help needed please

[ade999]

hi
i have a 98 explorer which seems to be developing some probs, this tme last year i replaced my engine because of a serious issue which seems to have started with a small crack in the rocker cover (the one on the right as you look at the engine)
well bugger me, because on friday this new engine blew a hole in the rocker cover in roughly the same spot as the last one did, but the engine still runs ok, indicating that nothing from inside the engine caused this.

does anyone know of any faults common to explorers that may be causing this?

many thanks
ade

 

[Dre]

That is really interesting. I have never seen a valve cover punctured. If it's on the right side of the engine, well, actually on the left than there is nothing there to cause such a thing. Could that be from inside? rocker? but there should be plenty of clearance... this is weird. I have not heard of any issues like this...
BTW - welcome to the board!

 

[ade999]

HI,
thanks for the welcome, you say about the clearance, well if i look into the hole i can see what i assume is a cam chain, and the clearance is only about 10mm, but that chain is still intact .
i'll email you a pic in a while
ade

 

[Dre]

Show me the picture... cam chain? - under the valve cover?

 

[ade999]

lol, cam chain? value cover? i'm a total engine numpty, could be a doughnut, i would not know.
some one has just suggested it could be as simply as something picked up off the road and thrown around the engine, what do you think?
pics soon, no batteries in camera and no explorer to pop to the shops to fetch more, i'll get some tomorrow

ade

 

[rookieshooter]

Is it an entrance wound or an exit wound?

 

[Dre]

If something broke under that cover you would defnatelly notice that there is something wrong with the engine. Something else? hard to say - and that's why I'm puzzled by this. Pics would help.

 

[ade999]

its a job to see if its exit or entry. we have just covered the whole with temp patch and it runs perfect, no sign or sound of any other probs.
i notice now most explorers have the alloy cover where as mine is cast, many be they have been changed for a reason!!!!!