Looks like my timing chain broke.

[russ12]

My independent shop tells me it appears the front timing chain broke on our 1998 explorer Eddie Bauer with the 4.0 engine, the one with front and rear timing chains.
We parked the car one evening. The next morning, it would not start, just made electric starter noises.
Anyone have any idea if it can or should be fixed? Junk the car, put a good used engine in or a rebuilt engine seems to be my only choices.

 

[kryhavoc]

First off.... Sorry. I have a 98 4.0 SOHC that i still enjoy and i am waiting the same fate to befall mine.

Now, depending on which chain broke and when is a roll of the dice on the engines condition. How is the rest of the vehicle? pristine? lots of love for this and do you WANT to spend money fixing it or really want to get something else. If this vehicle were a child it is old enough to vote and get married.... just a thought on how much to spend on it versus payments on something new(er).

You can have the shop pull the timing cover and drivers side valve cover to see if/which of the front chains is broken... if they find a broken chain it might be able to be repaired in the vehicle without removing the engine. With that said the rear chain is just as liable to fail in the near future or last another 50k miles. decide if the investment and resulting gamble is worth it to you personally.

A quick replacement of the front chains and a compression test will tell you if any valves were damaged/bent. However given the fact that you said the vehicle was parked and then refused to crank leads me to think that the valves might be ok... might. If so you can save the engine with a smaller investment. If the compression test comes back as bad.... well you tried to save it but the investment in the new chains would be lost.

 

[russ12]

First off.... Sorry. I have a 98 4.0 SOHC that i still enjoy and i am waiting the same fate to befall mine.

Now, depending on which chain broke and when is a roll of the dice on the engines condition. How is the rest of the vehicle? pristine? lots of love for this and do you WANT to spend money fixing it or really want to get something else. If this vehicle were a child it is old enough to vote and get married.... just a thought on how much to spend on it versus payments on something new(er).

You can have the shop pull the timing cover and drivers side valve cover to see if/which of the front chains is broken... if they find a broken chain it might be able to be repaired in the vehicle without removing the engine. With that said the rear chain is just as liable to fail in the near future or last another 50k miles. decide if the investment and resulting gamble is worth it to you personally.

A quick replacement of the front chains and a compression test will tell you if any valves were damaged/bent. However given the fact that you said the vehicle was parked and then refused to crank leads me to think that the valves might be ok... might. If so you can save the engine with a smaller investment. If the compression test comes back as bad.... well you tried to save it but the investment in the new chains would be lost.

Thanks. When I said, it would not start. I think it was cranking it just would not start I smelled gas but no noise except a whirring sound. I should have mentioned I replaced both front and rear chains and guides about 25,000 miles ago. Rear chain etc may be ok. So I may have the shop try what you stated, I really do not want to buy another vehicle just yet.

 

[kryhavoc]

If the main chain broke as opposed to the individual CAM chains that would be an in vehicle fix and thusly cheaper, assuming no valves were damaged when the break/slip occurred. Removing just the timing cover will get you a much better idea as to cause and you wouldn't need to incur the cost of removing the intake at the shop. I would consider a shop charge of two hours labor to figure it out an investment worth spending if i liked the truck well enough. You could also borescope the piston tops looking for strike marks cheaply as well. I bought a 89$ scope at Harbor Freight and pulled the plugs on my engine to see myself... i am however a bit of a nut for working on my vehicles as much as i do.

 

[koda2000]

Not worth fixing IMO. Repairs are going to be more than the truck is worth no matter which you option chose. A "good used engine" would be the least expensive option, but there's really no such thing as a good used SOHC 4.0L V6 without replacing all the timing chain components. With the parts you should change, labor and then engine cost, removal and re-installation It's gonna cost too much money. Then there's the less than stellar transmission to worry about.

 

[russ12]

Not worth fixing IMO. Repairs are going to be more than the truck is worth no matter which you option chose. A "good used engine" would be the least expensive option, but there's really no such thing as a good used SOHC 4.0L V6 without replacing all the timing chain components. With the parts you should change, labor and then engine cost, removal and re-installation It's gonna cost too much money. Then there's the less than stellar transmission to worry about.

My thought about a used engine. there is no good SOHC 4.0.

 

[J_C]

Thanks. When I said, it would not start. I think it was cranking it just would not start I smelled gas but no noise except a whirring sound. I should have mentioned I replaced both front and rear chains and guides about 25,000 miles ago. Rear chain etc may be ok. So I may have the shop try what you stated, I really do not want to buy another vehicle just yet.

"No noise except whirring sound" would lead me to suspect it's not chains, just a bad starter. Did the shop actually look at it or only diagnose over the phone? The engine turning over should make more than a whirring sound, though I suppose the definition of whirring could differ from one person to another.

 

[russ12]

"No noise except whirring sound" would lead me to suspect it's not chains, just a bad starter. Did the shop actually look at it or only diagnose over the phone? The engine turning over should make more than a whirring sound, though I suppose the definition of whirring could differ from one person to another.

Thank you. I agree. However, they just told me no compression on either side and when the starter turns over the fan rotates. I will check with the shop on Monday morning. BTW, this is a shop I have used for years.

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Sounds like you have the ultimate grenade, the only reason I'm gambling on a SOHC is I have the equipment to do most anything related to swapping an engine, and a friend with engines I trade with, so for me, it's only the engine that costs, but since you have your Ex in a shop, I'd evaluate it carefully, and if you're intent on an Ex, it never hurts to check around for a 302 car.

 

[russ12]

Sounds like you have the ultimate grenade, the only reason I'm gambling on a SOHC is I have the equipment to do most anything related to swapping an engine, and a friend with engines I trade with, so for me, it's only the engine that costs, but since you have your Ex in a shop, I'd evaluate it carefully, and if you're intent on an Ex, it never hurts to check around for a 302 car.

Thanks, If the engine is done, I suspect we will sell or donate it. New vehicle time.