Solved - TSB 02-7-6 4.0L SOHC Timing Chain Rattle | Page 14 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Solved TSB 02-7-6 4.0L SOHC Timing Chain Rattle

Prefix for threads that contain problems that have been resolved, and there is an answer within the thread.
Hi
This is maxi,driving the bus i hear a noise, and all of a sudden it looses power, but is still running. i opened the hood to see a hole about the size of a nickel in the valve cover on the drivers side and inside this hole i can see the timing chain.
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maxi

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Hi
This is maxi,driving the bus i hear a noise, and all of a sudden it looses power, but is still running. i opened the hood to see a hole about the size of a nickel in the valve cover on the drivers side and inside this hole i can see the timing chain...
Don't start it again until you replace the broken parts. If the engine isn't ruined then you are lucky. Don't push your luck by starting it without repairing it. Good luck,
 






I believe that my tensioners are beginning to give up the ghost and are causing my engine to run rough. I listed all of the symptoms here:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=221974

Does anyone know if they are related? I need the X to at least last another week and a half of commuting before I can park it and work on it. Will it hold up until then? I only drive about 25 miles a day for work.

If there is anything I can do now while this is just starting short of taking it apart and performing the actual repairs, please let me know!

Thanks :salute:
 






There isn't really anything to do except for the actual repair work. If you drive it any more, then be ready to shut it off at any sign of big trouble. You do not want to pay for a complete rebuild. The repair parts for what likely is wrong are only about $200. Work on finding the tool kit and the labor as soon as possible. Regards,
 






Thanks for the quick reply. Is there anywhere you would suggest getting the timing chain kit from besides somewhere like www.rockauto.com?
 






I hunted online with a search and waited for two auctions on eBay. The second one I got it for about $140, some others have found them for a little less. Start a thread here, ask for someone to sell or rent it to you. I have plans to keep mine for a long time, plus being very busy and slow, so mine is unavailable. Regards,
 






4.0 SOHC tensioners

Well my daughter's 2000 explorer died this week. Making lot of noise from front of the engine and she tried to drive it home. Tried to start it and engine sounds like it had no compression. Removed timing cover and found plastic chain tensioners in a lot of pieces. Removed engine from the explorer and found right cam plastic tensioner broken also. The Ford dealer told me to replace timing set, retime the engine and it should be ok. What is the best way to retime the cams and crank? The right cam hex bolt will not loosen, any ideas?
I know it jumped timimg. Are there any way to see if it is hurt without reassembing the engine and putting it back in the explorer?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
 






tighten it, to loosen it

If you are talking about the right hand cam sprocket bolt, it is a left handed thread.
 






explains why it won't loosen

Thanks Clymer manual says nothing about this
 






right cam tensioner hex bolt

Just want to make sure we are talking about the same bolt it is the hex head bolt that holds the right cam tensioner bracket right or left hand thread? The hex bolt behind the plug you have to remove (like a freeze plug).
I understand the cam bolt that holds the sprocket on the cam is left hand threads.
Thanks
 






that is a torx bit #55. It is not left hand thread. It bolts the bottom sprocket of the right hand casette assembly. Now we are talking about the same bolt. I hope you didn't round any bolt heads out on my account.
 






right hand casette assembly

BTW, I just bought this assembly from a ford dealer for about $90. It comes with both sprockets, the cassette, and the chain. I also bought the tensioner for the same side for $37 and a bolt for that cassette that had been sheared, it cost $13.
 






Hello Jeff, from what you post here in this thread, do you think that the cams are still close to the timing of the crank? Jumping one tooth will not bend valves, so if it is still close, say within 20-30 degrees, you may have no bent valves.

Think about that and be sure of your conclusion before going farther. If you don't think that the cams are that close, then pulling the heads off is the only good thing to do. If you do believe that the cams off, great, then stop and don't loosen any bolts.

It is extremely important that all work with the cams and valvetrain be done with the crank at TDC. The timing tools only set the cams at TDC, without any connection with the crank. Meaning it doesn't matter where you place the crank or any timing chains etc, the cam tools will only locate the TDC for one camshaft. Therefore the crank must be at TDC when you time each cam.

If you unbolt either cam from the crank, then you can no longer move the cams with the crank. So if the crank is not at TDC, how can you move both at the same time(remmebr they are not connected)? The point is, only unbolt any valvetrain bolt after the crank(and the cams connected to it) is moved to TDC.

Forgive me for repeating that in so many words, I mention it because I learned the hard way. My engine was unhurt to start with, and I forgot to reset the crank to TDC before loosening the jackshaft bolt. I was more concerned about being able to loosen that bolt. The cams will move the instant that you loosen either jackshaft bolt. I knew what I had done afterwards. I'm fairly good at engine work and operation, I understood what had to be done to move each cam separately from the crank to move them all to TDC. I doubt that many others would be so fortunate to be able to do that without hurting any valves. Regards,
 






sohc cam timing

Thanks guys for the advice. Didn't strip any bolts. Glad to know the right cam is left hand threads. I don't think the valves are hurt. I have replaced the timing chains, tensioners, guides, gears on both cams bought a complete timing kit with the engine at TDC. Are there any way to tell if the cams are in the right position without the cam tool and before I retorque the cam retaining bolts? Will post how this project winds up.
Can't believe Ford would assemble an engine that the spark plugs can go 100,00 miles and the tensioners failed at 120,000 miles.
Thanks
Jeff
 






The cams have one end which is shaped to fit one of the cam tools. When that tool is locked onto that end of the cam, then that cam is at TDC. Meaning each cam will only engage the special tool at the one location. The tools are a number of parts, the cam tools fit inside of retainer tools that mount to the valve cover bolt holes.

The shape of the special cam tool can be described as oblong, or it lays flat inline with the head surface. It's hard to describe what the end of the cam itself looks like at TDC. When you see the tools and the cam, it is clear where TDC is. If you can find some pictures of the cam ends and the cam tools, you can understand it better. I don't think all of those angles have been on the forums, that would be good to see here.
 






I agree with what Don has said. I'm putting my motor back in tomorrow. I only replaced the right side cassette assembly and tensioner, as that is all that was broke. I'll probably pay for that later. Anyway I have done exactly what Don has said and looked at pictures. I might pay for that later also. I'll let you know what happens but it may not be for a week or so as I only do a little bit with it each day. good luck to you.
 






Okay, check out this picture of my engine just before I timed it. This picture below shows the right head camshaft end. Notice the two slots in the end of the cam. They are offset to the lower side. The special cam tool engages those and forces the cam to locate those two slots in parallel to the surface of the valve cover rail. Regards,
 

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Is there anyway to do a VIN search and find out if a vehicle has had a TSB performed? I know you can do that for recalls, but I haven't seen anything about TSB's listed

Also, would you recommend replacing just the problematic tensioner and guides, or should I pull the engine and get all timing components at once?
 






No matter what always do the two easy external cam chain tensioners, they cost about $60 or so. If you have no noise coming from the rear of the engine, most people have done well by leaving the rear cassette alone. High mileage engines will be different cases.

Do the front cassette and the other front parts under the timing cover if you have any worry about them not having been done before. Night,
 



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180 k on mine, I did 'em all. They all need replaced. If a little piece of tentioner gets into the balance shaft chain the tentioner behind the pan will not handle it well. It was worth it to me to pull the pan because there was LOTS of tentioner debris caught in the oil pickup screen, inside where you have to remove the pickup tube to dig everything out. I think it would have starved for oil pressure sooner or later. Bearings looked good & I'm not worried about lower end probs. even with 180 k.
 






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