Help! Changed valve cover gaskets and tensioner, now it won't start, spewing coolant

[Ck111484]

Hi,

So I recently picked up an '02 exporer with a timing chain tensioner tick on the driver's side and leaky valve covers for relatively cheap. It's a little rough here and there, but nothing major, and seemed easy enough to fix and clean up.

So over the past few days I finally tackled the timing chain tensioner and pulled both the valve covers, put new gaskets on everything and Ultra Black on the valve covers, and then I realized, I hadn't really been paying attention to what I had been doing and pretty much no idea how to put everything back together.

So I did my best, tried firing it up, and it starts, sounding like its running poorly, and then stalls immediately. If I give it some gas it smooths out, but I didn't want to do that for long so I shut it down and there is coolant just pouring down my air filter box. I pulled the filter and there's literally like 2 cups of coolant in there, and it's draining out the whole in the bottom.
I looked inside the intake tube and I swear the coolant is coming from the intake manifold, if that's even possible.

So I'm guessing (hoping) I screwed up putting everything back together, and maybe switched some hoses around.
Would anyone happen to have a diagram of how the hoses go back together, or anything else that can help me out? Suggestions, ideas?
I'm totally lost, not familiar with this engine at all.

Any help is appreciated,
Thanks.

P.S. on the positive side, I didn't see any fuel or oil leaks anywhere; in fact the whole top of the engine seemed bone dry.

 

[2000StreetRod]

which engine?

V6 or V8?

 

[Ck111484]

Sorry, 4.0l V6.

I have the feeling I routed a coolant line into the intake tube.

 

[2000StreetRod]

follow the heater hoses

I suggest that you follow the supply and return heater hoses. Start at the firewall and follow them forward. One should go to the vacuum actuated heater water control valve.

Also, follow the heater hose from the water pump outlet (1 in photo) to the firewall.

By the way, there's a possibility a defective heater water control valve can leak coolant into the vacuum hose that's attached to it.

It's always a good idea to take photos when disassembling something you have a shop manual for.

 

[Ck111484]

Unfortunately I don't know the terminology exactly, but basically I connected the hose coming from the intake tube to a coolant line, LOL. Dumb. Swapped them, and also found another hose I forgot to connect (on the top right rear of the intake manifold).

When I go to fire it up, it starts, but idles very rough at very low RPM's, then the idle begins to hunt. Up and down a few times for maybe a minute or so, the low getting lower each time, then eventually stalls out. If I give it some throttle during this it seems to run fairly smooth.
It actually runs considerably better with the MAF disconnected, even though I put a brand new one on. I also replaced the spark plugs.

The original reason I took it all apart was to replace the driver's side tensioner - before that it was running, just VERY loud clanking and a bit rough.

So now, troubleshooting time... any suggestions?
I didn't know to reset the ECU after installing the new MAF, so that will be the first thing I do when I get home today... then I suppose I'll go on to test the TPS and PCM.
Though since it ran before I took it all apart, it might just be a leak somewhere on the intake manifold... I think I'm going to have to take it all apart anyway because I noticed that I cracked the passenger side rear lower valve cover where the bolt goes Would like to ensure that I can get it running properly first though.

Any input is appreciated!

 

[Turdle]

I wonder if some of the coolant gummed up the IAC valve. You might check it out, clean it out.