Rear Idler??

[roberthann]

First off let me say this forum has lots of great info..
However I couldn't find anything for what I was looking, so maybe I can ask and with hopes someone will give me some answer to my problem.

I just purchased a 1997 ford explorer with the 4.0 L v6 for a really good deal or so I hope etc.......

well it has a loud knocking noise coming from the rear of the motor. The previous owner said he took it to the shop a week ago and the mechanic told him it was a rear idler..... ok so I have tried to do research on this and have come up with nothing. I have access to a spare 4.0 motor to put in however if i can do an easy fix on this one, it would be less hassle.
Does anyone know of such an idler ? this motor has 132,000 miles on it.
The knocking noise sounds like something is binding up? or clucking fairly bad.

Any help would be great!

Thanks
Rob

 

[MAKG]

I think it's somewhere near the Knudsen valve....

Any chance it might be a FUBARed transmission?

 

[roberthann]

as far as I could tell , the trans shifted good for the whole .5 miles i took it for a spin.
I didnt want to take it and push it to hard for the fear of damaging the motor or what ever it is anymore then it is now.
all i know is, the sound is coming from the rear of the motor area. a nice loud clucking noise. the previous owner said the sound started about a few weeks ago, he took it to the shop he gets all his work done at, and the mechanic told him the rear idler, and it would cost about 1100 bux to fix...
I have never heard of a rear idler before, to me it sounded like the sound a timing chain makes when it is loose or maybe a bent valve or something of that nature.
i think there is a timing chain in the rear of this motor am i correct by saying so? or atleast i read that online somewhere today.
I dont know much about the 4.0 motor so , I have no clue.

Thanks
Rob

 

[rags]

By What you are discribeing sounds to me like a craced flywheel or loose torque converter bolts.

You could remove the starter and check the converter bolts, but my money is on the flywheel being cracked or loose. You may be able to wiggle the flywheel when the starter is out and get some play.

If i'm not mistakeing there is a spacer between the flywheel and the crankshaft that could have broken and caused the flywheel to become loose.

Either way the engine OR transmission has to come out.

 

[Bird]

Given that the 97 Explorer had the option of the SOHC 4.0 and you have on eof these engines in your Explorer, it may be the passenger side, rear cam chain tensioner is worn / loose (also called and 'idler') and would result in the cam drive chain making a lot of noise. Have to pull the engine to get access to replace it.


Bird

 

[Black'03LevelII]

Given that the 97 Explorer had the option of the SOHC 4.0 and you have on eof these engines in your Explorer, it may be the passenger side, rear cam chain tensioner is worn / loose (also called and 'idler') and would result in the cam drive chain making a lot of noise. Have to pull the engine to get access to replace it.


Bird

I have heard of that problem with the sploder, but supposedly the rangers with same motors don't do it. maybe it is more of a year issue or something. hmmmmmm anyone know more about this?

 

[MAKG]

97 Rangers had a different 4.0L (OHV).