Timing Chain Troubles

[Jon0230]

I have a 2005 Explorer with the 4.0L. Low mileage, only 27k miles. It even has the original tires on it. Anyway, after hearing a strange ticking noise at cold start, goes away when warm. I tracked it down to likely being timing chains which seems very common. A suggestion was to try replacing the front and rear tensioners and see if that quiets it down.

The ticking is only there from a cold start since I changed the oil to a full synthetic. How likely is it that just changing out the tensioners will solve the issue? Getting the chain guide cassettes replaced is not really an option right now due to finances. And frankly for as much as it costs to fix I'd rather just risk letting the chains jump time. But $70 for new tensioners is doable.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Tech By Trade]

That low of mileage I doubt it would hurt anything. When the they are old and brittle some times the tensioners will smash the cassettes (guides) because of the extra pressure. 27k miles, they should still be like new.

 

[Jon0230]

That low of mileage I doubt it would hurt anything. When the they are old and brittle some times the tensioners will smash the cassettes (guides) because of the extra pressure. 27k miles, they should still be like new.

Do you think the timing chain rattle is only from the tensioners then? And the guides are actually not worn or brittle (as long as I don't let the rattle continue anyway)?

Are the Cloyes tensioners a quality part? I read somewhere else they may be the OEM for Ford and they are half the price of the Ford OEMs.

Also, is there any risk of the timing chain moving when I remove the tensioner? I know this is a known issue when replacing a tensioner on another car of mine in that when you remove the tension the chain gets a lot of slack and can move around the sprocket.

 

[Tech By Trade]

Rattle is probably the springs in the tensioner due to age, but there is a slim chance you may shatter the guides. Myself, I would probably take that chance.

Cloyes is good, not as good as OEM they say. I went Enginetech kit on mine, and that was 50k ago. Popped the valve covers last summer as one of my tensioners springs was loose and everything was looking fine. The plastic hadn't even started to change colour.

The timing chains cant move with the tensioner out. In this design all the tensioner does is put pressure on the cassette squeezing the chain together in the center, taking any play out of the chain. You would have to be trying in order to get the chain to skip with the cassettes out themselves.

 

[boominXplorer]

Running a Motorcraft 820s filter?

 

[Turdle]

^^ this. if the rattle started after the oil change, try a different brand of filter. it's a very inexpensive option, can't hurt to try, and might just be the source of the noise.

Fram oil filters have a poor reputation around here, and even the recommended ones can fail or clog.

 

[Jon0230]

^^ this. if the rattle started after the oil change, try a different brand of filter. it's a very inexpensive option, can't hurt to try, and might just be the source of the noise.

Fram oil filters have a poor reputation around here, and even the recommended ones can fail or clog.

Oh, I see how I worded that poorly. Haha, I meant it was rattling all time, but after the oil change it only rattles when cold now.