noise on acceleration | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

noise on acceleration

sidny4

New Member
Joined
November 20, 2008
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
City, State
Fargo, ND
Year, Model & Trim Level
'02 XLT
I have a 2002 Explorer XLT with 102000 miles on it. I bought it in March of 2007 and since then on acceleration I have heard a rattling noise, almost like a bunch of washers being shaken. Does anyone know what would be causing this and if it is a major problem or not?
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





What engine? It sounds like it may be the dreaded timing chain rattle. There is a TSB on this issue which goes very in depth. As to whether or not it's a major issue or not, yes I would consider it a major issue. It may be fine now, it may be fine for a while but if the timing chain skips or breaks there will be major problems.
 






Pinging

Are you sure it's not just pinging?...You could try cleaning the EGR valve and see if it helps.
 






i had the same thing on my 02 mounty with 104k and it was a rod knocking:thumbdwn: had to swap engines. still havent gotten mine back yet.
 






i have a similiar noise coming from the engine compartment/transmission and it only happens when the gas pedal is floored up a hill on the highway. i'll be going 65mph and as soon as i hit the hill, here comes the rattle and an extreme loss of power. by the time i'm to the rop of some hills, i'm lucky if i'm going 45mph. this happens if the vehicle is warm or cold. would that be a different issue? i have a 94 4x4 4.0 and i've recently replaced fuel pump, fuel filter, spark plugs, and wires.
 






The timing chain rattle (the tensioner goes bad) affects SOHC motors. It sounds a whole lot like ping, but its only audible between 2K-3K rpm's, most noticible at 2.5K. It does not affect engine power.

It will only get worse, you will eventually have to get it fixed, and the new part is updated so the same issue won't happen again. So there is no reason to wait (unless you think you won't keep the truck). Until it gets loud you can probably get away with just driving it, but as someone else sais, if it jumps a tooth, buh-bye motor, so you are risking a lot.

If you do have your SOHC timing chain tensioner replaced, I want your old one (even if its in pieces), long story.
 






That's not what it is I had the tensioner changed and still made the noise it's in the lower en of the engine
 






It is a 4.0L SOHC. Is this something I can do myself or will it have to be brought to a mechanic? Does anyone have an estimated cost for repair? It does it when the engine is warm too, do you still think it's the chain tensioner?
 






it's not the tensioner!!!!!!!! I had that replaced and it still made the noise you need an engine swap
 






Chill, just because YOU had a noise which wasn't the tensioner doesn't mean no one else can have a noise that IS the tensioner.

Lots of people on this board, including myself, had a noise which sounded a whole lot like ping, and it was the jackshaft tensioner. There is a Ford TSB on it, so they also assert that such a noise often IS the tensioner. Bottom end noise (like an engine bearing) is usually a tapping or rapping sound, different noise than timing chain.

The job is not trivial, only because the timing setup on the SOHC is not keyed in any way. Once you loosen stuff up, the cams move with relation to the gears, and the valve timing is way off. There is a special tool used to lock the timing system in place so you can replace the timing chain(s). Tool is about $200 IIRC. Job would be about $600-$1200 for a local shop, more for dealer. More if they have to replace some of the other timing components.

There are 3 basic timing chains, jackshaft chain, front (drivers side) cam chain, and rear (pass side) cam chain. The jackshaft is a 'dummy' shaft that resides in the traditional OHC cam location. It is driven by chain off the crank. It in turn drives the 2 overhead cams (via chains). If you have 4x4 you also have a balance shaft, driven by another chain off crank.

The jackshaft chain uses an internal tensioner that uses flat metal springs that push a plastic guide against chain to provide tension. the plastic fails, springs fall out, tension gone, rattle (and springs and plastic can clog oil intake, resulting in blown bottom end, which may have been that other guys issue, tensioner WAS bad, but its carnage took out motor). The TSB is to replace the jackshaft chain and tensioner and guide (the guide is a solid piece of plastic on the other side of chain).

The balance shaft chain uses a similar sort of tensioner as the jackshaft. The 2 cam chains use an external tensioner. Looks like a large black bolt. Front one also as a 'reservoir' so it looks a little diff, well, the one does anyway, the original was same as rear). These 2 tensioners contain an internal coil spring, and they press against an internal plastic guide that rubs chain to provide tension.

In addition to the jackshaft tensioner issue (which affects all SOHC up through '02), there were also issues with the tensioner and guide of the cam shafts up through '01. There is a TSB that replaces the front tensioner with 'reservoir' version, plus adds this little plastic 'anti drainback' thingy.

