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Solved TSB 02-7-6 4.0L SOHC Timing Chain Rattle

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ExplorerDMB

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*Engine - 4.0L SOHC - Rattle noise from primary chain drive area between 2K-3K RPM - Cold engine operation only

*Noise - Rattle noise from primary timing chain drive area between 2K-3K RPM - Cold engine operation only - vehicles equipped with 4.0L SOHC Engine only


Ford: 99-02 Explorer, 01-02 Sport Trac, Explorer Sport, Ranger
Mercury: 99-02 Mountaineer

Issue:

Some vehicles equipped with the 4.0 SOHC (Single Over-Head Cam) engine may exhibit a Primary Timing Chain rattle noise. The noise is audible during hot and cold engine operation (but predominantly found on cold engines) under acceleration, typically at 2400-2500 rpm. To confirm presence of this noise, accelerate in 2nd gear between 2000-3000 rpm and listen for rattle noise that sounds similar to spark knock. This may be caused by the Primary Timing Chain Tensioner system.

Action:

Replace the Primary Timing Chain Tensioner, Chain Guide, Jackshaft, and Crankshaft Sprockets with a Primary Timing Chain Tensioner Kit. The kit includes an improved Primary Chain Tensioner, as well as updated Primary Chain Guide, Jackshaft, and Crankshaft Sprockets. Required fastners, primary timing chain, and front cover gaskets are also included. Refer to the following Service Procedure for details.

Service Procedure:

Verify the condition. Obtain the correct kit and follow the sheet supplied with the kit.

Use kit 2U3Z-6D256-AA (balance shaft engines) for:
-99-01 4x4 Explorer/Mountaineer
-01-02 4x4 Sport/Sport Trac
-All 02 Explorer/Mountaineer, except engine codes 2G-960-AA and 2G-964-AA

Use kit 2U3Z-6D256-BA (non blance shaft engines) for:
-99-01 4x2 Explorer/Mountaineer
-01-02 4x2 Sport/Sport Trac
-02 Explorer/Mountaineer with engine codes 2G-960-AA and 2G-964-AA
-All 2001-02 Ranger

Labor Time: Estimated around 6 hours

Warranty Status: Elgible under the provisions of Bumper to Bumper warranty coverage
 



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it cost me $1700.00 for the dealership to fix this on my 98 explorer
 






Is that what that noise is?

Ouch, Maybe the 5.0 isn't so bad after all. I've been wondering what that noise is. What a pain in the butt, I'm a do it myself guy.

Isn't one of the timing chains on the rear of the engine? You'd have to take it out to fix the noise. Did they run soft gears or something and they wear and allow slack in the system? :(
 






I personally would live with noise rather than have dealer tearing apart engine. Furthermore, the noise can be miss-diagnosed as ping. Ping caused by a dirty MAF sensor.
 






I've got that noise, too. Definitely NOT for the do-it-yourselfer!!
I'm told, at least, that you must have and know how to use, specialized tools for locking the cams into place when you do this job, not to mention that you need to pull the motor out of the truck to do it right.
BTW, if anybody near the Tampa Bay area thinks they can do this in 6 hours and for less than $1100, CALL ME!
 






Ouch, Maybe the 5.0 isn't so bad after all. I've been wondering what that noise is. What a pain in the butt, I'm a do it myself guy.

Isn't one of the timing chains on the rear of the engine? You'd have to take it out to fix the noise. Did they run soft gears or something and they wear and allow slack in the system? :(

My understanding is that the smooth chain tensioner guides wear out, allow the chain to get slack, and rattle above 2300 rpm. The engine noise drowns it out above 3000, but it's still there. There are two chains on the front and one on the rear. It would probably be worth taking just the front cover off, seeing if those two tensioners are slack and fixing them before you pull the whole engine out to do the rear one. If the chains themselves haven't failed, you can probably get by with just replacing the tensioners without retiming the cams.
 






