will heavier or lighter oil quiet a noisy 4.0 SOHC ?

[Augusto]

Hey guys,

Anyone had experience using a heavier, like SAE 50 or 60 oil to quiet the noisy timing chain of a 4.0 SOHC 98 explorer?

I replaced the front cassette, and all chains not long ago and is making this noise again, seems like there's not enough pressure reaching the tensioner, the engine has over 125.000 miles, runs perfect but at idle the noise drives me crazy, at the gas station they send me to the diesel pumps

I have tried SAE 10W30, 30, 40 and 20W50, makes no difference, I'm tempted to use 50 or 60, any toughts?

thanks.

 

[drdoom]

Have you tried 05/w20?

 

[4.0blue98]

Hey guys,

Anyone had experience using a heavier, like SAE 50 or 60 oil to quiet the noisy timing chain of a 4.0 SOHC 98 explorer?

I replaced the front cassette, and all chains not long ago and is making this noise again, seems like there's not enough pressure reaching the tensioner, the engine has over 125.000 miles, runs perfect but at idle the noise drives me crazy, at the gas station they send me to the diesel pumps

I have tried SAE 10W30, 30, 40 and 20W50, makes no difference, I'm tempted to use 50 or 60, any toughts?

thanks.

Not sure what the front cassette is but did you replace the tensioners when you changed the chains? I always think of chains as non wear items unless something is really wrong. The hydraulic tensioners will fail. I have a 02 KJ that was really bad. Changed the tensioners while doing the HGs and purrs like a kitten now. I don't think the heavier oil will help you. I'd try running a quart of MMO with a short OCI next time and see if that helps.

 

[Flash]

I've heard from others here that the tensioners supplied with a lot of kits aren't any improvement over the worn out one.

I've no problems with the kit I got from ebay.

You should get onto it sooner rather than later, the chain thrashing around will chop up your guides.

 

[SoNic67]

I would blame the tensioner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4N5E_RfYpE

 

[AP9]

I wouldn't use straight-weight oils. You want to get flow up to everything (valvetrain, tensioners, etc.) relatively quickly when cold, but you still want the heavier oil at operating temp for adequate lubrication, hence, why the 4.0L V6s were among the few engines Ford did not back-spec to 5W-20.

As others have suggested, a different weight oil will not cure a preexisting problem; at best it will mask it.

 

[4.0blue98]

Had to look it up but I see what the "cassette" is now. Pretty much just chain and guides. A weak tensioner will cause the chain to chatter like crazy in a OHC. I went with Cloyes for my KJ (RockAuto) but you can't go wrong with a dealer OEM.

 

[Augusto]

Thanks everybody,

As I said before the chais and guides are new (well they have a few miles alredy on) but the noise came back, I'm pretty sure the problem is not worn out chains or guides but the tensioner, since it works with oil pressure I was thinking of changing the oil's viscosity, seems like a too thin oil will leak past the tensioner's piston at low rpm therefore it has little force to apply to the chain, a heavier stuff will leak down less.

It's kinda weird because sometimes it rattles a lot and others it's very quiet, usually it's noisier when warm, this leads me to think of an oil pressure problem in the tensioner, the engine's oil pressure is fine, at least my gauge says so.

there are no shavings or pieces of plastic floating in the oil like there were the time before I replaced the cassette and chains.

since the engine already has a lot of millage I don't think there will be a problem with the heavy oil, and also the ambient temperature here is always in the 70's

I still have more than 2.000 miles before the next oil change so I still have time to ask around before I actually try it.

With this said, please share a tought, thanks guys, I appreciate your time.

 

[matt351]

I'm in the same boat as you... I bought some cheaper hyd tensioners off of ebay and it did very little to quiet the motor down. I may have to just bite the bullet and go to ford for them. I am deliberating a thiner oil for winter time though to see if that'll help a bit first.

 

[RomeovilleIL]

The tensioner costs all of $20 mail order (about $45 at most parts stores) and is relatively easy to install. It simply screws into the side of the block. If you suspect that is your issue, why not replace it instead of messing around with different weight oils that may lead to other problems?

 

[Augusto]

Yea the tensioner seems to be the problem, the thing is that the front, or driver's side tensioner is a ***** to remove and this is the one that's givin' the problem, I'm gonna replace this thing and see what happens, I'm gonna try to remove it without disasembling the intake manifold like the guy on the video did, but my engine has the big variable displacement gizmo in it, I found one at decent price on amazon.

 

[BubbaFL]

Depends on your climate... down here, I've found that 15w-40 is too heavy even during the summer (increases chain noise), while 5w-30 with a bottle of STP oil treatment, and 10w-40, are both about right.

 

[rb142]

Yea the tensioner seems to be the problem, the thing is that the front, or driver's side tensioner is a ***** to remove and this is the one that's givin' the problem, I'm gonna replace this thing and see what happens, I'm gonna try to remove it without disasembling the intake manifold like the guy on the video did, but my engine has the big variable displacement gizmo in it, I found one at decent price on amazon.

Don't waste your time avoiding the manifold. You will fight with it all day. Loosen the bolts so that the front of the intake manifold will move up just a bit and it is an easy job from there. Don't take the bolts all the way out or the manifold off -- there's no need to. Just loosen it a little and bolt it back down when done. Only takes 10 minutes to do that part.

 

[Augusto]

I'll try it, thanks

 

[travlincub321]

Royal Purple and Lucuas Oil Treatment

I use Royal Purple 5w20 and Lucuas Oil Treatment.. Also use the napa black (ie the $12 filter) filters.... Seems to work really well and keeps the noise to a minimum. Im sure ill need to replace mine at some point but still

 

[matt351]

Definitely pull the upper intake to change the front screw in tensioner. Not worth the fight leaving it on.

 

[Augusto]

Guys, I found this weird thing, seems like I have the wrong front tensioner, it's just a plain nut from outside, does not have that protusion that obligues the use of a deep well socket, it looks the same as the rear tensioner on the passenger side.
this is weird.. don't know why. Did the '98 motors came this way or somebody put the wrong tensioner in my motor?

 

[drdoom]

Old style front tensioner, should have been changed long ago IN MY OPINION.

 

[Flash]

How to do the rear tensioner.

How to do the front tensioner.

I see you've already watched the videos.
I would've deleted this post but I can't see how to.

 

[rb142]

How to do the rear tensioner.

How to do the front tensioner.

I see you've already watched the videos.
I would've deleted this post but I can't see how to.

As for that video, maybe it works on some of them, but it sure didn't on mine. I watched that video numerous times before doing mine, and I spent a few hours trying to do it that way. Bottom line is that there was no way to get the socket in there without breaking something (it was very close, but not quite enough). After I gave in and backed off the manifold screws a little, the job only took a few minutes. As I said, you only need to loosen the manifold screws, not remove the manifold. Not worth the struggle.

The hardest part of that job is getting the hoses disconnected. What a pain that is! You might be able to avoid that too if you get the manifold out of the way.