Changing Guides, Tensioners, and Tensioner arms, need advice...

[mountaineer2004]

My 2004 v8 Mounty, 161k miles, has had a new, light-sounding noise lately, up front, right after cold start-up. So far, it's only noticeable upon light acceleration, under 40 MPH or so.

I've done lots of reading here, (Pontisteve, Number 4, others) and think it's the guides and tensioners. I'd like to verify, by taking off the valve covers and looking. If it is them, I figure fixing them sooner than later is better.

I watched the very detailed , step-by-step video on A1 auto many times. It seems clearer with each viewing.

I'm hoping I can tackle this myself. I want to keep it simple, just tensioners, guides, and tensioner arms. No new chains, sprockets, or gears. (unless needed, I mean).

As long as I keep the chain from jumping (zip ties), I do not need the cam holding tool, correct?

Thanks in advance for all advice and help!

 

[drdoom]

I repaired mine recently, of course the problem was the cheez whiz seals had both blown out behind the hydraulic tensioners. The plastic guides were like new.

 

[SyberTiger]

My 2004 v8 Mounty, 161k miles, has had a new, light-sounding noise lately, up front, right after cold start-up. So far, it's only noticeable upon light acceleration, under 40 MPH or so.

I've done lots of reading here, (Pontisteve, Number 4, others) and think it's the guides and tensioners. I'd like to verify, by taking off the valve covers and looking. If it is them, I figure fixing them sooner than later is better.

I watched the very detailed , step-by-step video on A1 auto many times. It seems clearer with each viewing.

I'm hoping I can tackle this myself. I want to keep it simple, just tensioners, guides, and tensioner arms. No new chains, sprockets, or gears. (unless needed, I mean).

As long as I keep the chain from jumping (zip ties), I do not need the cam holding tool, correct?

Thanks in advance for all advice and help!

I completed the timing chain replacement last week on my 2002 4.6L which has 155K miles on it. I'm guessing that your tensioner arms and tensioners will probably look like mine. I wasnt' specifically doing the repair because I noticed a problem...it just so happened that I was replacing the intake manifold and then decided to change the valve cover gaskets (slight weeping on the right side) and since I had the engine torn down to that point decided, what the hell, to do the timing chains. Below is what I found. I bought the complete chain set to include sprockets and I bought the cam shaft holding tool for about $43.

After taking my chains and sprockets off and inspecting the sprockets for wear and the chains for wear and stretching I came to the conclusion that even though the chain had been riding right on top of the tensioner piston (wore right through the arms) that the chains were in excellent shape as were the sprockets. In the end, I changed the chains to the new ones but only because I had them in hand but I ended up reusing my factor sprockets even though I had new after market ones on hand. IMHO, the vast majority of folks will be able to just change out the tensioners, arms and guides and leave the sprockets alone and the chains alone. Of course this also depends on whether or not you took good care of your Explorer and changed the oil and filter on the regular bases.

Yes, I believe you will be able to use tie wraps to hold the chains in place. But put several ones around the chains just in case one of the tie wraps breaks.

 

[SyberTiger]

BTW, I recommend you rent a pulley removal/install set for the p/s pump from O'Reillys or elsewhere...Getting the pulley out of the way makes it 1000% easier to remove that certain bolt....you'll thank me later. Also, consider replacing the front crankshaft seal on the timing chain cover while you are in there.

 

[mountaineer2004]

Thanks for answering, I will follow your basic (and important!) advice here.

I know how to follow step-by-step, but I have a basic, maybe stupid question.

If I'm not disturbing the chains, is it necessary to mess with the crankshaft holding tool? Is that the same thing as crankshaft holding tool?

 

[SyberTiger]

Thanks for answering, I will follow your basic (and important!) advice here.

I know how to follow step-by-step, but I have a basic, maybe stupid question.

If I'm not disturbing the chains, is it necessary to mess with the crankshaft holding tool? Is that the same thing as crankshaft holding tool?