Cam chain noise

I've got that noise, too. Definitely NOT for the do-it-yourselfer!!
I'm told, at least, that you must have and know how to use, specialized tools for locking the cams into place when you do this job, not to mention that you need to pull the motor out of the truck to do it right.
BTW, if anybody near the Tampa Bay area thinks they can do this in 6 hours and for less than $1100, CALL ME!

If you replace the chains you would need the special tools, but if you don't you shouldn't. If only the tensioners are shot, allowing too much chain looseness, just replacing the tensioners should have a quieting effect.

Keep me posted, I have the same noise on my 2000 Explorer with 146K miles.
 






Are there any part numbers for my 97 4.0 SOHC "E"??

I also don't have the parts to keep the cams in place to d the timing. Could I just replace the timing chain kit and then take it to the dealership to do the timing later??

The dealership told me it would cost about $1000.00 to do the job. computer quoted something like 9.5 hrs to do the job!
 






Here are th part #'s given to me by ford today.

XL2Z 6M289-A Drive asy., camshaft LH, 4.0 L, 6CYL [SOHC - 6 CYL. -4.0] 162.00 CDN

4L2Z 6U000-AA Bolt, SPECIAL, 4.0L M6 x 34 suggested replacement for the top sprocket! $16.00 CDN

4L2Z 6M290 Drive asy camshaft - right hand. 4.0 L 142.68 CDN

Ford Catalog Explorer B 1991-2001
Section : camshaft, spraybar and related parts 6cyl 4.0L - SOHC 1997-1998
catalog page P-32774


Which one would I need here? I want to replace the front one.

Please some help would be appreciated!
 






hmm, i thinki have a question on this, I have a 2000 xlt, and it's a freaking rattle trap to me atleast, Someone said it's my cam tensioner (sp). How much would that go for roughly, and a kit would replace that? thanks, d
 






I've got that noise, too. Definitely NOT for the do-it-yourselfer!!
I'm told, at least, that you must have and know how to use, specialized tools for locking the cams into place when you do this job, not to mention that you need to pull the motor out of the truck to do it right.
BTW, if anybody near the Tampa Bay area thinks they can do this in 6 hours and for less than $1100, CALL ME!

Hey Halfnuts,

I am a do it yourselfer and have just completed this job, with the help of my brother in law. I have to say to anyone that is thinking about completing this job: Order the primary timing kit number per the TSB and the front chain and guide. You can view the right side chain and part of the guide with the valve cover off. You can also check the level of tension in the chain. Mine may have made it another 10, 20, 50K miles, or 2 miles. I pulled the engine and changed it all. Yes, I made mistakes along the way, corrected them, made some more, corrected them, even broke a couple of things I wasn't budgeting for...

In the end, I now have a 4.0 that purrs like a kitten and the only noise I hear in the engine compartment that sounds like a tick is the fuel injectors when they do their thing.

Words of advice: FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT COME WITH THE KIT TO THE LETTER! Like typical guys, my brother in law and I knew what we were doing, funny thing is, every time when ran into an issue, the instructions told us how we should have done it, lol.

This is not as difficult a job as everyone makes it out to be. Honestly, there are two difficult parts to it, #1 lining up the torque converter bolts and torquing them without causing the T/C to shift and jam, and trying to get the starter out with the left exhaust manifold in place.

In any case, as I have some free time, I am writing a step by step of what should be done and inserting pictures along the way. Look for it sometime soon.

Mr. H
 






tmh6202, The TSB does not specify a kit for a '98. Do they make one or is it the same as the '99? What did you use? I am preparing for the rebuild and could use some help. Thanks.
 






I have a 97 and was told this is the kit to use. YOU NEED TO ORDER PART NUMBER 7U3Z6A257A. I got it from ford-parts.com. The kit is $113 CDN and comes with everything.

tmh6202: Did you get a chance to write up the how to for us with pictures???
 






PART NUMBER 7U3Z6A257A
I cant find that part on the aformentioned link. Perhaps they changed the PN? Does the "kit" come with all chains, sprockets, guides and tensioners?
 






