on with to break them free. Also, I plan to not be able to torque them back in but that's fine with me. Crank on em until they don't leak

From what I've read and been told, I can take the passenger fender liner out and that tensioner will be staring me right in the face so it should be an issue. I have a 30°/60° angle open end 27mm wrench to use if I have to.

I wish I had thought, I'd have attempted removing them before I took my engine out and had everything off the top of it (for science).

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Yeah I didn't think of getting some from a dealership. Hopefully I won't need it I'm 99% sure I can get the front tensioner out and back in with only removing the temp sensor. And I may not even have to take that out.

Mind you, my tensioners are only 200 miles old so I'm expecting to only need the 32ft lbs of force I torqued them on with to break them free. Also, I plan to not be able to torque them back in but that's fine with me. Crank on em until they don't leak

From what I've read and been told, I can take the passenger fender liner out and that tensioner will be staring me right in the face so it should be an issue. I have a 30°/60° angle open end 27mm wrench to use if I have to.

I wish I had thought, I'd have attempted removing them before I took my engine out and had everything off the top of it (for science).

What was the update with Motorcraft tensioners? I'm getting ready to do injectors and other intake-off stuff, which means tensioners (they are a wear item).

Curious if you swapped out the cloyes for Motorcraft and if there was a change.

 

[JJMaine]

Big change, random start up rattles with the new Cloyes tensioners and 0 rattle with the new Motorcraft tensioners.

I think in the past Cloyes used to source their tensioners from different places and have read some guys getting Cloyes tensioners that came from Dayco in Italy which is the OEM manufacturer. I suspect that is why some people have had great luck with Cloyes. I wouldn't buy them again, made in China and having the rattle like I did

 

[JJMaine]

Also, if your Ranger is like mine with only one coolant temp sensor, you can easily get to the top tensioner by just removing the sensor and using a socket w/ 10" extension FYI

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

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Big change, random start up rattles with the new Cloyes tensioners and 0 rattle with the new Motorcraft tensioners.

I think in the past Cloyes used to source their tensioners from different places and have read some guys getting Cloyes tensioners that came from Dayco in Italy which is the OEM manufacturer. I suspect that is why some people have had great luck with Cloyes. I wouldn't buy them again, made in China and having the rattle like I did

That's a shame to hear about Cloyes. They used to be the best name outside OEM, and at times were better. Mine have been ok... but not to the point where I'm comfortable putting them in again. I know the exact buzzing rattle you're talking about; I've heard it a couple times on a cold start. I started doing the clear flooded engine process in order to Prime the oiling system after @RonD suggested it. Miss him.

Motorcraft it is then.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Also, if your Ranger is like mine with only one coolant temp sensor, you can easily get to the top tensioner by just removing the sensor and using a socket w/ 10" extension FYI

I did exactly that last time I changed mine. My intake has to come off this round for injectors anyway, so doing a bunch of other crap while I'm in there. Laying all the groundwork to finally put this stupid moddbox kit on.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Also, if your Ranger is like mine with only one coolant temp sensor, you can easily get to the top tensioner by just removing the sensor and using a socket w/ 10" extension FYI

I did exactly that last time I changed mine. My intake has to come off this round for injectors anyway, so doing a bunch of other crap while I'm in there. Laying all the groundwork to finally put this stupid moddbox kit on.

 

[JJMaine]

Yeah the aftermarket parts just aren't what they used to be. Best to play it safe for sure.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Does anyone know whay Ford uses two different designs for the tensioners? I'm wondering why the one on the left (driver's) side is longer than the one on the right in the part you can see above the hex for the wrench. Under the hex, meaning the threaded portion with the oil hole, the two tensioners are the same length and appear identical. That extra length on the left one hinders removal and installation. Intentional?