If you wanted to DIY the jackshaft tensioner noise, you could replace just the tensioner (and perhaps the guide on the other side), and leave the chain and gears alone. That way you don't need any special tools, little to no chance of messing up the valve timing. Some may balk, but the jackshaft chain has just as many miles on it as the 2 cam chains, and hardly anybody ever changes both of those (the front sometimes yes, but rarely the rear). So what reason is there to think changing the jackshaft chain & gears, but not all the valve train chains & gears, really buys you anything?

A case can be made you already have it all apart, why not change all the parts, but if touching those parts requires special tools, and exponentially increases the risk of messing the job up (to the point it scares off many would be DIY'ers), I say it makes sense to do just the tensioner.

One last piece of advice. Regardless if you have a pro do it, or DIY, or even decide to put it off, do yourself a HUGE favor and drop the lower oil pan and clean out any broken tensioner parts, paying special attention to the oil intake screen. If the tensioner has failed, you don’t want its remnants blocking your oil and destroying your engine. Its easy to drop the lower pan, its like 12 10mm bolts, do it on your next oil change. Pan gasket is reusable.

Lastly, if you do change (or have pro change) your jackshaft tensioner, I want your old one, even if its in pieces (long story, PM me if u want the details).
 






The timing chain rattle (the tensioner goes bad) affects SOHC motors. It sounds a whole lot like ping, but its only audible between 2K-3K rpm's, most noticible at 2.5K. It does not affect engine power.

It will only get worse, you will eventually have to get it fixed, and the new part is updated so the same issue won't happen again. So there is no reason to wait (unless you think you won't keep the truck). Until it gets loud you can probably get away with just driving it, but as someone else sais, if it jumps a tooth, buh-bye motor, so you are risking a lot.

If you do have your SOHC timing chain tensioner replaced, I want your old one (even if its in pieces), long story.

I have a 2005 XLT Explorer. I read the TSB on the 2002. I could not find it for the 2005. Do you know if it still applies to the 2005 4.0 flex engine or does it have the already updated parts? The reason I ask is because I have what sounds like a belt sqealing or a bearing in something up front. I only here it when I accelerate.
 






My Explorer has the worst sounding engine upon heavy acceleration, this thing whines, whistles, buzzes, its a disaster

4.0L v6 2005
 






maybe its the serpentine belt tensioner? How many miles (both you 2005 guys)
 






maybe its the serpentine belt tensioner? How many miles (both you 2005 guys)

I'm hoping that's it or maybe the idler. I have 98000 miles. I plan to loosen the belt tonight and spin by hand hoping to hear a noise like I hear when it's running. It does sound more like a belt squeal.
 






How?

Since you brought it up, how do you do just the tensioner? I've got the 4.0L SOHC and I'm pretty sure mine is making the death rattle, got some rattling anyways from my exhaust since that was a DIY job, there's one very very small leak. But I'm pretty sure that I hear the rattle as I accelerate at times, probably around the 2-3k mark. And I've kind of been playing it off as an exhaust leak or something else making that noise, but it sure sounds like a chain dragging. And as far as I can tell it's only the rear one, the front is still quiet, may have already had the TSB, but the kid I bought it from is so stupid he'd never know what was done to it. Wish there was a way to pull that kind of info up. The only info I got with it was the safety and emissions checks from Chicago. All the other information I would never be able to find out. I was able to determine that the sound is coming from the lower rear area of the engine, at least that's what I think anyways. Didn't really sound like it was the exhaust unless it's further up, closer to the cats. It has stalled twice when I've left it running to warm up. But ever since it stayed running. I almost thought maybe it was just a clogged cat, but no rotten egg smell.

Not really looking forward to this one, kinda pisses me off since it's really Ford's fault for using a crap part, obviously they have better ones since that's what they're using now. I can't believe they didn't forsee this being a major problem. Just really wish I still had a warranty I can't really afford to take it in for that, but if it's going to require hoisting the engine out I don't have time or a place for that.
 






Since you brought it up, how do you do just the tensioner? I've got the 4.0L SOHC and I'm pretty sure mine is making the death rattle, got some rattling anyways from my exhaust since that was a DIY job, there's one very very small leak. But I'm pretty sure that I hear the rattle as I accelerate at times, probably around the 2-3k mark. And I've kind of been playing it off as an exhaust leak or something else making that noise, but it sure sounds like a chain dragging. And as far as I can tell it's only the rear one, the front is still quiet, may have already had the TSB, but the kid I bought it from is so stupid he'd never know what was done to it. Wish there was a way to pull that kind of info up. The only info I got with it was the safety and emissions checks from Chicago. All the other information I would never be able to find out. I was able to determine that the sound is coming from the lower rear area of the engine, at least that's what I think anyways. Didn't really sound like it was the exhaust unless it's further up, closer to the cats. It has stalled twice when I've left it running to warm up. But ever since it stayed running. I almost thought maybe it was just a clogged cat, but no rotten egg smell.

