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Ford Explorer Community - Maintenance - Modifications - Performance Upgrades - Problem Solving - Off-Road - Street
Explorer Forum Covers the Explorer ST, Explorer Sport, Explorer Sport Trac, Lincoln Aviator, Mercury Mountaineer, Mazda Navajo, Ford Ranger, Mazda Pickups, and the Ford Aerostar
regular oil changes, 1 owner should i worry about the Timing chains or just drive it till it dies. Can anyone tell me positively is the 4.0 and interference engine or not different people on the form keep saying different things Will the Pistons hit the valve if the timing chain breaks?
The sohc is definitely an interference engine. I got one off craigslist for parts. The guy swore it was a perfectly good runner. I got it for the flat top pistons and oil pan to swap in my van. One head had 3 bent intake valves and they left marks on the pistons.
I have a 2007 XLT v6 4.0. Are the front timing chains relatively easy to replace? I have alot of experience DIY my parts replacements. I s there anything special to know to keep the interference engine timing correct?
I have a 2007 XLT v6 4.0. Are the front timing chains relatively easy to replace? I have alot of experience DIY my parts replacements. I s there anything special to know to keep the interference engine timing correct?
Are you referring to the jack shaft chain and the timing chain ?
There is a post in another generation forum on this site where the guy documented with the pictures the steps to do that. I do not think it's very "user friendly" project. I did timing on my 4.6 v8, and it took several hours but everything was marked nicely.
These things are a pain. Basically what happens, as soon as you loosen any of the bolts on the gears, the cams are out of time and you need to start from scratch. Also all the bolts are Torque to yield so they need to be replaced. You start by setting the crank at 0 deg and locking it in place with a tool that holds it at zero deg. Then you set the balance shaft at 0deg and lock it up to the crank. Next up is the jackshaft, its just a chunk of steel, so it really doesn't matter where the gear lines up on it. then there are a couple nubs on both cams, there is a tool that holds it in place while you tighten the gear in place on the cams one by one. There is also a fake tensioner in the kit that maxes out the chain to make sure it has proper position when the cam gear is tightened or it will be out a few degrees. The passenger side is left hand thread. The only thing holding the cam gears in place is the bolt on the gear.
So in hindsite, what you are doing is setting the crank and both cams and the balance shaft at 0deg, and then tightening everything up to them to hold them in time.
Ford doesn't make anything normal or easy on their engines. I certainly doesn't sound like it something you'd want to get wrong and a lot of variables for a DIY attempt with the work involved.
Look for the tool on eBay if you need it. They sell a lot cheaper there and have usually only been used once. I did this job. The tool will take out the guess work. I did it on a 205,000 mile engine in a 97. Truck ran like New, but was totaled 6 months later at 210,000. The write up mentioned in an above post is what got me through the project.
Look for the tool on eBay if you need it. They sell a lot cheaper there and have usually only been used once. I did this job. The tool will take out the guess work. I did it on a 205,000 mile engine in a 97. Truck ran like New, but was totaled 6 months later at 210,000. The write up mentioned in an above post is what got me through the project.
You can do it without pulling the engine, but you have to drop the transmission. The flex plate needs to be removed to get access to the bolt that holds the bottom of the rear cassette in place.
Ford doesn't make anything normal or easy on their engines. I certainly doesn't sound like it something you'd want to get wrong and a lot of variables for a DIY attempt with the work involved.
They use to but you have to go back decades. Ford 289 Chevy 350 Mopar 318 small and big blocks. Price of cake in the 60s 70s when I was doing auto repairs. Loved cars then but now not so much
They use to but you have to go back decades. Ford 289 Chevy 350 Mopar 318 small and big blocks. Price of cake in the 60s 70s when I was doing auto repairs. Loved cars then but now not so much
New cars can have the engines repaired replaced by someone in their driveway, people complain cause it's not like the old days where the only thing you had to disconnect was the fuel line.
