Factory Fix for Death Rattle - True?

[Roert42]

The small rattle on startup of the 4.0 is what causes the the plastic guides to break. So if you are hearing a rattle on startup that goes away with oil pressure there is already some damage done.

 

[Lussoman]

Thanks much for the summaries.

Of the engines offered in the Ranger, the 3.0 is perhaps one of the most trouble free engines. Just don’t plan on getting anywhere fast. There is a reason they are nicknamed the 3.slow.
.........................................Keep in mind that the original Rangers are 10 years old or older now. So, you’ll be dealing with age issues as well as whatever negligence the previous owner may have done to them.

Even the new rangers still don't have an engine actually designed for a truck. The 2.3 EB is still based on a FWD Mazda car engine from 20 years ago...

 

[Lussoman]

Roert, you have two 4.0s; did either of them have even brief starting rattles when you bought them? If so, did you pull valve covers to assess the damage?

The small rattle on startup of the 4.0 is what causes the the plastic guides to break. So if you are hearing a rattle on startup that goes away with oil pressure there is already some damage done.

 

[Roert42]

Roert, you have two 4.0s; did either of them have even brief starting rattles when you bought them? If so, did you pull valve covers to assess the damage?

They did not.

 

[Lussoman]

Please bear with me, I'm trying to nail this rattle-engine-buying philisophy down. Given no rattle on startup: if you didn't know the maintenance history (i.e., when was the last set of tensioners put in, among other things) of either or both engines, did you put two new tensioners in each of your 4.0s when you got them? Seems that would be the only way to prevent startup rattle--new tensioners right away, then every 70kmi.?

They did not.

 

[Roert42]

Please bear with me, I'm trying to nail this rattle-engine-buying philisophy down. Given no rattle on startup: if you didn't know the maintenance history (i.e., when was the last set of tensioners put in, among other things) of either or both engines, did you put two new tensioners in each of your 4.0s when you got them? Seems that would be the only way to prevent startup rattle--new tensioners right away, then every 70kmi.?

Neither of the trucks has a rattle on start up.

One had 24Kmiles on it, and I did the tensioners at 70Kmiles as a maintenance item.

The other one i bought with about 240kmiles on it. Before I started it up, I popped the hood so I could listen. The guy selling it started it, and I did not hear any rattle. After I bought it I changed the tensioners within a couple weeks. I have not had any issues with the engine.

I plan to continue changing them ever 70Kmiles.




I would say, that if the engine is over 70Kmiles and does not have a startup rattle, should be ok on that front. If the seller cant provide maintenance records of the tensioners being done, change them. They don't take very long, so just do them when you do the first oil change.

 

[Lussoman]

Great, I get it. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Mike92STX]

Yes, listen to everything these guys are saying. I didn't do any research and I'm now replacing my motor with a remanufactered motor. I could have fixed it but it is easier to pull the motor and put another one in than pull the motor and replace the guides, especially since the motor had 248000 miles. After I brought the truck I started checking things closer and found out that the oil filter was on so tight I had to get a stronger tool to remove it and the oil was over full. My sons are doing the switch for me and when they got the old motor out we looked at the guides and the front one was OK but the back one was sitting down about 3 inches from where it was mounted and the chain was rubbing on the small shaft that the guide was supposed to be on, some of my rattle noise was the chain wearing down the shaft and it isn't very big.