Not really looking forward to this one, kinda pisses me off since it's really Ford's fault for using a crap part, obviously they have better ones since that's what they're using now. I can't believe they didn't forsee this being a major problem. Just really wish I still had a warranty I can't really afford to take it in for that, but if it's going to require hoisting the engine out I don't have time or a place for that.

In the post above he was referring to the belt tensioner which just keeps the serpentine belt tight and is a one bolt deal. I think you are referring to the timing chain tensioner which is from what I read a major ordeal.
 






Russ mentioned something about doing it without the chain so that you don't have to worry about screwing up the timing. It's not that I haven't done stuff like this before, but at that time it was a lot more convenient, I was still living with my parents and was on unemployment so I had the time to pull the engine tear it down and put it back together and slap it back in, never did run after that, but I think it was a stuck valve, even though I got rid of it I wish I would have done it differently.

I've never worked on an OHC engine, just an old school pushrod 305 Chevy. That wasn't too bad. I dunno, don't really have $200 to shell out for a tool either.
 






maybe its the serpentine belt tensioner? How many miles (both you 2005 guys)

Just a follow up. Russ in CT was dead on. Slipped the belt off and spun the idler. Quiet as a mouse. Touched the tensioner pulley and it would slide side to side. Spun it and you could hear the bearing rattle. $36.00 bucks for a tensioner assembly and all is quiet again.
Thanks for the help..
 






Russ,

I have had the cam chain noise on my 2000 SOHC Explorer now for several years. I first noticed it at about 65,000 miles. It is now at 173,000 miles. Just to let you know it doesn't necessarily mean disaster. However, I plan on driving it on a 3000 mile trip in February, so I think it is time to drop the pan and pull the front cover, and see what's going on. One reason I hate to is because there are no engine fluid leaks, no other engine noises, and I never get under 20 mpg on the console trip minder. Other than this issue the engine and driveline have been trouble free. My Wife still loves the vehicle.

But after reading this forum thread and your advice above, including maybe not replacing the chains, I think I'll give it a shot, and send you my old jack shaft tensioner.
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Cool, thanks!!!

The short version of long story is a had a '99 Ex SOHC, with death rattle @ 2-3K rpm's. Always thought it was ping. Learned from this forum about TSB, realized that is what it was. Had local, trusted shop change jackshaft tensioner, 2 days later I got some serious rod knock. Take it back to shop, they take 3 weeks to look at it. They drop pan, find plastic & metal pieces which had clogged oil intake, rods shot. They claimed oil pan stuff was from rear tensioner/guide, so not their fault (they didn't touch that), just coincidence. They basically told me to take a hike, and not very nicely.

Later I figured out pieces came from jackshaft tensioner. They told me when I originally came to pick it up that old part was falling apart, just hanging there, but they got all the pieces so nothing went into pan. SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR OLD PARTS, ALWAYS ASK. Turns out they didn't get all the pieces, and some did fall into pan. They did not bother to compare old part with new, to see that it wasn't all there. And now I've got so much research time into this I'm Ford SOHC vavletrain expert.

I plan to take them to small claims court, but I need an example of the jackshaft tensioner. Shop is gonna say parts are from rear tensioner/guide, so I want a show 'n tell to prove what they are. Went as far as buying a new one, but they changed the design a little, and I'm afraid a non-car savvy judge won't rule in my favor if oil pan parts don't look EXACTLY like example part.

That is why I need an original (pre-improvement) part, with all the pieces (even if busted up).

This is (apparently) an easy job to screw up, and even a trusted shop can screw it up. If you just change the tensioner and guide, and check the pan before you're done, there is almost no risk. If I had it to do over again, thats what I'd do. Virtually eliminates screw-up risk, doesn't add much risk to keep the old chain and gears (since all the rest of the valvetrain chains and gears are still old). Saves a lot of repair costs, no special tools needed. Changes it from 'do I really want to do it myself' vs 'can I afford to pay the shop to do it', into 'not a big deal to do myself, and pretty cheap'.
 






Back
Top