Oil starved and metal shavings

[Stick4503]

Ok so this explorer has been Satin spawn for me. Transmission, timing and many others.

Well now I have had a failure of sorts with the oil filter O ring gasket and lost all of my oil while driving. Working on getting everything to pull the engine. 4.0 sohc. Meanwhile I have found metal shavings in the oil pan and oil pick up screen. Top end shows no signs of metal shavings, I know it has been exposed to fine metals, but no big pieces like in the oil pan. As you may know you can't see the crank and rod end with the cradle so it has to come out.

Top end left side cam looks good and firmly in place. Right side has no movement up or down, side to side but I have play end to end. I can make it move by hand. Rough measurements with no true accuracy is 0.02 inches. I think I should be somewhere around 0.0003 to 0.007 inches. So it appears that I have at least one big problem before I even see the crank.

Question? Can this head be salvaged or am I looking at a replacement head? I do not think at this point I have any valve damage, going only by sound and run ability. No positive test done yet.

The heads look normal, no discoloration, no shavings.

I have not found a quality replacement engine near me yet. Wanted to do a half a@@ed rebuild maybe. Headgasket, crank and bearings. My engine is clean, no sludge, chains and guides in great shape, no slap or rattle even at cold start.

 

[Stick4503]

 

[Stick4503]

Going to hit up the pawn shops today for a hoist. Need to get back on my wheels.:roll:

 

[Number4]

I got a 2 ton hoist from Harbor freight, for $139 or something. I joined their inside track club and got coupon for joining +20% off for the day.

Metal could be the rod bearings. Though I don't know if chunks that big could come out.

 

[Stick4503]

Just checked Harbor Freight. Looks like 159 plus tax for a 2 ton. I'm thinking rod bearing with a side of cam bearing cap.

 

[2000StreetRod]

no cam bearing inserts

Unfortunately, apparently Ford decided that since the camshafts only rotate half as fast as the crankshaft there was no need for camshaft bearing inserts. The head and camshaft caps are bored to match the camshaft. So if the camshaft, head or cap results in excess clearance the head must be replaced.

If you don't have a special valve spring compressor to remove the camshaft followers try to keep the camshaft axis parallel to the line bore in the head if you remove the caps to inspect. It is even more important when installing the caps. They easily bind and break.

 

[Stick4503]

So im looking for a new head. Will pull the engine on Monday and see how much I am looking for else. I wish someone made a SUV as nice looking as the Explorer. Just can't get into the others.

 

[Michowski]

id stay away from the harbor freight crap. My neighbor bought a lift a few weeks ago and it is already broke. Never worked right from the start. The pump on it would only pump the arm half way up with a block on it and then stall out. I have just seen nothing worth the money from them. Few bucks more you can buy a lift with a brand name on it and know you are getting something that will work out of the box.

 

[LMHmedchem]

id stay away from the harbor freight crap.

Harbor Freight has an interesting business model. Most of their stuff is designed for contractors who need a tool that they don't have for a job they are working on. They can buy a tool there very cheep and they usually work reasonably well but just don't last very long. They are almost single use tools.

I buy sockets there if I suddenly need one that I don't have and will probably never use again, etc. The store makes some sense for homeowners for all the same reasons. I would never buy anything there that I planned to use over and over again or anything where failure could cause major issues. I guess I wouldn't buy a hoist there unless I had a specific recommendation about a particular product number that someone else had found to be safe. Some stuff from Sears these days isn't much better, so you never know.

I tend to buy higher quality tools on the premise that I am spending part of the money I am saving by doing the job myself. With any produce these days, there is some chance that what you get won't work, so save those receipts and keep taking it back until you get one that does.

LMHmedchem

 

[Number4]

I bought the HF 2 ton hoist and it's worked great. Used it Aug 2014 and again last month, no issues.
Also had my '94 4.0 OHV hooked up to their 3/4 ton engine stand for over a year. I wouldn't buy any of their rotating electrical items for everyday use, go Dewalt there.