2004 4.5 timing chain guides -questions

[hertfordnc]

This was my wifes car, she noticed the ticking noise. I said it was nothing. then she got another car and I inherited her explorer. Love this car. but now i know what that ticking noise and i need to deal with it.
We went 5000 miles with the noise and it only got slightly worse but I assume it could go outh very quickly and be disastrous.

I'd love to hear from amateurs who have done this job. I've watched a lot of videos.

I wonder why no one pulls the grill and radiator? I have a vac pump and gauges, I think i'd rather pull the front off and then recharge the AC at the end.


thanks

 

[VictorClark94]

Its not bad to tackle. The powersteering pump can suck if you done have the correct tools. Timing these sohc engines is also quite simple.

 

[2Trux]

I did the chains and guides last year. It took a weekend to do. (I have a 3 day weekend.) The timing job was pretty simple using the cam clamps. (I have a pair if you are interested.) I would also suggest you replace the water pump while you have it apart. To get the power steering pump off I had to remove the pully. (There is a bolt behind it that is impossible to remove when the pully is on.)
Mine took an extra day because I also replaced the steering rack and pump and all the hoses because it leaked like a sieve.
I never pulled the radiator and condenser because it looked like too much work and there is plenty of room to work with it in.
Buy a kit that has chains, gears, guides, and tensioners included, you don't want to mess with this again until you hit the second 200K miles.

 

[IPcamper]

I have done two of these. The first time, it took me 18 hours, the second job was 12 hours, and I work slow.

No need to remove the radiator, but you might want to tape a large piece of cardboard over it to save your knuckles and the fins. The power steering pump can be removed without removing the pulley, but you will need a box wrench and about 20 minutes to remove one of the bolts, at 1/8 turn at a time.

Timing is easy on this engine, and there are a lot of youtube videos. Get a set with marked links on the chain, and set the marks on the sprocket timing marks. If you don't get the marked links, then lay the chains out like |=========================| so that the ends have only one link perpendicular to the rest of the links. Mark the end links with a spot of paint/marker/ whatever. These links are the ones that go on the timing marks.

If you are only doing the guides, then don't take the chains off! but I would recommend replacing all of the timing components while have the chance.

if you replace the tensioner, be sure the surface of the head is clean so there are no oil leaks.

Replace all of the seals, they might look ok to reuse, but why take the chance for an oil leak.