4.0 Timing Job / Motor Rebuild x 3

[Jonah411]

Hello To Everyone ! Thanks for allowing me to become a member of this amazing site and community! I am a mid 40s male, loves to wrench on things to save money or break them trying and then fix them. I race MX , love my wife , son and f350 tremendously! Sooo to the long of the short, I have the infamous 02-10 Explorer that I bought new in 04. It has some attachment to me or vice versa. Either way it has consumed 2 months of my life , everyday and night ! I had the tick and finally started pulling parts off and within a day I had the motor out and pulling out the casettes and plastic debris everywhere. Keep in mind , I have bought 2 more Explorers , just to do the engine swaps ! They both had bad transmissions (they said). Well I swapped the first one and before putting it in one morning ,I decide to take a look under the valve covers ! Lo and behold it was in need of timing also ! Soooo I ordered the kit, the tools and everything that goes with it. Week later it was in ! I’m driving down the highway at 85 ish, engine cuts off and lose all power. I was able to get over to shoulder. Got home 12 hrs $300 later and ran compression on it , had 0 on 4.5.6…. I just said hell with it , I’m done ! A day later I was pulling it out and I didn’t look for why it did what it did. May have already had a bad bottom end. So scrapped the donor and bought another one for same price. $500. Motor was good and trans was bad. Well…. You can assume what’s next. Yep, I’m need of timing. So I did it all over once again. Except this time , a week later, it was making a horrible clicking and clanking , I threw my hands up. Sooooo, a day later I gave it another go ! Except I decide to just rebuild the original one , since I put every mile on it and see what will happen. Another kit, fluids etc etc. A week later and very carefully built this one , learned a lot from the other 2 times. 7-10 days, fired it up and oh boy , she sounds pretty good and I think it’s a success !!! Until I put it in gear, hard shift and that wasn’t nothing like before and I had no issues with trans prior and I haven’t left the property since I originally started on this nightmare!! But I kept my cool and at that time the wrench popped up on the dash and the O/D off light came on with it. They must
be buddies but ain’t mine ! Sooo… I had no previous trans issues whatsoever. My question is what could I have hooked up wrong or not at all that may have caused this issue. It has to be something simple or small, that’s causing me this massive headache and finding the answer almost seems impossible but I am not quitting. I am too invested and my time and amount of money is more than the trucks worth, i get that. But I have to get her running right again and this wrench limp mode gone !! Please help if you can and if you are for sure, please message me asap. I thank you in advcance and hopefully this will come to a rest here soon ! New Member - Jonah. Thank you all !!

 

[410Fortune]

Jonah check the transmission trouble codes now stored in the pcm this should tell you where to look

. Is it possible that some wiring to trans was not plugged back in or plugged in fully?

Is it possible the wiring got pinched between engine and trans upon re install

Also water or any fluids getting into the trans cooler lines while engine was out?

 

[Jonah411]

Thanks for getting back to me with suggestions / advice. As far as the wiring goes, there isn’t anything that I unhooked that plugged into the trans and there’s nothing I can see or aware of that’s pinched or broken. I spotted a 5 wire plug on the 1st attempt, that was cut. I connected all them back and there wasn’t any problems the 1st and 2nd time (trans related ). Just this last time. Limp mode and light comes on so quick, that makes me think it’s a plug, wire or maybe a vacuum. I dunno’.

As far as the lines and cooler, they stayed on the truck.

The torque converter came out with the motor , 5 times !! On all 3 motor jobs. This last time it stayed in but when I manually pulled it off, it did spill lots of trans fluid. But I did fill it back up, along with 8 more qts of trans fluid, that I drained out once this wrench and O/D off light came on. I seated it in place properly before I put the engine in.

 

[Jonah411]

Jonah check the transmission trouble codes now stored in the pcm this should tell you where to look

. Is it possible that some wiring to trans was not plugged back in or plugged in fully?

Is it possible the wiring got pinched between engine and trans upon re install

Also water or any fluids getting into the trans cooler lines while engine was out?

