I got a bit of an engine problem.

[DesertLight]

I have a 1998 Ford explorer XLT, SOHC 4.0; and in the last day new sounds has emerged from my engine compartment. The first is a rattle/ticking sound from the actual engine itself and after a few minutes its accompanied with a low pitch hum from the back of the engine compartment. I'm a college student to pretty much I do everything myself unless its serious work. Any and all advice is help guy thanks.

 

[DjDom]

I don't own a SOHC Explorer, but it sounds like you have the very common timing chain issue.

Just look it up. All SOHC's experience it eventually..