4.0 SOHC Timing Noise

[allmyEXes]

UPDATE: It's been almost 18 months since I first installed a manual tensioner in the 1997 Blue SOHC truck. It probably has 32-35k on it by now. I haven't done the front left one yet. My White '97 has about 2500 miles since the left side guide repair including pulling the cylinder head. I installed manual tensioners in both sides of it.

 

[donalds]

That rubber pad is still there lmao

If you have any ?s

 

[allmyEXes]

It's been 4.5 years since I installed the manual tensioner on the rh head of the blue '97 beater. This past week and week to come, I've had to put my wife back in the beater because a hose blew on the white '97, the one that I fixed the left head on 4 plus years ago. It has manual tensioners in both places. white '97 left side chain repair. Go to post #150 for the left front tensioner install. The vehicle has gone 53,000 miles after the major work that had to be performed. Not as major as the next 4.0 project. The engine will be coming out of the 2002 Sport Trac after I figure out how to cut or break the plastic intake.
when I hit the intake with a hammer, it bounced back like rubber. The very back intake bolt "torx head" bolt is stripped out and oxidized into the aluminum head. It will get new manual tensioners that I think cost about $20- each. The price keeps dropping on these and I may purchase more before they go obsolete for the future.

 

[ClaireDeLune]

@allmyEXes & @donalds TYVM!!!!
I am about to install a set of these manual tensioners in a 1999 ford ranger so I can eliminate a rattle after replacing the guides and tensioners.
The advice posted here has been invaluable and I plan on doing this with every 4.0 I come across.

Aluminum thermostat housings are the best, no failures to report here.
I will add anything valuable found during installation.

 

[allmyEXes]

It's been 5.7 years since I installed the manual tensioner on the rh side of the 4.0 SOHC of our blue "97 we sometimes cal "Flo". I've been driving my wife's newest one most of the month of June while she is on sick leave. Since I have been driving it, the hatch handle broke, then suddenly the shifter would not go into park. Assume it was the two torx screws but turns out the cable came unclipped from the bracket at the trans. On that test drive, the cruise control broke and I pirated parts off of the '97 blue 4dr. I guess it didn't like me swapping out parts on it. Last Friday, I decided that I needed to drive it. The Explorer that I was the first person documented in the continental US installing the manual chain tensioner. The rear guide was broke, but I took up a lot of chain slack with the tensioner. The engine has had a chain slapping around sound now for 6 years. Friday after charging it because the starter was weak and battery low, once it started and ran for a few seconds,I heard a loud mechanical racket and the engine shut down. Now I have trouble turning it over and if it does start, it runs real funny with no power. I think one of the long timing chains finally jumped a tooth. She is parked and now retired. The battery is coming out tomorrow.
The manual tensioner made it where I could get many more miles out of it than if I had left the hydraulic tensioner in.
"Flo" was a good one...
Original thread starter. forgive me from stepping on your thread. This almost sounds like a thread that I started when I installed the manual tensioner.

 

[C420sailor]

RIP.

My first engine lasted about 80,000 from the rattle getting really noticeable to where I finally swapped the engine out. About 4-5ish years. Not sure how much more I would’ve gotten out of her, but I didn’t want to find out at 3am on the highway.

Sorry to hear she finally jumped time. She’s a good rig though…she knew it was time and didn’t want to leave you stranded somewhere.

 

[410Fortune]

That’s the deal! Good truck will get you home, or at least really close!

 

[allmyEXes]

I squeezed that lemon into paper.
ADDED Friday morning: Meaning I drove with the half-broken engine another 30k past the 10k my wife had driven the blue '97 SOHC.