I forgot to say that I do have the codes and I believe there were 5 of them, I scanned it as soon as I saw them lights. I will post them once I get back to my shop. Thanks in advance

 

[Jonah411]

I forgot to say that I do have the codes and I believe there were 5 of them, I scanned it as soon as I saw them lights. I will post them once I get back to my shop. Thanks in advance

These are the codes that came up , some pending/generic. P0970 , P0135, P0720, P2306, P2197

I haven’t had a chance to dig into all of them or find something that pertains to my situation , considering the truck hasn’t left my property after all of this and no problems or signs of any trans issue before all of this. I’m 100% sure it has to be a wiring or plug issue but I don’t know where to start and I have killed myself pulling motors, rebuilding them and installing them. It’s a painful process and buying all the stuff 3x etc etc has been seemingly like more of a waste than a learning experience. I can sure do the timing on a 4.0 now, that’s for sure !! Hope this helps someone, help me. Haha. Thanks

 

[410Fortune]

okay

P0720 is an issue with your trans mounted output shaft speed sensor

P0720 Output Speed Sensor Circuit Malfunction DTC

I would look carefully at the 5 wire plug that was cut and also check the wiring to the transmission more closely

I typically unbolt the torque converter from the flex plate before
Pulling the engine, dragging the converter off with the engine can put strain on the transmission input shaft seal and input shaft



P0135 is hego heater circuit issue for oxygen sensor

2306 is issue with coil wiring circuit
Maybe time for new coils? I would for sure check their wiring to and from. With coil codes I would clear them and see how quickly they come back

2197 Is hego sensor bank 2 sensor 1 stuck lean

Either you still have some wiring issues or you need a new 02 sensor

Your truck is not going to run properly with the 02 sensor (heated exhaust gas oxygen) code, reading lean/stuck lean
It is not going to shift well with no input from the 0ss, the output speed shaft sensor in the trans

Need to solve these codes

 

[Jonah411]

Thank you so much for your reply and advice with information. I went straight to the truck and pulled and poked at the 4 wire that I repaired (thought it was 5). As I was playing with them, there were 2 that kinda fell out of the repaired portion. I went ahead and cut them out and I am starting fresh with some added wire for length , connectors etc. They are going in a shrink harness of sorts. I’m not saying for sure they weren’t connected but I didn’t pull very hard. We shall see. 2 of those wires ran to passeneger side 02 sensor, 1st one on that side. I unplugged it there so I could do the wiring. The other end of those wires run behind the motor and into the loom that Vs off. I can check that when I hook these wires up. I looked at the OSS and those sensors on the trans. I never messed with any of them. Also I didn’t mention that when the wrench and O/D light come on, my Speedometer isn’t working either and the digital gauge that shows miles is all dashes. But that gauge displays correctly until the limp wrench. Thanks again. I will check back. I hope this is all electronics related. Motor seems much stronger than before , I hope I have got that part corrected. Hard to tell til I can drive faster than 15mph. Won’t let me out of gear once the limo wrench comes on. I guess it is a safety thing. Hope all these codes are related to one another !! Check back soon !

 

[Jonah411]

I have new coils and I have the 2 coils that I took off the other motors that I pulled out of those explorers. They are all good.
*Coil:
123
564
FRONT OF TRUCK

* Cylinders:
FIREWALL
3-6
2-5
1-4
FRONT OF TRUCK

 

[Jonah411]

If anyone needs any help with their timing jobs on 4.0 (02-10) - I would be grateful to help. Is it best I just troll the posts/threads and add my .2 cents ? Or is it too soon to offer any advice? Once again thank you for offering your knowledge and advice. I see that there hasn’t been anyone else. Was my thread too long and detailed ? I think I run them off Jk. It’s all good !

 

[410Fortune]

Shifting and speedometer will not work properly until you get the oss code sorted

Looks like you may have sorted out the 02’senaor code by fixing those broken wires

Once you have the wires repaired clear the codes and see what comes back

 

[Jonah411]

Shifting and speedometer will not work properly until you get the oss code sorted

Looks like you may have sorted out the 02’senaor code by fixing those broken wires

Once you have the wires repaired clear the codes and see what comes back

Okay. I repaired the wires and there’s no wrench yet. It usually happens once I drive about 100 yds. I notice the shift from Park to Reverse is the only noticeable hard shift. If that helps any. I’m about to check the codes again , clear them and see what comes up. Thanks again. Will post results in a few.

 

[Jonah411]

Now I had 12 codes…. But I cleared them and only 3 come back while idling. I’d clear them again and these always come back. The P0970 (solenoid / pressure). P0705 (trans range sensor) P0743 (TC clutch circuit electrical ). Check Engine light is currently off but O/D off light is flashing no matter. If I drive it, the CEL will come on quickly. I noticed yesterday there’s a bad sound coming from the rear , sounds like a flat tire going round and round and round. Pushing breaks didn’t make it worse or go away. I’m sure it’s a seperate problem but throwing it out there. This is crazy !!

