1997 pulled the motor hoping to fix timing chains... we have problems...

[96nick]

Ok, so I haven't been on here in a while since the last repair i did, installing 4 door springs, ended with the same drivers side lean as it did before. I work as a service adviser at a small Ford dealership and over the last week i've been pricing out getting my 1997 explorer sport back in shape. I bought the car for 500 bucks because the guy who had it said it didn't go into reverse. but it did and always has. i've invested a lot of time and money into this thing and it has a lot of new parts. but it had HORRIBLE timing chain noises. So... after kicking around the options of selling it, swapping to a 5.0, buying a used 4.0 sohc, and fixing the cassetts on mine i decided to yank mine out and see if i could save her. well... i went in early today and me and another guy yanked the motor out. well it had a broken cassette which was making the chain rub against the cassette bolt. I expected this, but what i didn't expect was the SLEDGE! horrible sledge everywhere. and the bearings are shot in the bottom end. Needless to say... i wont be rebuilding this motor. its just too tired out and i don't have that kind of cash for a total rebuild. So i have to decide what to do now. I have found a 4.0l sohc with 160,000 miles on it that the guy says i can hear run and is selling PULLED for 250. What worries me about this is that i dont want to put it in and then have the timing chains start to go, and its a risk at 160k. i ordered a cold air intake, performance curve muffler, and an offroad y pipe in the anticipation of getting this thing running well again. now i'm wondering what i've gotten myself into. What would you guys do?

 

[Vic_Ferrari2002]

If the motor sounds good and he's giving it to you for $250 pulled, I'd go for it. I would change the cassettes and chains in it, put new upper and lower intake gaskets, valve cover gaskets. A few of the major fail points. Plus its going to be a lot easier to do whatever else you wanna do to it before you put the motor in.

just my $0.02....

 

[2000StreetRod]

cold start then valve covers

I suggest listening to the engine at cold start. That's when the rattle is most likely to occur. If there is no rattle then purchase the engine, then pull the valve covers and inspect the cassettes. If either cassette is broken then replace it. After reinstalling the valve covers replace the upper and lower intake manifold gaskets. Also check the VIS linkage to the vacuum motor. Disconnect the linkage from the actuator lever and check for free movement of the lever. EGR residue accumulates in the upper intake manifold. The lever actuator can stick if the engine rarely exceeds 3,000 rpm.

My 2000 right cassette failed at 150K miles. My engine was also full of sludge. I suspect a previous (who lived in Texas) had an overheating prombem and removed the thermostat. I fixed the tendency to overheat by replacing the single row radiator with a double row. Your 1997 should have the double row which was stock that year.

 

[Flash]

What 2000StreetRod said +1.

 

[96nick]

ok so i went with your advice. i listened to the motor and it sounded GREAT! he pulled it out and i went back and got it a few days later. we went in early this morning and got the motor bolted back in. after lunch we put the top end back together with new intake gaskets and about 20 sureshots worth of alcohol cleaning oil from the last motor. IT IS ALIVE! it runs better than it ever has since i've owned it. tomorrow we will throw it up on the alignment rack and adjust the torsion in the front end to get rid of the rest of my lean (now that i have the 4 door springs and new shocks in the rear). I still have to get the ex to an exhaust shop to weld on my offroad y pipe, performance curve muffler, and a 2.5" tailpipe. i have everything i need to build my cold air intake (by the directions on this forum) except for my reducer and air filter. I'm glad i decided to give this old dog some new life.