Ford Extends Warranty on Timing Chain Guide

[Rick]

Ford to extend recall on 4.0L engine
Published: 18 April 2001
Posted by: Robert Lane
Courtesy, Blueovalnews.com

Ford Motor Company will extend the engine warranty on all 1997 and 1998 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer vehicles built with a 4.0L SOHC engine for the front cam chain guide assembly.

The additional coverage program will be in effect for 7 years from vehicle warranty start date or 100,000 miles, whichever occurs first.



The program will now include all 1997 and 1998 model year Explorer and Mountaineer vehicles with 4.0L Single Overhead Cam (SOHC) engines built at the Louisville Assembly Plant from July 29, 1996 through October 20, 1998 and at the St. Louis Assembly Plant from May 29, 1996 through September 18, 1998.

On some of the affected vehicles, the front cam chain guide assembly may wear or break and cause excessive cam chain noise that does not go away after five minutes of engine operation.

Dealers are instructed to install a new cam chain guide assembly if the original is found to be worn or broken. If it has broken and fragments have entered the engine oil pan, dealers are authorized to clean the block of all debris, replace the engine oil pick-up and filter assembly, and install new oil and filter.

 

[Stephen]

Good deal, thanks Rick for bringing it up.

 

[briantf]

No noise, they did it anyway

I suspect the dealers are making beaucoup $$$ on this - my dealer did the OBD thing, the intake thing and the cam tensioner thing all at once. Considering the intake thing gets you half-way to the tensinoer thing, that's a big economy.

No noise, EVER, no issues with the engine, EVER - but they replaced them anyway.

Hmmm.

Regards,
Brian in CA

 

[Magicfan25]

Thats because chances are it WILL act up eventually. By what I was told, if you come in for one of the three (sticking throttle body, tensioners or intake gaskets) they are supposed to do all three. They replaced my tensioners, which got rid of that god awful noise at startup, but if ya pop the hood (which my gas tubes are failing on, nearly lost some fingers) you can still hear the chain running across the guides, freakin bikes dont make that much chain noise. So far this fix is a bad joke, just like my Exploder. And to think, they thought they could save a few bucks using this tensioner system over a hydraulic one, once again cost cutting bites them in the rear big time. its time Nasser got knifed himself before he ruins Ford.

 

[soupbone]

97 to 98 only? I got a card in the mail for my 2000. It does make that noise on startup that you describe. im taking it in today. :-/

Ok I have no truck till tomorrow. Oh and the dealer quotes $700 for 30k service on a 4wd vehicle!! $700!! Is that normal or what?

 

[soupbone]

Well they fixed it all and it no longer has that weird racket sound anymore. Very pleased with how fast they did it but I think ill go else where for 30k service.

 

[Stephen]

Just had mine done along with the 90K service. That check was NOT cheap, cost about $500. Better deals can definately be found elsewhere...