New engine or repair?

[TDI Ranger]

Here we go again. It's been two years and about 25k miles since I had the engine out and installed a Cloyes timing set. I started hearing a rattle at start up that has been getting worse. I bought new Ford OEM tensioners. I started with the passenger side. Somehow the threads on the cylinder head got buggered up when I removed the old tensioner. Short story, the head is toast, bought a new head. During disassembly I discovered the chain guide is broken.

The motor is coming out either way now... I have two choices. The motor has 200k plus miles on it. It runs great and doesn't smoke. No issues other than this.
Choice #1 pull the engine and replace all of the timing stuff again with OEM Ford and hope for the best, or... ( I'm guessing less than $1000 and hoping for the best)
#2 replace the engine with a Ford OEM reman with a 3 year warranty. (About $4200)

I'm not getting rid of the truck anytime soon. I really just don't want to part with the money. It's not going to hurt me financially, but I really had other plans for the money. I can't decide what to do. I'm just tired of problems.

 

[RonD]

Never read any bad stuff about Cloyes 4.0l SOHC timing sets or tensioners
Not sure what went wrong

But if the tensioner on that side had buggered up threads then it may not have been tight, and that's what starts the ball rolling on the broken guides/death rattle

The timing chains and guides were never the issue with the 4.0l SOHC, it was always one of the tensioners on the 2 long chains that caused a guide to break by being loose at startup and allowing the chain to beat on the guide, before oil pressure was high enough, and eventually breaking the guide off its frame

If engine is under 200k miles I would always just rebuild top end
Bottom end, piston and rings, are usually good for 400K+
Timing chains not withstanding, exhaust valves are what wear out first on most engines

 

[TDI Ranger]

Following up, I decided it was best for me to get a new Ford reman. I'm at a point in life where I'm tired of working on stuff. I also bought Ford stuff to rework the engine that is coming out. It will go back as a spare if needed one day. Or I might sell it....

For anyone wondering, the long blocks come mostly complete. I was told they had valve covers, but they don't. There is also no dipstick, but oil is supposedly in the engine already.

 

[TDI Ranger]

Well, the motor was installed and first started this past Sunday. As it was coming to temperature and the idle speed was slowing down, a clattering inside the engine became very apparent. Immediate disappointment. I drove it 20 miles and it didn't go away. Ran great but obviously had issues.The noise resembled the old GM 6.2 diesels. The sound of marbles and bad bearings. When I drained the oil it was completely glittered with metal flakes.
I contacted the dealership I bought it from and was given two options. 1. Bring it in and they will cover all parts and labor on the repair, but it would go in line with the others. Probably a couple of months. Or 2. Make a claim myself with Ford. Bring the engine back and get another one. I want the truck back on the road so I opted for doing it myself....
It only took me 3 hours to get the motor out this time. This is not a good thing I'm getting so fast. I'm more than sure I'll beat the book time to R+R, whatever it is.
Saturday motor #2 is going in....

 

[RobbieD]

That's kind of discouraging that you had a failure with a Ford reman, but I guess "it happens".

It sucks that you have to deal with the aggravation, but thanks for the update.

 

[TDI Ranger]

Well the 2nd new motor went in. I started it up and to my horror it started making nearly the same noises. At first I was slightly embarrassed thinking I had misdiagnosed the first engine. I investigated further with a stethoscope and determined it was coming from the lower part of the engine, resonating back towards the bellhousing. It really sounds like a chain and marbles in a can/ knocking noise. Could the pressure plate with only 25k miles on it, or the brand new Ford slave cylinder be bad? There were no problems before the first engine came out. Clutch in or out didn't change anything.

I hate throwing parts at a problem but I pulled the transmission and replaced the clutch and slave cylinder and pilot bearing.
Got it back together. Same problem.

I went ahead and decided to just drive it. Maybe it would just blow up. I didn't care. After 200 miles I dropped the oil. Full of metal shavings. Cut the filter open also. This engine is obviously chewing itself up. I drove it the rest of the week. Ran great, just the noise.

This time I dropped it off at the Ford dealer. It's their problem now. I'm not real confident at this point I'm going to get a good engine. The last 2 were built a month apart. I'm going to try to get a refund somehow it it needs a 4th motor.

 

[bobbywalter]

well.


i am just going to shut the **** up.

 

[RonD]

What a bummer
Paying top of the mark prices for a shoddy rebuilt engine, TWICE