Quick 4.0 question....

[rusty ol ranger]

Do all the SOHC 4.0s have the timing chain tensioner issues? Or just the earlier ones. Friend of mine is looking at a 2010 sport 4.0 with 95k, wanted my opinion and i dont wanna steer em wrong.

 

[adsm08]

The latest I have seen a timing failure was on 06 LEO Explorer, which had about 150K plus idle time. This was in 2011 or 12, so lots of idle time.

By and large the timing chain tensioner issues were sorted out in production by 2005, so anything after 06 should be pretty safe.

The tensioners are the root cause of the failure though, and those by themselves are not expensive or hard to do, so cheap and easy insurance to replace them.

What happens is that the tensioners get weak, then they allow the chains to start wobbling and slapping the guides. The chain slap is what breaks the guide, and that is when you end up with issues.

I've also seen a few instances (one in person, a few others on-line) of the bolt that holds the rear gear on the jack shaft breaking. I'm not sure what causes that. It seems to be common enough that you can find stories if you look for them, but seems to be far from an abundant failure.

Despite all the boogey-man stories and guys saying they will never own one the 4.0 SOHC is a good engine that has very few problems. Even the timing chain issues wouldn't get near the hype they do if it wasn't such a pain to fix.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

The latest I have seen a timing failure was on 06 LEO Explorer, which had about 150K plus idle time. This was in 2011 or 12, so lots of idle time.

By and large the timing chain tensioner issues were sorted out in production by 2005, so anything after 06 should be pretty safe.

The tensioners are the root cause of the failure though, and those by themselves are not expensive or hard to do, so cheap and easy insurance to replace them.

What happens is that the tensioners get weak, then they allow the chains to start wobbling and slapping the guides. The chain slap is what breaks the guide, and that is when you end up with issues.

I've also seen a few instances (one in person, a few others on-line) of the bolt that holds the rear gear on the jack shaft breaking. I'm not sure what causes that. It seems to be common enough that you can find stories if you look for them, but seems to be far from an abundant failure.

Despite all the boogey-man stories and guys saying they will never own one the 4.0 SOHC is a good engine that has very few problems. Even the timing chain issues wouldn't get near the hype they do if it wasn't such a pain to fix.

I gotcha. Hes torn between that and a 5.4L 02 F150. Hes leaning toward the ranger just for slightjy better MPG and he deals with detroit traffic/parking everyday.

Right now hes got an 06 or 07 focus wagon thats been a total pile.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I thought updated parts came out a couple model years before 05? Like late 02 early 03...

With a little over 9K miles a year... I would think it was probably adult owned and hopefully maintained. If the owner can produce a decent service history and it doesn't appear/sound/drive like it has had a hard life... I wouldn't hesitate if it was what I wanted... or because of the 4.0L sohc.

I would also tell your friend that he should keep his MPG expectations in perspective.... In my experience.... that truck isn't a fuel miser.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I thought updated parts came out a couple model years before 05? Like late 02 early 03...

With a little over 9K miles a year... I would think it was probably adult owned and hopefully maintained. If the owner can produce a decent service history and it doesn't appear/sound/drive like it has had a hard life... I wouldn't hesitate if it was what I wanted... or because of the 4.0L sohc.

I would also tell your friend that he should keep his MPG expectations in perspective.... In my experience.... that truck isn't a fuel miser.

Hes expecting 16-18mpg. I dont think thats lofty with a light foot. My experence with the 5.4 says 12-14 is good.

Its at a ford dealer, so the likelyhood of it being total junk isnt high. Its a clean truck. Priced a bit high IMO (15,500), but eh its his money.

He has no real use for a truck other then maybe hauling a washer or something, so capability is a non issue between the two trucks

 

[adsm08]

Yeah, those MPG numbers reflect my experience as well, and are pretty realistic.