Timing chain question (n00b)

[JamesVW73]

Quick question guys, i have a 92 explorer, 4.0 (duh). 201k miles. from what i know, the timing chain on it is original. im getting an odd ticking noise from my engine now, and its steadily gotten worse. gas mileage it BAD, i get at best 200 miles on an entire tank, and thats running down to empty. The power just doesn't seem to be there. Trans I know for a fact isn't slipping, it has 1000 on it, brand new. So back to my original question. I've been told that when replacing the chain, i have to remove the engine from the truck. sounds dumb to me, but from what i read, the chain cover won't come off unless the oil pan is dropped. If that has to be done, the motor is coming out and went through. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, because I dont want to rip into this thing to find out i have to take the engine out to finish! Thanks to all in advance.

 

[ma96782]

To start.....Get some codes......

Could be a bad FPR, or injector, or 02 sensor, or valve train noise.......or combinations of all sorts of other problems.......not to mention that you didn't mention what was changed thus far (Plugs, wires, coil pack...or whatever, if anything).

Did you tune it up and get a base (at some point was it all working, fine)?

Hell.....you may end up having to do a compression test, too.

IF, you're going to re-build (201K is a lot, IMHO)......then, most everything should be changed anyway so, "Why ask?" Just do it.

Just my .02.

Aloha, Mark

 

[MrShorty]

Timing chain on this engine should last as long as the engine. If the timing chain bad, then you probably should do the whole engine.

What is this "odd ticking noise?" An unidentified noise could be much more than a bad timing chaing. Spark leak? Bad valves? Ping? Fuel injectors?

I agree with ma96782, start with some basic diagnostics and go from there.

 

[JamesVW73]

ok, to start. new plugs, wires, coil, o2, compression is good. fpr is fine, and in specs. fuel pressure does not drop off when ignition is off, so no leaking injector. the noise sounds like a lifter tick, but it comes and goes. does it worse when cold, and stops within about two minutes. at the moment, this is my only mode of trans, but im picking up another donor truck i guess you could call it, thursday. a guy broke the u-joint on it in front of my work, and is selling it to me for 150.

 

[JamesVW73]

forgot to mention, the fuel mileage has been fairly crappy the entire two years ive had this thing, the best it ever got was 14mpg on one tank. the odd thing is that it doesnt matter how i drive it; easy, floor it all the time, city, highway, it still gets 200 miles to a tank. its baffling me

 

[JamesVW73]

hell, my 93 mark viii i have gets about 19mpg. i would be driving it and overhauling the x, but the trans in it decided to take a dump on me.

 

[project92]

2 out of my 3 4.0 have had ticking sound I understand that its a standard problem for these motors something about the oil getting to the lifters faulty oil passage design... might try the seafoam first clean the gunk out of the 201 k motor... my first motor had 238,000 ran okay lost some power and had the tick but trany went south so I decide to swap both out...

 

[Tony H]

I hope 200K isn't a lot of miles
...I'm very close to 280K same Chain

 

[Jason94sport]

The timing chain on the 4.0L OHV normally lasts the life on the engine as stated. The valve ticking is normal. Every 4.0 OHV & 2.9L V6 does it to some degree. Some more then others.

For your gas mileage, what type of gas do you use?
What size tires do you have?
Do you have stock rims?
What's your axle code?

 

[JamesVW73]

well, seafoamed it twice. ticking is still there. im starting to think this thing might have a slight rod knock going on, the sound seems to be coming from down low now. sucks. oh well, i picked up another 92 explorer today that runs better than this one for 150. time to yank and rebuild. any suggestions on mods to it? im thinking cam, flat top pistons, headers....

 

[EMG7895]

That ticking is probably just worn pushrods, no problems just can be annoying, it happens to pretty much every 4.0. I have never heard of timing chain issues on the ohv ever so I would highly doubt that. And most people get between 200-300 per tank, I get anywhere from 250-275 usually.

 

[project92]

just got 297.6 miles out of this tank found out going to work ran out of gas just as I hit the parking lot

 

[JamesVW73]

yeah, 297 miles on a tank would be WONDERFUL! i forgot to mention, this thing wont run on anything but premium, and still gets **** mileage. its just baffling to me. time to tear down and rebuild!