SOHC Engine

[Walrus]

Can anyone tell me exactly what the problem(s) are concerning the timing chain on the SOHC engines? What is the exact problem? Symptoms? Solutions? Does it apply to all SOHC engines or are certain VIN#'s or years affected? Does Ford acknowledge a problem? is (has) there been a TSB or recall? Repeated e-mails to Ford CAC keep referring me to the local dealer. Should I be worried about my 1998 with 18,000 miles?

 

[Fritz]

I gave the part number for the new tensioner
fix a few posts down. Take it to your local
Ford dealer and have them order it.So far
it seems to be working on my "98" Sport SOHC.

 

[mditto]

The timing chain tensioner failures are limited to 1997 and 1998 SOHC V6 engines, since 1997 was th efirst year of this engine, and Ford apparantly solved their problem by the 1999 model year. You should be concerned. As long as your vehicle is under warrenty, you will be ok, Ford has replaced the entire engine in warrentied vehicles. If the problem isn't diagnosed by a Ford dealer while in warrenty, you my friend are screwed. Ford has denied any problems concerning this topic, even though there have been complaints and TSB's dating back to 10/96, on the first vehicles sold. There will have to be a working together as a group by owners to force Ford to own up to their design/manufacturing defect. There is now a "revised" tensioner available from Ford, hmm...why was that needed??

Mark D

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[markhas]

At what milage does the tensioner problem occur usually. I just bought a '98 (manufactured 11/97) with 5000 miles and it runs very well. No noises so far.

 

[sprsvt]

I have a 98 sport w/ 12k, and my dad has a 98 xlt w/ 25k, and we haven't had any problems yet

 

[Eagle]

I have a 98 Sport w/ about 22,000 on the Odometer. The jury is still out.

------------------
98 Sport 4.0L SOHC auto
If your not flyin
Your not tryin

 

[higgs]

My 97 explorer just got out of shop yesterday for new tensioners and timing chain repair. (I waited months for parts) Problem is still there! It's going back in for deeper work in 10 days. Lucky I am still in warranty. I'll keep you guys posted

 

[gijoecam]

F#$%^&* SOHC's!

Here's my SOHC horror story.

-Picked up my 98 Sport SOHC 4x4 July 2, 1998.
(First mistake...)

-First noticed clatter with less than 3000 miles on it.
Reported to dealer and was told it was the fuel injectors.

-Serviced again at 12000 miles. Complained again, and again told nothing was wrong.

-Tolerated until 26,000 miles before going back in (with a plethora of other problems!). Replaced Tensioners (took 3 and a half friggin weeks for parts!!!) Problem solved... for 3 days!

-Took it in 2500 miles later (next available appointment at the dealer) and they replaced the timing chain tensioners again and the GUIDES (the German engine plant told them so). When they re-checked the engine upon reassembly, there was low oil pressure (25 PSI cold, 10 PSI hot!) Turns out oil pump was full of shredded timing chain tensioners! Solution: Replace Engine with 2000 model.

-About two months ago, after a trip to Boston from Detroit, noticed knock was back again, but mainly when extremely hot, and worse when hot, turned off, and restarted in 10 minutes. The "diesel" sound lasts anywhere from 5-30 seconds. The clatter is back, for sure!

This is the same way it started before. It's going in tomorrow morning, so I'll let you know what happens.

-Joe-

 

[FordXplorerGrl]

my dealings with the SOHC

Okay i have had the same problems as other people have stated with my 97 SOHC. I bought the car new in december of 96. Within the first 2 months of owning it i had to take it back to the dealer because it was idiling rough and there was a clanking noise. They replaced the throttle body because they said there was a recall on it. My dealer claimed it was fixed. The clanking continued. I once again took it back and they once again said it had something to do with the bad throttle body and once again replaced it. This happened for about a year. Still no solution. then i finally took my truck to a different dealer and they changed the timing chain. Still was a clanking noise when i started the car up and when it idled. I took my truck back up to the new dealer and they couldn't tell me what was wrong with it. So after a few more trys by the dealer to figure out what was wrong with it the conclusion was the same and in october of 1999 with 40,000 mi on the odometer ford replaced the engine. Thankfully i was under warrenty still and i have had no problems since. ( knock on wood). anyway that is my dealing with a 97 SOHC.

Kristen

 

[gijoecam]

D@MMIT!!!!

NOW I"M P'D off!!!!

Just talked to the service dept. at the dealership... My tensioners are fried AGAIN! So much for my new 2000 engine with the redesigned tensioners! The new engine lasted 6 months... what a piece of Crap! Now I'm working on engine number two and a half! D@MMIT! Sorry, but now I'm officially p-o'd at Ford. Unfortunately, this time it's going to cost me my $50 deductible! Crud! Well, I'm off to work to stew over it!

-a disgruntled Ford employee!-

 

[chux]

I am feed up with this shoc

Will i bought my 97 xlt shoc back in dec96 it was one of the first in Australia .
I have had two set's of cam chain tensioners and the last was the update tensioners back in dec 99 and gess what the rattle is back and now the motor has a bad botom end rattle when hot with a metal to metal sound on start up .
I have tryed all types of oil from redline,shell,mobil one,valvoline,penrite and so-on .
Why cant ford fix it right i am so feed up with this lemmon for a motor that in October its gone,trade in ,out of here.
Thank you ford for nothing , i never buy a ford again.
96xlt
sohc
73000km

[Edited by chux on 08-01-2000 at 11:15 PM]

 

[Walrus]

sohc

First of all, thank you to gijoecam for re-posting my original post of dec 1999 (still am wondering how you did that...)

