Possible bent rod?

[ghost30]

Hey all, first off I apologize if this has been covered before, but I really didn't feel like doing a search at this time for the answer.

My wife found me, late last year, a '95 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer edition (no idea how many miles), as an emergency truck after my car bit the dust. I knew when I bought it that it had a lot of problems, but I figured a truck with problems is better than a junked car. I knew when I bought it that there was transmission problems, namely that 2nd gear is gone. Whatever, so I'll just compensate for it.

With the warmer weather approaching however, I found that there is a noticeable, pronounced ticking from the engine, it sounds like a damn diesel! Not that there's anything wrong with diesels, in fact my previous truck was a diesel; but a gas engine just should not sound like a diesel!

I brought it in to my mechanic who told me it was nothing to worry about, that it was the truck just showing its age, but I just found out today from my sister in law that there's actually a history on the truck. The people I bought it from, purchased it from another party who knew there was a problem with an engine rod? I don't know if it would be a piston rod, or what exactly it would be; I know just enough about engines to get in trouble with them lol.

Like I said, this truck has a very pronounced tick to the engine that increases depending on how fast the vehicle is going. There's a small shake to the vehicle that reminds one slightly of a diesel truck. I've changed the oil once already, so that should help, but I want to know, is this actually a death-knell for this vehicle? What would I be looking at to determine if it actually is a bent rod? Would a bent rod prevent the truck from being driven at all?

I also notice that (and this may be transmission-related, or it may be engine-related) sometimes the engine will suddenly rev up way past the comfort level of 3K RPM, a few days ago I was trying cruise and suddenly it rocketed back up to almost 5K RPM and was just screaming. I got it to crank back down, but haven't used the cruise since.

I've replaced the transmission speed sensor, and was considering saving the money to replace the transmission. However, if this is a bent rod, is it even worth saving?

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

 

[JCat]

What size engine do you have ?

 

[Juggernaut31]

if it's the 4.0, i'm betting timing chain/cassette.

 

[Turdle]

The only engine available in 1995 was the 4.0 OHV.

My bet is on the "pushrods" --it is common converstaion on the forum.

Mushroomed pushrods have become shorter and will rattle in the increased space.

The normal repair for this, if I recall correctly is replacement of the rocker arms and pushrods, provided the lifters are all in good condition.

 

[ghost30]

Thanks for the replies guys. As far as what kind of engine it is, I haven't been able to determine either that OR the series of transmission it has; to what I've read, the '95 EB at least came with I think three or four different ones. Can you enlighten me as far as what the 4.0 OHV means?

As far as the lifters being in good shape, I think they are, although TBH I thought for a while, due to the ticking (and having driven diesels in the past) that it was the rocker arms sticking. I drove a Chevy Malibu that had sticking lifters, it kept constantly clicking just like that and the mechanic for that told my boss that it was nothing to worry about... go figure, the clown that drove it after me ran it literally bone-dry on coolant, and cracked the heads! I put in Justice Brothers to possibly help with them sticking, but it didn't really do anything.

Is replacing the pushrods something that a backyard mechanic, with the average selection of tools, would be capable of doing in an afternoon? I really don't have the money to be bringing it in to the shop, and I can borrow some select tools if need be. Also, would it require me to replace the lifter arms at the same time? Logic would tell me yes, but that's why y'all are the gurus and I'm asking for advice/help.

NOTE: I just got off the phone with my local CarQuest (say what you will, they've been good to me) and it sounds like to replace all of my pushrods, lifters, and rockers, it'd run me about a thousand bucks. Ouch. However, if I were able to run a compression test on it, that would at least narrow things down to being about $150 apiece. Still hurts the wallet, but at least it would be less expensive.

I don't know how in the hell I would do a compression test though; after all, that requires me removing spark plugs and that's a real b*tch. I've already replaced the spark plugs on the passenger side, after removing that tire to get through the mud guard, but the ones on the driver side are proving really difficult.

There's a line of some sort, metal, that runs almost directly in front of the plugs, meaning that even if they were clean I'd have to contort myself with a flex adapter (got that). As it is, the plug closest to the firewall is so gunked up that I can't get the socket to grip at all. I honestly can't tell where the plug shell begins and the gunk ends. So, at this point, it sounds like I have to figure out how to clean all that off with no power tools, and a bad shoulder.

Any advice now?

 

[ghost30]

Bump.

 

[ranger7ltr]

The truth is out there...

Sorry...Having X-Files flashbacks...Do a search in the Stock 95-01 Explorer forum for "pushrods" and you will find a plethora of information and videos on engine noises, rocker arms, pushrods,lifters, and what it takes to replace them...

Oh a grand to replace said parts is highway robbery;part numbers and suppliers are listed in the first few posts under the same search...BTW to replace the Ford lifters you will need to remove the heads...But if you find lots of sludge in the valve covers you may want to change the oil to a good synthetic and change it often to see if you can remove the sludge...

And I have always changed my plugs from the engine compartment up top; I have used an extension of either 3 to 6 inches with the spark plug socket on it..None of the plumbing gets in my way and my arms and hands are very large...I changed plugs this weekend and did it in 30 mins... I gap the plugs and coat the threads with anti-seize as I pull the old plug out...