98 Explorer sohc 4.0 timing fix

Hello. I have been searching the web for weeks looking for information
on the timing chain and intake manifold fixes on these 4.0's.
I have had the truck since it had 98,000 miles on it, it now has
150,000. It had a light rattle at startup and has always had a small
vacuum leak up top.
The chain rattle has progressed till it rattles most of the time now
(front left side of motor). A few weeks ago the truck lost almost all
its power it runs very rough at idle or at speed. It is not missing its
cutting out. Sometimes before it gets warm the brakes don't want to
work like it has a vacuum hose leak.
I am not sure if the chain is lose because of the tensioner and
cassette or if it has jumped time or if the intake seals have failed.
The intake looks like an easy fix. I have seen many mixed reports on
the chain fix. Some say it can be done over the weekend by anybody with
some mechanical abilities. Some say you cant do it because you have to
have a special $300.00 tool from ford. And still others say you have to
pull the motor to do it.
Any ideas? Even if it turns out to be the intake I would still like to
do the front chain fix while I have it down. The truck is high mileage
but it still runs strong and drives great and does not use any oil.
The people that have posted that they did the fix themselves pretty
much stop there with no explanation of how they accomplished it and I
cant find any site with good information on how to do it.
I would like to do this next weekend if I can gather enough
information. Thanks

As far as my understanding goes (and I've done my research as well) there
are actually 3 chains. One in the front. One in the center and one in the
back of the engine. The front one has a timing chain tensioner and guide. If
the tensioner goes bad it's a rather easy fix. You just unscrew it from the
top of the engine head (it's a black plastic tube that seats under the
intake) and screw a different one in. Anything else will require pulling the
engine out. You might be able to change the chain guide on the front without
pulling the engine out but I won't call it a weekend mechanic job.

I'm sure Jim could give you more info. Note that if you take it to Ford and
they need to pull the engine out it will cost you $1000-$1500 to fix.
> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hello. I have been searching the web for weeks looking for information
> on the timing chain and intake manifold fixes on these 4.0's.
> I have had the truck since it had 98,000 miles on it, it now has
> 150,000. It had a light rattle at startup and has always had a small
> vacuum leak up top.
> The chain rattle has progressed till it rattles most of the time now
> (front left side of motor). A few weeks ago the truck lost almost all
> its power it runs very rough at idle or at speed. It is not missing its
> cutting out. Sometimes before it gets warm the brakes don't want to
> work like it has a vacuum hose leak.
> I am not sure if the chain is lose because of the tensioner and
> cassette or if it has jumped time or if the intake seals have failed.
> The intake looks like an easy fix. I have seen many mixed reports on
> the chain fix. Some say it can be done over the weekend by anybody with
> some mechanical abilities. Some say you cant do it because you have to
> have a special $300.00 tool from ford. And still others say you have to
> pull the motor to do it.
> Any ideas? Even if it turns out to be the intake I would still like to
> do the front chain fix while I have it down. The truck is high mileage
> but it still runs strong and drives great and does not use any oil.
> The people that have posted that they did the fix themselves pretty
> much stop there with no explanation of how they accomplished it and I
> cant find any site with good information on how to do it.
> I would like to do this next weekend if I can gather enough
> information. Thanks
>

Awwwww, that clears a lot up for me. I thought you had to pull
everything to replace the tensioner like you would to replace a guide
or chain.
Now i am hoping it is just the tensioner that needs replacing. Is
there any way to tell if the guide needs replacing without pulling
everything off the front of the motor?
I found this thread on explorerforum
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...4&postcount=33
looks very helpfull.
It looks like i can fix the intake and tensioner easily at one time if
that is all i need.
Keeping my fingers crossed.

Yeah. I saw that thread on explorerforum before. Very helpful.

I would try to do this fix and see if the noise goes away. In your case
since it has been making the noise for a while I would also do an oil change
and take a close look at the oil for any metal parts.


> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Awwwww, that clears a lot up for me. I thought you had to pull
> everything to replace the tensioner like you would to replace a guide
> or chain.
> Now i am hoping it is just the tensioner that needs replacing. Is
> there any way to tell if the guide needs replacing without pulling
> everything off the front of the motor?
> I found this thread on explorerforum
> http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...4&postcount=33
> looks very helpfull.
> It looks like i can fix the intake and tensioner easily at one time if
> that is all i need.
> Keeping my fingers crossed.
>

zoti wrote:
> Yeah. I saw that thread on explorerforum before. Very helpful.
>
> I would try to do this fix and see if the noise goes away. In your case
> since it has been making the noise for a while I would also do an oil change
> and take a close look at the oil for any metal parts.


I pulled it apart yesterday (took about two hours) and called the Ford
dealer to order the 00m12 kit. $42.00 for upper and lower gaskets,
tenisoner and some odds and ends. It will be in and I will have it back
together today. Oil change sounds like a really good idea. If this
works I will be a happy camper.

Let us know the result.

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> zoti wrote:
> > Yeah. I saw that thread on explorerforum before. Very helpful.
> >
> > I would try to do this fix and see if the noise goes away. In your case
> > since it has been making the noise for a while I would also do an oil
change
> > and take a close look at the oil for any metal parts.
>
>
> I pulled it apart yesterday (took about two hours) and called the Ford
> dealer to order the 00m12 kit. $42.00 for upper and lower gaskets,
> tenisoner and some odds and ends. It will be in and I will have it back
> together today. Oil change sounds like a really good idea. If this
> works I will be a happy camper.
>

zoti wrote:
> Let us know the result.