Wow. The more I read about the SOHC motor, the happier I am with my OHV 4.0L. It may be slower, but the troubles you guys are having with the SOHC are just insane. Is the SOHC Fomoco design, or Mazda?
 






Well I just ordered the cassut kit. It'll be here 7 April. The Ford dealership even gave me a Military discount. Not sure what the total will be yet, but it's better than paying the $113.00 CDN + tax!


I went in to the dealership to pick up the parts. I found that the part number given was for the upper left kit, not for the mains. I need to investigate this further. If you buy the parts separately, it come to over $200. Does anyone have a part number for the front mains??
 






tmh6202, The TSB does not specify a kit for a '98. Do they make one or is it the same as the '99? What did you use? I am preparing for the rebuild and could use some help. Thanks.


Dan,

I used the 256 kit number and it works for the 97 model year thru 2001 according to my parts guy. If anyone has questions, his name is Jim and he is at Village Ford (Parts) in Dearborn Michigan.

Todd
 






Todd, did you buy some kit that came with more than one cassette($60), or more than the TSB kit for the front cam tensioner(which is the tensioner, o-rings, and check valve)?

The minimum work that should be done if you do any is replace these parts;
The front timing cassette
The front cam tensioner(TSB kit-adds an oil check valve)
The rear cam tensioner
The jackshaft chain
The jackshaft chain tensioner

Most everyone, including Ford, skips doing anything about the rear timing cassette, they/we hope that it lasts. Ford did not recall that rear guide, likely for the same reason, it requires removal of the engine or transmission(more labor).

The parts I listed above cost under $200 directly from Ford, bought separately. The tool kit is required to do the timing chain work on the SOHC, you have to have it to start the work, as well as to set the timing for each cam. Only the two cam chain tensioners can be changed without special tools, that's where Ford usually started on a problem engine, they changed just the front cam tensioner, and added the oil check valve for it.

As much trouble as so many people have had with these parts, I think I will call my Ford parts man and ask for the part numbers that I used. I will post them when I get to it. Good luck all,
 

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Kits for rebuild

Hi Don,

I purchased a primary timing chain kit (2U3Z-6D256-AA) It includes everything you need to replace the Primary Timing Chain Tensioner, Chain Guide, Jackshaft, and Crankshaft Sprockets with a Primary Timing Chain Tensioner Kit. The kit includes an improved Primary Chain Tensioner, as well as updated Primary Chain Guide, Jackshaft, and Crankshaft Sprockets. Even though it lists required fastners, primary timing chain, and front cover gaskets as also included, the fasteners are not included. Otherwise, you get what you need to do the primary chain.

You need another kit to do the left (front) and right (rear) cassettes. I do not have the numbers for those right now, they are in my tool box at my sister's house.

Also the oil check valve is built into the revised left side tensioner. I think I have a photo...
 

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It's good to know that there are some kit part numbers. I'll check on those prices also. I chose to leave my crank and jackshaft gears, they are steel slow wearing items, and new parts were special order and not cheap.

BTW, have you got yours running, I gather you have a new crank gear? My only mistake was not critical, but very troublesome, I accidently flipped my crank gear when I had to retime my balance shaft. You can see it as wrongly installed in the picture above, see the tiny dots/dimples on the front of the gear. The crank gear has a flat side with the dimples, and the front side has a concave area, which the balancer fits into.

My balancer didn't seem to line up with the other pulleys, I R&R'd the balancer and didn't think of the crank gear being different front to back. I got it running much much later, and it ran fine, though the belt rode up on the back edge of the balancer pulley. It took me a day to decide to pull the front back apart to figure it out. I had been to see Ford mechanics three times with no good ideas, the fourth time someone heard my plight and had done the same thing. Evidently it is very rare to find someone who has made this mistake, and pictures in shop manuals showed nothing, plus no reference to orientation of the gear. I had to retime the engine after flipping the gear, so I have done the job twice basically.

Hopefully you didn't do the same thing, it seems really simple to keep track of, but I forgot. We live and learn. Regards,
 

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