Timing Tensioners - Do Manual options exist?

[button_pusher]

Hello, I'm slowly going through a new to me 4.0 SOHC at 180k miles and despite it having no startup rattle, I want to be proactive about maintinence and am looking to replace the tensioners, so two big questions about that.

Is Motorcraft the way to go? They sound better than Cloyes at least, I remember someone mentioning another brand for the tensioners and said this was the only time they wouldn't go OEM, can't remember or find it for the life of me.

Are manual tensioners a thing/even worth it on the improved gen of the 4.0 SOHC? I know the earlier models ('99-2002 maybe?) had a lot more issues with the timing chains/guides/tensioners, mine is a 2007.

Thanks for the input!

 

[JJMaine]

They were probably talking about Melling who apparently makes a lot of the OEM tensioners. I put Cloyes in my engine recently and they have been fine for a few thousand miles.

That said, from now on I'm just going to use OEM. Whats a few extra bucks every 5 years for peace of mind. And order them from an actual Ford dealer because their are many fakes around with convincing packaging.

If I'm not mistaken, I read something months ago that some Polaris maybe side by side or atv uses the same tensioners and they make manual tensioners for it that you could use in your Ford. I could be way wrong on that but I could swear I read that somewhere.

Either way, for as little as they need changing I'd just use OEM tensioners and call it good. I think they have improved the quality of the tensioners since the early days when they were notorious for failing early

 

[JJMaine]

I couldn't help it I had to check if Polaris actually used these kind of tensioners. I guess it's from the Polaris Slingshot which has an inline 4 engine

 

[gw33gp]

Actually, the OEM tensioner is mechanical (manual?). It has a spring that provides tension at startup until oil pressure builds to provide tension. It looks like the Polaris is also an oil pressure tensioner. It is called a hydro chain tensioner.

I would not use a tensioner designed for another engine. Too many things could be slightly out of spec and create all kind of problems.

 

[JJMaine]

I wasn't suggesting to use a Polaris hydro tensioner in his engine. He asked about manual cct's which they make for the Polaris but allegedly fit the 4.0 SOHC. Theoretically, if it screws in, seals and has enough "adjustment" to tension the chains correctly it would work fine. Ive read that some have used them but I wouldn't try it. And they aren't any cheaper than OEM