4.0 sohc ping plus more problems

[GreatWhite01]

Hey all. I've been reading the forums here for a few months and have gotten alot of great info from you guys. Well my X finally has it's first problem so I figured I'd ask you guys to see if I can figure it out.

First off it's a 201 sport 4x4 with the 4.0 sohc automatic.
Over the last 2 weeks I have been experiencing some minor pinging during part throttle acceleration in 3rd gear. It got especially bad after my last fill up so I wanted to check if it would ping in park at any particular rpm. It doesn't ping with no load but at 3500 rmp the motor starts to cut out like it's bouncing off a rev limiter. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give me.

It sort of sucks that my first post ended up being a problem and not a sweet mod.

 

[GreatWhite01]

I forgot to mention that the motor will rev above 3500 rpm while on the road but not while in park and the truck still has 13000 miles left on the warranty so the repair will be fords problem.

Thanks again for any responces

 

[weebo]

you can try running a higher octane gas for starters. this might help out for a short time, but I'd go ahead and let the dealer look at it, since they might take care of most of the expense.

 

[GreatWhite01]

I here ya on letting the dealer fix it. I just want to get the most info possible to avoid the dealer giving me a line. Plus if I can prevent a reoccurance through preventative maintance/ inspection that would be great as well.

 

[Robert]

Some time after my '97 SOHC was built, Ford lowered the rev limiter when in Park. I have seen others post that theirs wouldn't rev above 3500 RPM in Pard. MY '97 will rev all the way to 6000 RPM in Park. So at least that part is normal for a 2K1.

 

[Jason_25]

This seems weird because the SOHC has a knock sensor. If it were truely pinging then the computer would retard the timing to stop it almost immediately.

Do you have a check engine light on?

 

[GreatWhite01]

Thanks for clueing me in on the rev limiter in park. It would have been funny if I want to the dealer and they told me it was supposed to do that.

As for the knock sensor I'm not sure. I don't get a check engine light and it's funny that it's only really noticeable when it's part throttle to 3/4 throttle but not in first and second only third gear. It tends to get bad right after it starts gaining some speed after the 2nd-3rd gearchange

 

[navin r]

01 4.0 sohc pinging

Sorry I have no solution, just a comment that my 01 sport 4 x 4 also has slight pinging. It is very, very, slight. You have to be listening closely to hear it, at least I'm 99% sure that's what it is. I'm interested in any solutions, other than buying a higher octane, here in LA gas is already expensive enough. BTW, my x has about 39k miles on it.

 

[TarHeel085]

ha my SOHC i can rev all the way up when in park!

 

[xlt-sport]

greatwhite1

go to ford and tell them [politely] you want the timing chain tensionerS replaced or fixed.

i am not sure which recall/bulletin this one is. one of the procedures is much more in depth, THAT is the one i would have done.

if you do a "search" on pinging or "search" my posts you can get info on it.

my '00 did this ALL the time. especially at 2500 rpm.

it drove me up a wall. i had to wait 6 weeks for my parts.

i don't think it is that bad now.

peter

 

[GreatWhite01]

Hey all,
Well the Ex is at the dealer today.
Let's see what they say. The ping or rattle only happens at 2500rpm + while driving. Let's hope the guys at the dealership actually here it!
Thanks for the chain guide info. When I bought the truck they said that the dealers were fixing the problem on a case by case basis. I guess it's time for mine to get replaced. They also said that the Guides were warrantied til 45k miles because of the recall.

I'll keep you all posted on what they find.

Thanks again for the help

 

[GreatWhite01]

Well I just heard from the dealer and it seams that the cam chain tensioners leak down overnight which leaves the cam chains with some slop in the mornings and as they pump back up they come back to the proper tension and the rattle noise will go away. They are ordering parts and I will have a new appointment in 2 weeks so we will see what happens.

They say that this will not damage the motor or it's performance. I'm not sure if I believe them on that point. I mean come on guys if the chain is flopping around on startup and warm up what is my valve train doing?

I'll keep you all posted

 

[xlt-sport]

greatwhite1

have you done a "search"? i'm not sure if you can search tech bulletins here or not.

if your problem was like mine [and it sounds like it is] the pinging always happens,right?

you definetly need the "deluxe" or "all day job" done to your X, for you own satisfaction.

what has happened is if this stuff breaks your engine is RUINED and ford will and has been replacing these engines!! because quality is [NOT] job 1

peter

 

[wallygetsit]

Let me know also when you have an update. Mine does the pinging/ticking sound between 2300-2900 RPM and it drives me up the wall. I have the first recall done and took it in the 01M01 recall and they said the truck was fine.

Thanks!

 

[dmasini]

Yeah, I'm curious to see what they say, keep us up to date. Mine started out very faint at the beginning of the yaer and the pinging has gotten cosistantly worse. I took mine in to Ted Britt Ford in Fairfax, VA. and they had no clue what it was. I told them to find it and fix it. Got it back 5 days later and it had diminished but wasn't completly gone and they said that was the best they could do. Needless to say I got royally screwed paying a little over 600 bucks for nothing. Now it's worse than it was before I took it in to get "fixed". I definatly learned my lesson though and am going to be a lot more "hands on" and ask a lot more questions when I take it in again to get fixed.

Side note, getting 31's for my X this weekend!!

 

[tankusmaximus]

i had the same sort of problem with the pinging then i had it checked out and it turned out to be a bad carbon build up in my system and all i had to do wah flush out the carbon during an oil change