 

[Jonah411]

I am at a stand still. Don’t know what to really do at this point. I have some extra OSS sensors from one of the other explorers I bought during all of this. But I don’t think this would be caused by one of these little trans sensors. They are all the same part numbers FYI. 3 of them. I don’t know what else to do ! Just sitting collecting dust. I can’t find any other reason or anything I did or didn’t do right or wrong.

 

[410Fortune]

See here for the 0970 code

P0970 Pressure Control Solenoid C Control Circuit Low

How to quickly diagnose and repair, and causes of a P0970 transmission code that indicates a detected low voltage condition in the C pressure control solenoid control circuit.

www.obd-codes.com

For the 0705 code
P0705 Transmission Range Sensor Circuit Malfunction (PRNDL input)

When the vehicle is moving and there are contradictory signals being received by the computer, such as the TRS signal indicates that the vehicle is in park, however the speed sensor indicates that it is moving, the code P0705 is set.”

Circuit failure means wiring issue between dtrs and pcm

P0743 Torque Converter Clutch (TCC) Solenoid Circuit Electrical

Detailed information on diagnosing and repairing a P0743 DTC code which refers to an electrical failure in the TCC circuit.

www.obd-codes.com

743 is again a circuit failure, you have wiring issues somewhere around that transmission


This would explain the harsh shifting and flashing od light

You need to check fuses and wiring going into the transmission. If one day there are no codes and then after an engine change these codes appear, something os fishy in the wiring or you Blew some fuses.

 

[Jonah411]

Okay. I suppose I will pull it back in my shop and take a longer look. I’ve gone over it so many times it’s made me nauseous laying under it. I don’t know what else to check. There’s only so many wires and plugs. Is there a wiring diagram for sensors , trans etc. Something detailed or with pics ?? I want to thank you again in advance and appreciate the help very much !!

 

[410Fortune]

Check all fuses carefully
Check your ground wire connections
Check that you installed the ground strap from engine to firewall

Check that wires did not get pinched between engine and trans. Check that all engine wiring is plugged in fully, basically check your work!

There has to be something that is causing these codes, the 5 wires that were cut and repaired, a trans plug not in all the way? Lots of light is your friend. Check along entire harness where it goes up spine of the trans

 

[Jonah411]

I am going to do that this evening. I am pulling it in and I’m gonna find something! I hope. You said ground strap. I didn’t think that was a big deal and I have it around a screw on firewall but I am not sure that is even a good ground. If a ground ends up being the gremlin under my hood, im gonna **** !! Lol. I actually hope it is at this point. Im with you and I am 99% sure it’s trans wiring and checking over all my work and them “repairs “ of mine ! I guess I will be forced to get it towed to the shop if I don’t find something soon. I do have one plug that has been catching my eye during this whole rebuild and it’s tucked up on the firewall. It has no mate and I can’t find anything for it to plug into. I’m guessing it was for another option or accessory of some kind. It’s a 2 pin that resembles an injector plug but it’s not , it’s way too short of reaching. I don’t know honestly. Thanks again. Will post back. Thanks

 

[410Fortune]

Post picture of that plug and it’s location
It’s very likely supposed to be plugged into something

 

[Jonah411]

Post picture of that plug and it’s location
It’s very likely supposed to be plugged into something

Good morn. Yes I will post pic. I first wanted to say that I had plugged and extension into that plug thinking it would help out with length (it came off one of the other explorers ). It was only 8” long . Well after going over everything I decided to just remove that section cause it wasn’t plugged in to anything anyways. Well, I did that and I noticed that ground strap didn’t seem to be on any metal. It wasn’t touching the firewall. So I grounded it to the bolt from where it was to begin with. That was all….. It shifted into Reverse with no bunks or jerks and damn if the OD/off light didn’t go off too !!! How about that !!! Then after 5 miles of driving and a battery swap, the CEL light went off too !!! I have a few other things to sort out (exhaust leak at flange, which I knew ) and thermostat housing drip, I knew about. Things should be good !! If I wouldn’t have came on here and got some advice , it would be sitting still. Thanks for your time and giving me the chance to go over my work again and now I can say that the ground strap is important in a smooth shifting PRND12 !!!!! This is a great forum and hopefully someone will get some help from this and everyone that comes on here, please leave a follow up to your diagnosis. When it’s fixed , let there’s guys know and the world to see it , so they can fix theirs like you and I did !! Thanks again - Cheers to all !! especially 410Fortune Be safe

 

[410Fortune]

*****in!!!

I knew it was in the wiring

So glad you got it sorted out!!!