Aussie needs help

[shuyak]

Hi all is there some one with a manual for a 1997 (Oct build) XLT 4Lt OHC that could copy & send me via email the complete timing chain assembly (front only) as I have a broken guide & cannot tell where it was situated. I am in country South Australia & the nearest Ford dealer is 200kms away & only has limited explorer data & I do not have the time to wait for a manual to be sent from inter state. Thanking you in advance for any help. .. Regards Jeff (email: shuyak@bigpond.com )

 

[rookieshooter]

Bring No. 1 piston to TDC on comp. stroke and timing marks are aligned. Befor you take apart. You may have to take chain off to take off guiderail.

 

[rookieshooter]

If you have to take off chain, remove bottom bolt of tensioner and place home made wire clip in the bottom hole that bolt was in and put other end of wire in slot of rubbing block before removing chain . This will hold it in proper position. Also when installing new guide make sure pin is in block and torque to 84-94 in lbs. Do not know how to post pics on emial from photobucket yet. That should take me about another year ha ha

 

[shuyak]

Thanks for the assistance & pic's but it has left me even more confused, the system I am looking at looks nothing like what you have sent. I will try to take a photo of the set up I am looking at & may be you could tell me more. ... Regards Jeff

 

[CDW6212R]

The first post of this thread mentions OHC engine. Is the engine the SOHC engine? It would have an engine cover with SOHC on it. Those engines do not have timing chain, etc. timing marks, and the parts are much different.

If that is the SOHC, do you already have the special cam timing tools? You will have to have them to do any of the valvetrain work, except for the cam tensioners.

It sounds like you are working on the front timing chain, or the jackshaft chain. The jackshaft chain is very much like a timing chain, connecting the crank to the center shaft. The two cam chains, front/back, are connections from the jackshaft to the camnshafts.

Please start by having the engine at TDC. Do not remove any cam or jackshaft bolts before setting the engine at TDC. The cams will spin in opposite directions when you loosen any of the shaft bolts. It's no big deal if the engine is at TDC, and you will be resetting the timing. Good luck,

 

[shuyak]

Thanks Don, yes it is a SOHC engine & your advice on set up will be used, if & when I can find out the parts that need replacing, that is why I asked if any one has a full exposed view of the timing system as I cannot get any refference to & position of all the guides/tensioners that there are supposed to be. One ford dealer sent me a copy from their parts catalouge & that is as useless as udders on a bull. I personally think there are 2 broken guides one lookes like it runs at the very bottom of the balance shaft (from the sump up)
the second (looking at the engine front to back) is on the left hand side of the jack shaft chain, the third one if there is a third one would be if there is supposed to be a guide on the under side of the camshaft chain, there is the tensioner on the inlet side of the head but is there supposed to be a guide/tensioner any where on the oppisite side of the same chain. At this stage no one here can answer these questions & my problem is that I am stuck miles from anywhere & have to do the repairs myself. If it is only 2 guides I think I should be able replace them without having to remove any chains etc. I took a photo of my timing system (jack & balance shaft) but it looks like I cannot post it on this list, so once again thank you for your assistance & any further help woud be greatfully recieved. ... Regards Jeff

 

[rookieshooter]

Is this it

 

[rookieshooter]

 

[rookieshooter]

I have some more info and pics if this is what your looking for.

 

[shuyak]

Fantastic, thank you so much, you have made my week not just my day I'm truly thankfull & hope I can return a favour sometime, if you had a picture of the cam shaft guides/chain all of my christmases would come at once as I am not sure whether there are 2 tensioners/guides or only 1.
One other thing you may be able to help me with is that when I removed the front cover, laying on the front lip of the sump were 3 half moon metal shims they follow the same shape as the cutout in the sumppan (found right along side) where the harmonic balancer pully goes through, do they nornally shim in that area or should I be looking elseware. P.S. all the shims were stuck together. ... Regards Jeff

 

[rookieshooter]

the right hand camshaft sprocket bolt uses left hand threads, did not come out in photo

 

[rookieshooter]

thats about it.

