Can anyone identify this ticking? 2000 Ford Explorer V6 4x4 XLT SOHC | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Can anyone identify this ticking? 2000 Ford Explorer V6 4x4 XLT SOHC

HB23

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January 10, 2018
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City, State
San Diego, CA
Year, Model & Trim Level
2000 Explorer XLT v6 sohc
Just changed the oil, added quart of mmo. New sparks and wires yesterday and a new left upper timing chain tensioner (thought this was the cause of the rattling, good swap anyhow as the previous owner installed the wrong tensioner it seems, flat instead of the tall one). My only guess is lifters, or chain guides. I rev a bit in the video below to demonstrate the change of rate.



 



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My first thought was lifters but as you increased RPM it sounds like timing chain slap. Can you identify where it is coming from? Front of the engine, passenger side?
 






My first thought was lifters but as you increased RPM it sounds like timing chain slap. Can you identify where it is coming from? Front of the engine, passenger side?

It's a bit hard to pinpoint, I'd say driver side? Maybe middle engine leaning near the power steering pump area? I'm going to check the timing marks tommorow for any slack.
 






Doesn't sound like alternator tick/whine nor does it sound like P/S whine, and chain slap usually come from the front passenger side. Hmmm...

EDIT: Is the new tensioner you installed stuck in the back position maybe and not tensioning the timing chain against the guide??
 






Doesn't sound like alternator tick/whine nor does it sound like P/S whine, and chain slap usually come from the front passenger side. Hmmm...

EDIT: Is the new tensioner you installed stuck in the back position maybe and not tensioning the timing chain against the guide??

Hmm, it is possible and it is the area to which the sound is coming from. Note it did sound the same before I installed a new tensioner, so perhaps are the guides themselves are broken? I read the 99-00 explorers had inferior plastic used for the guides that were prone to breaking and was corrected 06. If say the guides were broken and I'd need to replace them, how in-depth of a job would it be? I don't have access to an engine lift so any work would have to be done with the engine still attached. And I feel as though a full timing chain job would be fairly expensive at a mechanic especially since its an SOHC.
 






That's the problem I had with my '98 SOHC. When you changed the oil did you find any guide parts/debris in the oil? Search the forum and you will find some posts (including mine) about broken guide parts found in changed oil. From what I understand and have read, changing the timing chains is a real PITA and beyond my scope of capabilities. I can do brake jobs, front end work, change starters, alternators... pretty much anything NOT related to tearing down an engine. I had developed the dreaded SOHC startup rattle. So, figuring I got as much as I could out my '98 at 213k I sold her. IIRC, StreetRod2000 here on the site has a write up about a complete timing chain replacement. Just do a search. Hope you get it figured out.
 






That's the problem I had with my '98 SOHC. When you changed the oil did you find any guide parts/debris in the oil? Search the forum and you will find some posts (including mine) about broken guide parts found in changed oil. From what I understand and have read, changing the timing chains is a real PITA and beyond my scope of capabilities. I can do brake jobs, front end work, change starters, alternators... pretty much anything NOT related to tearing down an engine. I had developed the dreaded SOHC startup rattle. So, figuring I got as much as I could out my '98 at 213k I sold her. IIRC, StreetRod2000 here on the site has a write up about a complete timing chain replacement. Just do a search. Hope you get it figured out.

Thanks for the help, I picked up my explorer for a grand hoping to make it into a beater offroad rig and the ticking showed up now barely after a month of ownership. I'll strain the old oil and see if I can see anything. Barring a mechanic diagnostic, that's probably when I'll decide if she's worth selling or tearing down the engine. Pity. How much did you sell your explorer for with the tick if I could ask?
 






I sold it for $1500. I had a lot of updated stuff on it but it was pretty much stock.
 






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