Which 4.0 engine is preferred, the OHV or the SOHC?

[Dantheman1540]

If it’s running and has a clutch….. dump it

 

[gw33gp]

you do realise that if a rear cam chain breaks/jumps teeth on a sohc 4.0L you will have to pull the motor to replace, only way

Actually, the rear chain can be replaced with just pulling the transmission. It is more difficult to do but it can and has been done. I elected to pull the engine when I did the cam timing chain rebuild anyway. Everything is much more accessible plus I wanted to do more than the timing chain system.

 

[Roert42]

SOHC is much better to drive, no question. Reminds me of my old 4.9, just a bigger power band, so less shifting.

Brother has an OHV 4.0 in his 96. Boy is that a dog. While the OHV has bit more room under the hood, not a crazy amount, If you want something that is easy to work on go get a 2.3.

 

[2ndSS]

a little 50 shot NOS makes up for alot, without the tri/quad chain issues

 

[White_4x4Ranger]

I have a 03 4.0 SOHC manuel that has 187k miles and to the best of my knowledge has never had the tensioners done. I bought the truck last December from an older couple who babied the truck (oil changes done every 5k miles, etc), so I have a little hope they got the tensioners done, but I don't have any maintenance records that confirm it. When I drive, I can hear a rattle around 2300-3000 rpm that I assume is coming from the rear chain. On a scale of 1-10, how screwed am I?

 

[sgtsandman]

I have a 03 4.0 SOHC manuel that has 187k miles and to the best of my knowledge has never had the tensioners done. I bought the truck last December from an older couple who babied the truck (oil changes done every 5k miles, etc), so I have a little hope they got the tensioners done, but I don't have any maintenance records that confirm it. When I drive, I can hear a rattle around 2300-3000 rpm that I assume is coming from the rear chain. On a scale of 1-10, how screwed am I?

If it hasn't been going on to long, you might be ok. Either way, the tensioners need changed. So, you might as well get 'er done and see if they fix the issue. Motorcraft is preffered but Cloyes is a good alternative brand.

 

[2ndSS]

these are great engines imo, if you like the truck and would like to keep it another 10 years, get 'er fixed

 

[White_4x4Ranger]

If it hasn't been going on to long, you might be ok. Either way, the tensioners need changed. So, you might as well get 'er done and see if they fix the issue. Motorcraft is preffered but Cloyes is a good alternative brand.

Not sure if it was going on before I got the truck last December. I first noticed it early-mid January when it got really cold (below 0* F) for a week or two. Not sure if that had anything to do with it, but I thought I’d mention it anyways.

 

[sgtsandman]

Not sure if it was going on before I got the truck last December. I first noticed it early-mid January when it got really cold (below 0* F) for a week or two. Not sure if that had anything to do with it, but I thought I’d mention it anyways.

When the lube and oils are thicker due to really cold weather, all kinds of extra noises that normally aren't there show up. So, you may be ok.

Try chaning the tensioners and see what happens. Even if it doesn't fix it, they need to be changed anyway. The front one on the driver's side, under the throttle body and intake is difficult to get to. If you can get the throttle body out of the way, it will give you more room to work but still won't be fun.

They use oil pressure to operate. So make sure you look around and under it real good when you first start it up. A mirror and a flashlight help a lot. You may need to crank on it more to get the crush washer to seat properly and stop leaking.

The passenger side one is accessible from the passenger wheel well at the back of the cylinder head. Easy to get to and tighten down. Leak check it as well once you get the front, driver's side one under control.

 

[White_4x4Ranger]

When the lube and oils are thicker due to really cold weather, all kinds of extra noises that normally aren't there show up. So, you may be ok.

Try chaning the tensioners and see what happens. Even if it doesn't fix it, they need to be changed anyway. The front one on the driver's side, under the throttle body and intake is difficult to get to. If you can get the throttle body out of the way, it will give you more room to work but still won't be fun.

They use oil pressure to operate. So make sure you look around and under it real good when you first start it up. A mirror and a flashlight help a lot. You may need to crank on it more to get the crush washer to seat properly and stop leaking.

The passenger side one is accessible from the passenger wheel well at the back of the cylinder head. Easy to get to and tighten down. Leak check it as well once you get the front, driver's side one under control.

Yep, the oil was definitely thicker lol. It took a little effort to move the stick shift, which isn’t too surprising. I would have thought the passenger one was hard to get to given that it’s at the back of the engine, in that the driver side tensioner was the easy one. I guess you never know though.

 

[sgtsandman]

Yep, the oil was definitely thicker lol. It took a little effort to move the stick shift, which isn’t too surprising. I would have thought the passenger one was hard to get to given that it’s at the back of the engine, in that the driver side tensioner was the easy one. I guess you never know though.

It's one of the "benefits" of engine design. The driver's side in in the valley and passenger side is on the outside. It could have been worse. They could have put both in the valley.

 

[Broosedamoose]

I've had a 2000 B4000 with the OHV, a 2003 FX4 with the OHV and currently drive a 2007 XLT with a SOHC. I had no issues with the first two but only owned them for a short period of time. The only trouble I've had with the SOHC is cracked heads from it overheating when the short little hose between the water pump and thermostat housing blew out on me and then the timing chain guides started to go at around 260k. I opted to swap in a newer engine with 89K at that point. I currently run that one with a small 75Hp shot of NO2 and am happy with it.

 

[gw33gp]

Did someone change the engine in the 2003 FX4? They came from the factory with the SOHC engine.

I had a small hose on the thermostat housing blow while towing in the middle of nowhere in New Mexico. I took it off on the side of I-40, wrapped it up really well with electrician's tape, filled the radiator with water and it got me all the way to Eastern Kansas. I did stop at a parts shop to get a hose in case it failed again.

Another time, I had a top radiator hose burst and recently the heater hose plastic tee broke. Each time it was very easy to tell something was wrong with all the steam coming out. I never had any problem with the head because I stopped before it over heated. You must have ignored the steam coming out from under the hood to get the heads hot enough to crack. The 4.0 OHV engine is infamous for cracking heads, not the SOHC.