97 SOHC with major valve train noise!

[joe_dejesus]

Sunday The truck was used like normal and all was well...
Power was normal, no noises, oil guage was in the middle,
never over heated motor...

Monday Morning I started explorer v6 4.0 SOHC and seconds
after starting I hear this valve train noise, real bad. I shut motor
off quickly but only to restart to listen, sounds like major valve train
clicking nosies all over... Bad enough that truck is parked into
I look into resolving this problem..

I am not a mechanic but as a hobbiest have built a motor
and installed mustang 5.0 trannys and rear ends and such, so i am
somewhat mechanicly knowlagable, for what ever thats worth

My truck has 140K miles and has always ran great! no smoke,
doesnt eat oil, no valve train noises..


Could it be a dead oil pump?

Worse yet timing chain tensioner?


Wont a tentioner cause like a dragging chain kind of noise?
What I am hearing sounds like when the old school motors have loose
rocker arms and clank loudly?

All help appreciated!!!


Joe

 

[timmac06]

valve train fix

go to your local ford dealer and ask them about a t.s.b on chain tensioners on the 4.0. they will know what your talking about.

 

[friech]

That's generally how they go, all of a sudden. It happened to me about a year ago at 75K miles. If it is a tensioner chain dragging, the sound will be loudest just under the valve covers in the front of the engine. It's hard to pinpoint the sound as it is very loud. Before I took my rig into the dealer for the warrenty work, I made sure this was the problem by removing the valve cover on the driver side of the engine and fishing out the broken pieces of plastic from the chain tensioner and showing them the proof. It was hard for them to dispute the cause of the noise at this point.
If this is your problem and you have the dealer do the repair, I would also drop the oil pan and remove any plastic debris that works its way down there when they are done.

The TSB for the camshaft chain tensioner covers up to 80 or 90K miles (I think). Since your engine is at 140K miles, you might be on the hook for the parts and labor