 

[shuyak]

Well once again you have blown me away, by the looks of things in fig., 77 there is a second guide so that means it destroyed 3 guides leaving only pieces of plastic laying arround with no tell tales of were they came from, admittedly there are 2 metal holders within the jack/balance shaft areas that now I have seen your pics it is easy to know where they fit but there is just nothing to tell there is one opposite the cam tensioner, now with a half ounce of luck I will be able to sorce the parts & be back on the road in 4 or 5 days. Once again thank you for all your help & all I have to do now is figure out where those shims go. I wish there was some one arround here with you guys knowledge about Explorers every one I speak to here refer to them as Exploders & the only one who was interested in looking at doing the job quoted me a minimum of $3800.oo to do the job on top of the tow of arround $500.oo/$800.00. So my wallet thanks you as well & if you have any idea on those shims please let me know. ... Regards Jeff

 

[rookieshooter]

Glad I could help. Maybe CDW could answer that question about the shims, he seems knowledgable in this area. Mean time if I find out about the shims I'll post. And welcome to the site.

 

[CDW6212R]

Those manuals, and pictures will be invaluable. The picture in fig. 77 is of the cam chain cassette assembly. This is a three component part grouping which you will be needing.

There is a cam chain cassette on each head, and the front one is the weakest link in the pre 2002 SOHC engines. The problem is the plastic coming apart, which lines the steel shell where the cam chain rides through. The replacement part is the 2002 and newer cam chain cassette.

There are two cam chain tensioners, one for each of the two cassettes. The tensioners go into each head at the corner, and look like large bolts.

I just finished replacing as much of the front parts as I thought was needed on my 99 4x4. The 4WDs have a balance shaft, next to the crank, and a tiny chain going to a crank sprocket. The balance shaft has a tiny(fragile) tensioner on it.

It sounds extrememly likely that you cannot do any repairs without the SOHC cam tools. The parts cost is very minor. My total parts bill at Ford was around $200. I replaced the front cam chain cassette($65), the two cassette tensioners, the balance shaft tensioner, the jackshaft chain, and the jackshaft tensioner. The sprockets are more expensive, and not commonly in stock.

Note that there is a part number which can be just the front cassette tensioner. I bought the part kit, which included that tensioner, a check valve for the tensioner, o-rings for the intake, etc. It was one of the two part numbers for the two recalls. Thus it was the tensioner recall kit.

I believe you priorities should be to find a source for the special tool kit, and the parts.
Is the valvetrain still fully assembled, other than the broken pieces? You need to have each head, and the short block, at top dead center. If the valvetrain is unattached from the crank, then do not turn the engine. the valves will be hitting the pistons. That is another big can of worms. Regards,

 

[shuyak]

Thanks Rookieshooter & Don for all your help, now it is just a matter of getting the parts, apart from removing the covers to expose all the timing gear nothing else has been removed, just by me looking at it, it looked as if I should be able to replace the broken guides with out having to remove any of the chains etc, that is probably untill I come to try & do it, what is it thay say ... The best laid plans of mice & men. Thank you for the welcome to the list, & even more so for your invaluable assistance. ... Regards Jeff

 

[CDW6212R]

You would be able to do the cam tensioners, jackshaft chain guides, and the balance shaft I believe. The big problem is usually, or eventually, the cam chain cassettes, which require retiming the cam. Good luck,

 

[shuyak]

Glad you said about the cam cassett, after many hours on the phone I finaly found a person in Melbourne (Capital of the State Of Victoria) who new about the particular cassett & yes it is missing from my vehicle so I have to get the part, can you tell me if in the U.S.A., you can get just the cassett or do you have to get the chain, sprockets as a complete kit, if you guys can get just the cassett could you send me the email addy of a good supplier over there so I can get an idea of prices.
I have also found out what the shims are, they are the tensioner system from the old balance shaft guide. Once again thank you so much for all your assistance & hopefully one day I might be able to return the favour. ... Regards Jeff

 

[rookieshooter]

I need to go to my local ford dealer sooner or later anyway for my own project, might as well make it sooner. I'll ask them about cassett. I will try to ger there today. and post it ASAP along with price and avalability.

 

[shuyak]

Terrific thanks Shooter, I also found a parts supplyer that is a sponser of this site & sent an email off to them, hopefully they will reply also. Going on one of the posts from Don if I can get just the cassett in the U.S., it will be cheaper by a considerable ammount even including postage, & only a couple of days longer to wait for the parts, here we have to take the chains, sprockets & all & they have to come from another state if there are any in stock. As luck would have it I was able to re register my old FJ 62 L/Cruiser & get her going so at least I'm no longer stuck waiting for she who must be obeyed or friends to get arround. ... Regards Jeff