If you are referring to the 2 x 4 wood leverage bar as the crankshaft holding tool then yes, you will need to have a way to hold the harmonic balancer while you remove the crankshaft bolt. You'll also use it to torque the bolt back on. Some folks like to get cute with putting a breaker bar on the bolt and momentarily turn the engine starter but I didn't feel like experimenting on my vehicle using that method.

IMHO, if you are not changing the sprockets or chains then I don't think you'll need the camshaft holding tool. Of course this means that you have tied the chains to the sprockets with tie wraps to make sure the chain doesn't jump off the sprocket when the tensioner arms and guide rails are not applying pressure. I would suggest you take a magic marker and mark the position of the cam sprockets in relation to the valve ladder caps or some other fixed position as an indicator just in case you have a whoops moment.

 

[mountaineer2004]

SyberTiger, I'll do all that, appreciate your advice, thanks!

 

[plasticseng]

You probably already know, but keep in mind that are no keyways on the sprockets. If you loosen the sprocket bolts, you will lose your timing.

This includes the primary timing chain, also.

 

[SyberTiger]

All three sprockets are keyed but he isn't touching the sprockets or chains anyway...only tensioner arms, tensioner and guide rails.

 

[plasticseng]

All three sprockets are keyed but he isn't touching the sprockets or chains anyway...only tensioner arms, tensioner and guide rails.

I think you meant not keyed, but it was just a warning.

 

[mountaineer2004]

Thanks all! This is going to be my winter project, after clearing a space in the garage (that's a project in itself haha) I'll take pics and post them.

 

[SyberTiger]

I think you meant not keyed, but it was just a warning.

All three sprockets are keyed...left & right cam and crank sprockets. You can loosen the cam and crank bolts but nothing is going to go out of timing because the keys slide into the cam and crank slots. If you pull them off the keyways or allow the chains to jump of the sprocket teeth then you've got some extra work to do.

I only had one cam holding tool so when I removed the chains and sprockets the other cam rotated out of position (by 15 degrees) but no big deal...just rotate it back and make sure the timing marks match up with the copper links.

 

[plasticseng]

All three sprockets are keyed...left & right cam and crank sprockets. You can loosen the cam and crank bolts but nothing is going to go out of timing because the keys slide into the cam and crank slots. If you pull them off the keyways or allow the chains to jump of the sprocket teeth then you've got some extra work to do.

I only had one cam holding tool so when I removed the chains and sprockets the other cam rotated out of position (by 15 degrees) but no big deal...just rotate it back and make sure the timing marks match up with the copper links.

I'm sorry. I was talking 4.0, you are talking 4.6. Not the first time I made that mistake on here.

 

[SyberTiger]

I'm sorry. I was talking 4.0, you are talking 4.6. Not the first time I made that mistake on here.

Ha ha...I got the impression that you might be talking about the 4.0L because from what I could tell that setup is quite different and apparently more prone to issues vs the V8.

 

[Number4]

My 2004 v8 Mounty, 161k miles, has had a new, light-sounding noise lately, up front, right after cold start-up. So far, it's only noticeable upon light acceleration, under 40 MPH or so.

I've done lots of reading here, (Pontisteve, Number 4, others) and think it's the guides and tensioners. I'd like to verify, by taking off the valve covers and looking. If it is them, I figure fixing them sooner than later is better.

I watched the very detailed , step-by-step video on A1 auto many times. It seems clearer with each viewing.

I'm hoping I can tackle this myself. I want to keep it simple, just tensioners, guides, and tensioner arms. No new chains, sprockets, or gears. (unless needed, I mean).

As long as I keep the chain from jumping (zip ties), I do not need the cam holding tool, correct?

Thanks in advance for all advice and help!

The passenger side cam sprocket has holes. You can wedge a larger screwdriver through them. The drivers side just zip tie the hell out of it. Large zip ties and they'll want to slip.

I'm doing this on my '03 Mounty right now. I'm planning on popping the followers off instead. Which is what Ford Racing told me to do.

 

[imp]

Ha ha...I got the impression that you might be talking about the 4.0L because from what I could tell that setup is quite different and apparently more prone to issues vs the V8.

@SyberTiger
The fools who designed the 4.0 without keying of sprockets made life miserable for my shade-tree mechanical abilities! imp