2004 Explorer timing cassettes replaced, engine just "spins"

[PapaMelch]

I posted this in the SportTrac section by mistake.

Hello everyone. I've been learning and following all the posts to repair the exploded timing cassettes in the Ford 4.0L SOHC. Replaced the left, right, and front cassettes, all were in pieces, and I replaced the tensioners. I got everything back together (finally after 6 months!). When I turn it over the motor just spins instead of the familiar "I wanna start, I wanna start" that you would expect to hear. The first time I had it back together (a couple weeks ago) I turned it over and the engine just spun like that. I came back here and read some more and realized I didn't time the cams right (had the cam slots slanted instead of parallel with the head surfaces) so I went back in and timed them again. I lined up the timing mark on the harmonic balance and then set the cams timing slots exactly parallel with the heads, off center slots lower side down.

One thing I noticed, when you rotate the crankshaft one full revolution to get back to the timing mark on the harmonic balance, the cams are upside down (off center cam slots now on the upper side). Is it possible to time this off by 180 degrees in relation to the crankshaft? If so, how can you tell which way the cams are supposed to sit?

Thanks in advance, pulling my hair out
Melch

 

[plasticseng]

Is it possible it bent the valves when the cams were out of time the first time? On some of these 4.0's, they can tag the pistons when out of time. If so, you will have no compression.

Does it sound like there is no load on the starter?

 

[PapaMelch]

Is it possible it bent the valves when the cams were out of time the first time? On some of these 4.0's, they can tag the pistons when out of time. If so, you will have no compression.

Does it sound like there is no load on the starter?

I don't know how to "write" how an engine should sound when starting I suppose no load on the starter on each revolution sounds correct.

 

[TechGuru]

better way to put it, does it sound like there are no spark plugs installed?

 

[PapaMelch]

better way to put it, does it sound like there are no spark plugs installed?

I took a video, any way to upload it? I also did a compression test, getting zero compression on all cylinders.

 

[TechGuru]

Have you tried turning the engine with the valve covers removed to see if the valves are closed for the compression stroke? If they are and still no compression sounds like they are bent.

 

[PapaMelch]

Have you tried turning the engine with the valve covers removed to see if the valves are closed for the compression stroke? If they are and still no compression sounds like they are bent.

Not yet, I thought about it though and will probably do that tomorrow.

 

[2Trux]

One thing I noticed, when you rotate the crankshaft one full revolution to get back to the timing mark on the harmonic balance, the cams are upside down (off center cam slots now on the upper side).
Melch

The crankshaft rotates twice for each rotation of the camshafts so this is expected.

 

[Tech By Trade]

Did you use the OTC kit. If you didnt you probably have the cams 180 deg out of phase + or - how much error not using the proper load through the tensioners adds or subtracts from that 180 deg error.

 

[PapaMelch]

It's been a while since I've posted about this, been busy working on it. Sure enough, valves were bent so I got new ones and installed them. The engine now runs . It wasn't too bad replacing the valves, getting the springs out is a pain without the right tool. Anyway, the engine has a lot of power and is quiet. Only thing I'm dealing with is a rough idle and random misfires. This engine had the same misfire code on cylinder #5 before it died due to the timing chain failure. I've changed out the wires and plugs, replaced the injector on #5 as I was getting the P0305 misfire code and ruled out spark and compression, cleaned the MAF sensor and throttle body. Was getting a code for the EGR sensor which is now gone. After doing this work, I am now getting P0300 Random misfire, P0304 Excess emissions level of misfire detected on cylinder #4, P0305 Misfire cylinder #5, and P0316 Misfire in the first 1000 revolutions. Wondering if the ECM is still tuned to the previous condition of the engine before I rebuilt it and if it will adjust itself? The original engine was a 2wd, this one is a 4wd, does that matter to the computer?

 

[plasticseng]

Can you read fuel trims with your scanner? If so, what do they look like at idle and at 2000 rpm? Both long and short term. Bank 1 and bank 2. Engine warm.

 

[PapaMelch]

I don't have a scanner. These codes were read at my local Autozone. My friend has one but he lives in Canada, only an hour away but I may need to make a trip. He mentioned something to me about the fuel trims too, said he could zero them out? Would something like this cause a misfire?

 

[plasticseng]

The fuel trim numbers tell you if the computer is trying to compensate for what it thinks is a rich or lean condition. Close to zero is best. Greater than ten in the positive or negative direction is an indicator to look for problems.

Comparing the fuel trim numbers at idle and 2000 rpm can also help you diagnose a vacuum leak, since the amount of air leaking by compared to the total air flow is lower at higher rpm, so there is less compensation at higher rpm.

 

[plasticseng]

You may want to consider an elm adapter similar to this:

https://www.amazon.com/Foseal-Scann...eywords=elm adapter&tag=ef_viglink_convert-20

and download Forscan software for your phone or laptop. It's a cheap way to get a lot of data and will save you a lot of trips to the parts store for scanning codes.

http://forscan.org/download.html