What would you do to a 4.0L SOHC V6 if...

[codysmith105]

If you had it out of the truck (05' Explorer 4x4) for a timing repair @ 120,000 and never ever ever intended to yank it again?

And let's say you wanted another 20-40k more miles over the next 3-5 years.

I ask because I'm about 6 bolts away from being in this situation.

 

[Littleant]

Cody this is a tough question to answer. One could say head gaskets but this engine does not seem to have this issue. Water pump but that can be done with engine in the vehicle. If it was my vehicle I would be thinking the same but would more than likely just put the engine back in. Sorry I cannot be more help.

 

[donalds]

Spark plugs
Water pump
Exhaust studs
Clean and paint the block
Clean oil spray bars ...above the cams mine were clogged one end to the other I strongly suggest this
Radiator and heater hoses
Flush heater core and radiator

Ps be very careful with the vacuum lines

 

[Tech By Trade]

Other than the timing set they are a real solid engine. The Alkalies heal of sorts. Just use quality parts, keep up with your oil changes, and maybe a new oil pump, and you should easily get another 120k out of it, if not more.

 

[Littleant]

Cody Tech By Trade is right on the money. The 4.0 is a tough engine Other than the timing set. Other things can be done later with engine in when time and or money are more convenient.

 

[CodyS]

Quick question, I have this chain kit. I seem to be lacking the bolts needed, any idea what size they are?

 

[Littleant]

Cody a kit like that would not come with bolts. When I pulled engines i had a large assortment of bolts. One bolt attached to front of engine usually cylinder head and one other side rear of engine usually trans bolt hole. Bolts with flat washers should be long enough to thread in about one inch but not to long what it bends. The chain should not be tightened right to the engine but should move freely. Grade 8 bolts are strong. Hardware or auto parts store will have them.

 

[CodyS]

Thanks @Littleant, I'm thinking of buying something like this (I've wanted one anyway) to check the threads. Then I have to decide how to actually do this and buy the bolts.

I've tried to annotate the issue here, but I'm on Ubuntu ATM doing some machine learning training for graduate school so I'm using some paint utility I've never seen before. ANYWAY.

0# (in red) was my first thought. I need to find a matching hole somewhere on the back of the engine.
BUT dad suggested going in from the side of the engine. I noticed there is a nub with a machined flat surface and threads on either side of the engine. THe threads seem a little small, but maybe they're ok? (see #2).

#1 on the passenger side of the engine has the tensioner threaded into it and #1 on the right appears to be blocked or something.

I'm thinking of using #2 once I can validate the thread size.

 

[Littleant]

Cody stay away from the tensioner thread. If you feel the thread is small on the side then it is. Go with your gut feeling. Look at the transmission to engine bolt. Front of heads. Does not matter if chain goes from left front to right rear or right front to left rear. If bolt is the size of a pencil to small. Bolt the size of your pinky or a tad smaller would be good. You can use any existing bolt with flat washer as long as it threads enough into the engine when put through the chain. Make darn sure that chain when lifting DOES NOT catch any sensor - switch-intake manifold. Also back when i had my repair shop the manufacturer would leave the engine lift hooks on the engine. Just for the hell of it check top of the engine on all corners and see if they are there. May look like a piece of steel with a hole through it.

 

[Tech By Trade]

I think they are m10 or m12 regular thread. I went rear left head front right when I pulled mine. I had the valve covers off, and a balancing lift chain with a few inches to spare on either side. Wont be much room with that chain.

 

[codysmith105]

No there isn't, in fact I'm fairly sure I won't be able to get it out without removing the valve covers.

There appears to be a few options. On the front and back of the castings that bolt onto the block I have an M10-1.5 and a 3/8"-16, on the sides I have the two M12-1.75 which are what I now have nice class 10 bolts for, however those holes are further down and the chain won't reach

I'm thinking those covers need to go, at least with this crappy chain. Either that or I buy the other bolts.

 

[codysmith105]

For those interested I'll be covering the rebuild in my original thread here.

I ordered these bolts from McMaster-Carr. They did great, I have a bunch of extras if anyone needs any and doesn't want to pay the $15 MMC charges for shipping (don't worry I had other things I needed to order there).

