The FAQ of the SOHC Timing Nightmare.

[97WillowXLT]

If you vets could answer these questions... you'd cure my wondering (and maybe turn it to worrying ) and help others also.

My sohc has 133k on it... has been well-maintained and runs like new. 0 problems and 0 noises but I have read about the timing issues and a friends sohc explorer just had it happen and was quoted like 2500.

1: Those timing "cassettes"... $65 a pair.. what do they do? Do they totally prevent the timing issues?

2: When do the timing belts usually break? (average)

3: Is there a way to tell if the previous owner had this work done?

4: How much are the parts (no labor)?

Add to it if anyone else has questions... answers are great too. Thanks.

 

[Doubt Incarnate]

not sure on the rest, but there are no belts, allchains. biggest problem is something goes wrong with the tensioners and lets one cam or the other skip a few teeth.

 

[97WillowXLT]

hmmm i'm really interested in knowing if replacing the cassettes usually prevents anything from happening.

 

[fobrnno]

i just had mine done about a month ago. what they call a cassettes are actually the chain guilds and two gears and chains. on mine the rear was still ok but the front the guild broke fell down and got jammed in the jack shaft chain and broke the tensinsioner which over time the chain got realy loose and jump a couple of teeth and bent all the valves.
it cost me just under 1500 cdn.for all the parts and machine work to replace all the valves.

 

[97WillowXLT]

^ for answers

 

[97WillowXLT]

^

 

[97WillowXLT]

^

 

[diesell]

Those are timing chain cassettes and they are used to make a 4.0L push rod engine block into a 4.0L SOHC engine. There are no timing belts on the engine, only timing chains. If they are bad it will sound like marbles in your engine. To replace both cassettes you have to remove the engine. The local Ford garage should be able to pull up you VIN to see if the recall has been performed. This repair is not within the scope of most DIY mechanics. If yours are bad, fill the crankcase with STP and sell it fast.

 

[edward1985]

recall?! my 2001 explorer has got the sounds of marbles in the engine and its got only 2 months left on warranty. took it to ford and he said dont worry about it, its normal!!!
what i cant understand with the timing chains is that this car has been sitting in my garage for 5 years and only just has 20,000 miles on it.
any recommendations on what i should do>? i havent heard that timing chains were a re-call issue? are they?
i was going to take it to my local non-ford mechanic to get him to tell me the problem then ill take it to ford. im just not sure..

 

[Aussie Explorer]

Edward, Yeah mate in Australia there is no recall on it to my knowledge only in the US, I asked about the Re-call at a ford dealer as I was out of warranty and they looked at me like what are you talking about (They did say it was the timing chains and they have done a few before and mine sounded good compared to the others they had fixed) , I then E-mailed ford Australia with my VIN Number and was told no recall work was outstanding on my car by ford Australia, I then sent a angry E-Mail back.

Normal LMAO, this is not normal, just call em up and tell em it's a Explorer 4.0 V6 Sohc describe the sound it is making and mention Timing chains but don’t mention warranty and see what the say, I am guessing they will say 1 of 2 thing 1>Cam chain tensioners or 2> That the engine needs to be pulled and all timing gear replaced at a cost of $5000, that’s when you say it’s still under warrant!!!

Go to a few different Dealerships if you get no jot with one, contact ford Australia, Get the recall notices from Ford USA off this site, I am sure I have seen it floating around somewhere and take that with you to the service department. Yes get a report from another mechanic but don’t let that warranty run out.

Record everything that tell you, If they say it’s normal get it in writing and have it signed by the service manager and the mechanic.

At the very least you what the updated Cam chain tentioners Installed under warranty, I did this to mine and it has fixed it so far, it now has 144,000 on it.

 

[97WillowXLT]

So.... do the timing cassettes typically prevent anymore problems with? Mine has 130k on it and makes absolutely no noises... runs perfectly... but i'm willing to put $130 in parts and a little labor to friends to have this done as preventitive maintenance

 

[diesell]

If there is no noise by now there probably never will be any. If there is no noise nothing is broke so save your money.

 

[CDW6212R]

The whole issue is that the design is brand new(in 1996). Those parts are not turning out to last as long as typical engine parts.

Ford updated the design in 2002, the replacement parts(cam cassettes) are simply the new 2002+ parts design. Those are still not suitable to run for 100,000+ miles.

Ford has not acknowledged the problem by properly designating an appropriate maintenance schedule for the SOHC valvetrain parts. I think that if they did, then people would sue them for implying that the engines could be driven with no special maintenance indefinately, like older engines.

The reality is that the SOHC valvetrain chain guides(cam cassettes), and tensioners(there are at least three), should be replaced every (insert magic number) miles. I think that 100,000 miles is a high limit for them, considering the expense when they fail. Timing belts are typically replaced every 75K or so, these parts should have a similar schedule. Good luck with the borrowed time you are all running on. Regards,

 

[97WillowXLT]

When I got the explorer.... I bought it from the original owner.. an elderly couple. I assume they got everything done through the dealership... the motor makes absolutely no odd noises at all... idles and runs like it's new... I can only assume that mine have been replaced considering it has 133k on the clock.