My wife started our '99 Explorer last week and she said that the engine was rattling. I started it up when I got home and it sounded like something had let loose in the engine. We took it a local mechanic and he basically said that the motor was shot. Anyway I'm looking for a little more advice before I scrap it. I pulled the codes and it doesn't look good to me but I'm not a mechanic. Any help is appreciated. Codes are:

P0301
P0302
P0303
P0173

Thanks in advance.

 

The rattle usually signals the failure of the timing chain cassette... not necessarily the need for a new engine.. Philip