For completeness-sake, this is how the engine looked during the lift:

As I posted in my other thread, you do not need to remove the radiator and I recommend NOT trying to, as there is a bolt from hell in the passenger side bottom corner that you cannot get out unless you drop the transmission cooler and bust those lines, lines which have a Ford quick-connect fitting from hell and to top it off in order to refill that system you need a special machine.

Also the AC condenser cannot be removed unless you had the foresight to have someone empty the freon (using a $2,000 tool you don't have and can't rent) from that system prior to doing this job, something I could have had done for me but didn't think of before rendering the car inoperable. Oops I guess? But honestly working around the AC system has been easy enough. Only sketchy thing is the compressor that's just kind of propped up in the corner of my engine bay right now.

Also you don't have to remove the valve covers or the fuel injectors or the valve/head block thing or the exhaust manifolds as I've seen others do in my research on this job. Less engine tear-down in the engine bay == good. There's a fuel line thingy you can disconnect. I not only disconnected mine from the passenger side but also at both points where it connects to those rails thingies. If someone could fill in my fuel-system terminology I'd be thankful.

Long story short, don't touch the damn radiator, just leave it in and be careful pulling the engine out. Then tilt it sideways as shown. Even with my half-disassembled leaning tower of radiators it still had no problems coming out.

DO BE AWARE THOUGH, if you do it this way you must be careful lifting the engine as the transmission cooler lines run parallel and close to the engine on the passenger side.

Also if you have the 4x4 option, ehhhh... this job sucks much much more.

ANYWAY, it's out.

Question: What about piston rings and/or head gaskets?

 

[Tech By Trade]

I have a feeling if you plastiguage the bearings you will probably find they are all well within oem spec. Hard to check the rings, but if you do pull the heads, you need another special tool to put the valve springs back on. Real PITA. If you had decent compression before the whole mess I wouldn't bother pulling the heads either. Also you dont have to pull it out sideways if you pull the fan and fan clutch off. You get about 4 inches of clearance on either side. At least on the 4th gen.

 

[Littleant]

If the vehicle ran good BEFORE this issue like no missing - water usage - overheating etc leave it alone Cody. Believe me it's not easy to recommend to do nothing. If it was my vehicle and was running fine before the chain issue i would just repair the original issue.

 

[codysmith105]

Got it, will do. Just going to retime it and put it back in.

 

[greg s]

What would you do if it had 300,000 on the clock (97 SOHC 4x4)? It has the typical cold rattle on startup and sometimes it makes noise at idle when hot. I have been cranking the engine with the gas pedal to the floor to pump up the tensioners, and that has been working ok. It runs good and dont want to get rid of it, and would like to fix it before it suffers a major failure. Thinking of replacing all the chains and associated parts with OEM Ford. From what I have read so far, most of the aftermarket stuff doesnt last very long. Was also thinking about replacing the oil pump with one of the high volume pumps? I would think it would be wise to replace the head gaskets but not sure if its more than a typical unbolt-clean-replace?

 

[codysmith105]

300,000 is quite a lot of miles. Replacing just the tensioners with new ones will at least give you fresh springs which should help with startup.

Check the oil pan for fragments of the timing guides. No fragments probably means no broken guides.

If you're going to yank the engine, it's a job for sure. Much easier if you can lift the car in any capacity.

 

[greg s]

Luckily I have a lift to work on. With 300,000 I am planning on doing the chains and guides. If I am going thru the work to pull the engine I am going to replace as much as I deem necessary. But sometimes you are better off leaving some things alone too. Is it best to replace the balancer chain and guides? I havent seen much on those failing.

 

[MAS Tequila]

Make an anchor or door stop out of it.

 

[Tech By Trade]

Luckily I have a lift to work on. With 300,000 I am planning on doing the chains and guides. If I am going thru the work to pull the engine I am going to replace as much as I deem necessary. But sometimes you are better off leaving some things alone too. Is it best to replace the balancer chain and guides? I havent seen much on those failing.

The balancer tensioner is junk and you need to pull the cradle to get at it. best bet is to just leave the chain off while you have the cradle off. That way you can get at everything in the front end without having to drop the cradle again.