Noise worse after New Tensioner ?????

[Boonie2]

To start I have an 03 Sport Trac 4.0 , I was getting the startup rattle that would go away when the oil pressure built up right after starting , no other noises after startup .
I decided today to go ahead and replace the upper front tentioner , removed everything , replaced the tentioner , put it all back together,pretty simple to replace these, started it up and there's a crazy loud noise now , can't get the video i took with sound to upload here for some reason ...
I did not get the part from a Ford dealer but rather from a local auto parts store here , how common is it for these to be bad "out of the box" ??
ANY insight as to what could be going on would be greatly appriciated

 

[koda2000]

Aftermarket tensioners have been reported to stick in the fully extended or fully compressed position. I just replaced mine with a Ford tensioner and installed the oil drain reducer tube (in my late production '01 ST), I also switched to Mobil 1 Full Synthetic 0w30 oil for the winter. The noise at startup is still there, but is now better than it was. The only way to eliminate the noise completely is by installing a pre-oiling system, which I plan to do soon.

Link to the most recent discussion on the subject of pre-oiling below:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=429004

I plan to do a setup similar to david4451's. 2000streetrod's setup is impressive but pricey.

 

[Boonie2]

Thanks , i'm going to take it back apart tomorrow and order the 2 tensioners from the ford dealer like I should have done in the first place ...
The noise is just so distinct now , where it was just startup rattle before the replacment ,I don't know if i should let it run and see if it fades and gets better or just try Ford Tensioners...

 

[Boonie2]

Bump , Any Ideas ?

 

[Boonie2]

Removed the "Defective New Tensioner" reinstalled the "Old" tensioner and like magic , there is ZERO noise.....
So much for Preventive Maint. word to the wise , "if its NOT broke DONT fix it"
Especially using these aftermarket crap auto parts stores
Thank to the 125 people that viewed this and had nothing to say :thumbdwn:

 

[amberanger]

Removed the "Defective New Tensioner" reinstalled the "Old" tensioner and like magic , there is ZERO noise.....
So much for Preventive Maint. word to the wise , "if its NOT broke DONT fix it"
Especially using these aftermarket crap auto parts stores
Thank to the 125 people that viewed this and had nothing to say :thumbdwn:

Thanks for being a teacher, couldn't live with out you guys. As far as having nothing to say previously, didn't have anything that would add to the solution.
Was as mystified as you were, sure you didn't need that.
Grateful you you supplied the fix, took away the sting of being called dump***s.

 

[crankyjew]

I replaced my rear tensioner and was dismayed with the result- no change, good or bad. what was your experience with the tensioners from Ford?

 

[david4451]

It's my humble opinion that no matter how good the hydraulic tensioners you fit as replcement are, the chain rattle will not repeat not go away.

Ford call these hydraulic tensioners, but they drain of oil when the engine is not running, so for startup they are spring loaded tensioners. The springs are not strong enough to stop chain lash(the rattle) for 3 to 5 seconds at start up. After which time they become hydraulic tensioners.

The result of continued chain lash at start up is broken timing cassette plastic parts going to other places in the engine, causing blocked oil ways, lost timing, bent valves etc etc.

I've read everything I could find about this rattle, again it's my humble opinion that it is the hydraulic tensioners that are the design fault , not the casette. Ford got round this by strengthening the casette tensioners, to makeup for the inadequate hydraulic tensioners.

In other posts I've read people have replaced the casettes, only to find they are back to square one after a few thousand miles. Some of this is down to poor quality products, my guess is it's more down to hydraulic tensioners.

The chain lash that occurs at startup is a very powerful force, combined with the "flare" making things worse, ends up with broken casettes and Ford put a spring to counter this!!!!!! ???????.

My answer is pre lube, it works because the hydraulic tensioners ARE hydraulic tensioners at start up. See the thread koda2000 posted above for details.

 

[Boonie2]

Absolutely agree with you david , ive read so much about these things my head hurts ! Its HIT or MISS when you want to replace JUST the tensioners and not get into the cassettes ..
In My case the tensioner i put in was either stuck all the way in or all the way out , one of the 2 , rattled around and sounded like a diesel motor , even after soaking it overnight in oil .. put the old tensioner back in and no noise , guess ill just live with the slight rattle now and then at startup and drive it until it lets go ,
im sure i wont tear it down when it does go , ive already decided to put a crate motor in when that happens ... LOVE THIS TRUCK
HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL !
CRANKY , I didn't even bother with trying Ford Tensioners , i've heard they're weaker than the originals sometimes ...