It took about an hour to put it back together. There was already a
plastic restriction plug in the hole so I guess it has been done
before. I got it back together and it runs the same as it did. I think
maybe the chain cartridge is broken. When I look trough the filler cap
I can see something red that looks like a piece of plastic cockeyed in
there about 4 inched deep. I tried to get pictures of it but no go.
The ford dealer says the power lose is caused by the slop in the chain
and maybe it jumped time. It starts and dies easy, no dragging of the
starter or dieseling at shutdown. It runs rough cold and when warm but
does not die. Once in a great while the brakes are hard to push like it
has a bad vacuum leak. It has suddenly started running fine for a
couple of miles a few times since all this has started
The only thing I can think of to do is change the cartridge and see if
that does the trick. I hope I can pick up a timing tool on Ebay for
cheap.
Tune in next week for "The rest of the story" LOL

To change the front cartridge you will need to take a lot of the front
apart.
The rough idle is probably a leaking intake. The kit you got has the O rings
for that fix.
I would take care of it ASAP. If it sounds bad it might also be grinding the
inside of the engine.

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> zoti wrote:
> > Let us know the result.
>
>
> It took about an hour to put it back together. There was already a
> plastic restriction plug in the hole so I guess it has been done
> before. I got it back together and it runs the same as it did. I think
> maybe the chain cartridge is broken. When I look trough the filler cap
> I can see something red that looks like a piece of plastic cockeyed in
> there about 4 inched deep. I tried to get pictures of it but no go.
> The ford dealer says the power lose is caused by the slop in the chain
> and maybe it jumped time. It starts and dies easy, no dragging of the
> starter or dieseling at shutdown. It runs rough cold and when warm but
> does not die. Once in a great while the brakes are hard to push like it
> has a bad vacuum leak. It has suddenly started running fine for a
> couple of miles a few times since all this has started
> The only thing I can think of to do is change the cartridge and see if
> that does the trick. I hope I can pick up a timing tool on Ebay for
> cheap.
> Tune in next week for "The rest of the story" LOL
>

wrote:
> Hello. I have been searching the web for weeks looking for information
> on the timing chain and intake manifold fixes on these 4.0's.
> I have had the truck since it had 98,000 miles on it, it now has
> 150,000. It had a light rattle at startup and has always had a small
> vacuum leak up top.
> The chain rattle has progressed till it rattles most of the time now
> (front left side of motor). A few weeks ago the truck lost almost all
> its power it runs very rough at idle or at speed. It is not missing its
> cutting out. Sometimes before it gets warm the brakes don't want to
> work like it has a vacuum hose leak.
> I am not sure if the chain is lose because of the tensioner and
> cassette or if it has jumped time or if the intake seals have failed.
> The intake looks like an easy fix. I have seen many mixed reports on
> the chain fix. Some say it can be done over the weekend by anybody with
> some mechanical abilities. Some say you cant do it because you have to
> have a special $300.00 tool from ford. And still others say you have to
> pull the motor to do it.
> Any ideas? Even if it turns out to be the intake I would still like to
> do the front chain fix while I have it down. The truck is high mileage
> but it still runs strong and drives great and does not use any oil.
> The people that have posted that they did the fix themselves pretty
> much stop there with no explanation of how they accomplished it and I
> cant find any site with good information on how to do it.
> I would like to do this next weekend if I can gather enough

> information. Thanks


I have had this done by ford and thereare two hydraulic adjusters one
each side in the UK the parts were £40 each so its likely to be $40.
Its not difficult but at the same time you can have the dianostics done
to see what else is wrong or OK.

Ed

wrote:
> Hello. I have been searching the web for weeks looking for information
> on the timing chain and intake manifold fixes on these 4.0's.
> I have had the truck since it had 98,000 miles on it, it now has
> 150,000. It had a light rattle at startup and has always had a small
> vacuum leak up top.
> The chain rattle has progressed till it rattles most of the time now
> (front left side of motor). A few weeks ago the truck lost almost all
> its power it runs very rough at idle or at speed. It is not missing its
> cutting out. Sometimes before it gets warm the brakes don't want to
> work like it has a vacuum hose leak.
> I am not sure if the chain is lose because of the tensioner and
> cassette or if it has jumped time or if the intake seals have failed.
> The intake looks like an easy fix. I have seen many mixed reports on
> the chain fix. Some say it can be done over the weekend by anybody with
> some mechanical abilities. Some say you cant do it because you have to
> have a special $300.00 tool from ford. And still others say you have to
> pull the motor to do it.
> Any ideas? Even if it turns out to be the intake I would still like to
> do the front chain fix while I have it down. The truck is high mileage
> but it still runs strong and drives great and does not use any oil.
> The people that have posted that they did the fix themselves pretty
> much stop there with no explanation of how they accomplished it and I
> cant find any site with good information on how to do it.
> I would like to do this next weekend if I can gather enough

> information. Thanks


I have had this done by ford and thereare two hydraulic adjusters one
each side in the UK the parts were £40 each so its likely to be $40.
Its not difficult but at the same time you can have the dianostics done
to see what else is wrong or OK.

Ed