Secondly, if anybody should win the white elephant award (or whatever icon is appropriate here) for being saddled with a lemon, it would have to go to gijoecam. Your story is by far the worst report I've tabulated against the sohc (I am still trying to figure out how to record your story in my database... simply too much data for my little pigeon-hole database...)

To date, I have around 20 reports of SOHC failure related to timing chain tensioners... Oddly enough, I really expected more! Unfortunately, I am left to believe the problem my not be as encompassing as I had originally believed (Same request also posted in alt.rec.ford.explorer...)

Come on SOHC owners... send in that info if you have it! We need AMMO to go to bat on this one...

I'm still waiting for the magic moment and trying to decide if I'll even encounter the problem. At 30k now and still quiet on the timing chain front! At least, FORD should be willing to ante-up an extended engine warranty at NO CHARGE to all poor individuals who thought they were buying a fine automobile.

Remaining hopeful...
One remaining thought... Have you noticed if you try to phonetically pronounce SOHC it sounds very similar to suck?

 

[Jim F]

Since this thread has resurfaced, I will bring up the Fram filter concern.

Has Fram oil filters been the filter of choice for these problem SOHC engines or have they had Motorcraft filters installed at every oil change?

No oil to the top end, extra wear on top end parts (tensioners).

OK OK now that I said that, I know that some of the SOHC problems have been without the use of Fram filters, but I wanted to get the Fram issue started again for the newer Explorer owners.

 

[GJarrett]

Jim that could be a relevant point, though maybe not. I would be interested in knowing how many of these engines have been using Fram filters. There could be a link. I did once, got the rattle at startup, immediately switched filters, and it promptly quit the rattle. The Fram was in my engine less than 1,000 miles before I got it out of there. My '99 now has over 40,000 HARD miles and no inkling of the tensioner problem.

However, I have been getting my oil analyzed and have noted high levels of aluminum in the oil. Is the tensioner an aluminum part? In other words, when the tensioner starts screwing up, would it be releasing aluminum particulate into the oil? Just wondering if I am watching a future tensioner failure in my SOHC by seeing excessive aluminum wear in the oil analyses.

[Edited by GJarrett on 08-03-2000 at 11:04 AM]

 

[Robert]

My rattling on my '97 has shown up three times. I've had the tensioners replaced twice under warranty. It is rattling again, but since it had been more than 12K miles since the tensioners were last replaced and I had 38K miles when the noise showed up the third time, Ford wants me to pay for the repair. I have 56K miles on it now. Fortunately the noise hasn't gotten any worse. My Explorer has only seen Motorcraft oil filters every 3K-5K miles.

 

[Jeff S]

My 97 SOHC Explorer rattles at start up about 90% of the time. I have discussed the problem with several Ford techs and have gotten the same answer: the noise is the camshaft tensioners after the oil drains out of the cassette area. As far as long-term damage, they all say "Ford tells us this does not cause amy significant engine damage". In fact two service managers told me that the replacement tensioners were a waste of money! They did suggest trying different oils to reduce the sound. I have experimented and found some improvements with synthetic and synthetic blends. They did not suggest oil filters, but I have tried just about everyone on the market. For my next oil and filter change, I'm going to try AMSOIL synthetic and their filter. I'll keep everyone posted on the results.

[Edited by Jeff S on 08-03-2000 at 03:42 PM]

 

[awhughes]

SOHC Issues

I had the OHC tensioner problem which started at approx. 30K. I purchased my 97' XLT, 4X4, SOHC used from a local dealer last summer. The first attempt to fix the engine start up noise lasted 5K. After that the FORD 12/12 warranty had come and gone. I let the warranty slip by due to a busy period.
I called the service manager and told him of my concerns and knowledge of this widespread, persistant problem. He granted me a P05. This is his Dealership's code for Ford's customer assistance program for an out of warranty repair. My cost for the replacement of the front and rear tensioners and intake gaskets: $37.00. The fix appears to be upholding currently at 50k.
My AC blend door assembly was also repaired previously with a P05, my cost for the repair: $137.00. vs. $800.00 +.
My relation with FORD service has been pleasant. I have always accompanied my service requests with a written explantion of my problems/concerns with a clearly written statement of my understanding of what needs to be performed and what it will take to please me as a customer. Communication is very important when you approach these people. It has worked flawlessly with my situations.
My truck gets 20 MPG plus in mixed driving and did very well in our once every 10 years snow storm. It plowed through 12 inches of fresh stuff this feburary. I have never had problems with the gear at the head.

 

[Jon98sohc]

This has been an issue with my 98 scince I hit 3500 miles. The tensioners have been replaced three times and the timing chain two times and the noise is back. I called the local dealer an was told ford will not will not cover this repair because it was a warranty problem.That is exactly why I called them.
This truck is only two and a half years old. I called customer service held for an hour and am told to contact the dealer.I called the dealer and they say it is under warranty they can not fix it. What???
I still have 42 mi. left under the warranty that keeps this truck from being fixed.I could alway pull the fuse to the dash and not put any miles on it .but what good would that do. It would still be under warranty and ford would not fix it.
Tomarrow I will change to 40w oil and try to trade for a Wrangler

Hope the rest of you have better luck. Jon