pancartom

being a chevy guy myself, what are these marbling sounds you talk about?

and that rattling, is that the ford truck or something in your head?

drew

 

It sounds just like the piston slap you Chevrolet owners deal with. Chevrolet calls it normal, and won't even throw out a service bulletin. Hmm...

 

easy on drew..... he means us no harm...

 

These engines are equipped with chains, not belts. This makes any repair for the average do-it-yourselfer very difficult with basic handtools. Anyway, it should've been built right in the first place. I am tired of cheap parts and products not to mention inefficient manufacturing practices. Is it any wonder why the Japanese automakers are doing so well in this country? As for my problem with this motor, I first noticed the tap on hot restarts after the motor has been sitting for about 15-20 minutes after freeway driving. I shut it off, go into the store, come out to restart it and it sounds like the top end is not getting any oil. It now does this on cold starts as well as hot. I know for a fact that the cam is getting oil because I opened the oil fill cap and peeked in the valve cover with a flashlight and saw oil being delivered to all parts of the cam and valves. So I am left to wonder what is the root cause of the problem. Like everyone else on this form, if I drive it the noise will go away. (Sigh) I guess its just something I'll have to live with until I can afford to get back behind the wheel of a Toyota. Good luck for anyone doing battle with Ford over this issue. Mine is under warranty from CarMax so if it dies it will only cost $25 to fix.

 

You people must have some very shady dealerships......what a joke
I work at a dealership and I am the engine man.....and I do these alot.......the cassettes..... and yes they are a pain in the butt.....you don't have to pull the motor though.......warrenty time pays like 7.8 hours or so........can't remember.....
but if you have the noise and they won't do it........you need to call ford and complain.....becuase it's not normal
and if they tear it down and tell you that something else broke and caused the cassettes to break and are going to make you pay.............tell 'em to shove it.......the cassette broke and caused the other thing to break........(lower jackshaft tensioner) happens alot on higher mileage vehicles that have been making this noise for a while
and ford will cover it under the owner notifcation
what a bunch of shady ford dealerships.......it sucks that ford places have to be like this

 

I have experienced this entire ordeal with my 98 4.0 SOHC Explorer. I didn't think anything of the noise until the check engine light started blinking and had a bad taping noise. I took it to the dealer and they said it was a problem with the tensioner that expanded to a dead lifter in the #5 cylinder. This caused the cam shaft to "score", but the dealer was able to polish it within tolerance and they replaced all the lifters. No cost. Problem solved? Now, 11 months and 11000 miles later it's back in the shop with the light on. The dealer again says it's the #5 cylinder and it reads 75 psi. There diagnosis: failed exhaust valve guide. When it comes to the innards of the engine, I'm lost. Can anyone tell me if problem one could be the cause of problem two. Ford dealer says it is not. Thanks

 

I have news for all of you!!!!!!!!!! I had the same rattle in my 97 explorer 4X4 and was told it was normal. These things are expensive for a top heavy 4X4 stationwagon. I was real unhappy. The noise got worse and I was even more unhappy. Finally, the cam chain busted a hole in my valve cover and began to gack oil all over my engine. Now I am real unhappy. After talking to the ford dealer, I was told that the only thing that was covered was the timing chain tensioner but the cassette that tensions the cam chains are not. Furthermore, to fix this problem required a new block because of metal particles that were probably deposited into the oil pan and dispersed through the engine. Even after the fix, I would have the same junk in the engine that caused the problem in the first place. I have gone to the web page listed earlier in this thread and it basicaly states that I could argue with the dealer that I bought it from some 400 miles away and he MIGHT share the cost of repair. Even ford's rep told me I would have to talk to the dealer I bought it from and TRY to work something out. This is hog wash......This vehicle only has 79000 miles on it. Even if they fix the cassette and $7 chain in the front, how much longer is the one in the back going to last. If Mr. V10Mustang who stated " You people must have some very shady dealerships......what a joke
I work at a dealership and I am the engine man.....and I do these alot.......the cassettes..... and yes they are a pain in the butt.....you don't have to pull the motor though.......warrenty time pays like 7.8 hours or so........can't remember.....
but if you have the noise and they won't do it........you need to call ford and complain.....becuase it's not normal
and if they tear it down and tell you that something else broke and caused the cassettes to break and are going to make you pay.............tell 'em to shove it.......the cassette broke and caused the other thing to break........(lower jackshaft tensioner) happens alot on higher mileage vehicles that have been making this noise for a while
and ford will cover it under the owner notifcation
what a bunch of shady ford dealerships.......it sucks that ford places have to be like this" I f he would please, please help me get this thing fixed, I would make it WELL worth his time. I loved my explorer. It would cost me a lot less to just fix it myself than to do it through the legal system and even if I did, the only people who would make out would be the people who represented the ones of us with this problem.

My e-mail address is:
smaybery@dtccom.net
If v10mustang is successful in helping me, you will be rewarded.

Thanx
Howard Maybery

 

I have news for all of you!!!!!!!!!! I had the same rattle in my 97 explorer 4X4 and was told it was normal. These things are expensive for a top heavy 4X4 stationwagon. I was real unhappy. The noise got worse and I was even more unhappy. Finally, the cam chain busted a hole in my valve cover and began to gack oil all over my engine. Now I am real unhappy. After talking to the ford dealer, I was told that the only thing that was covered was the timing chain tensioner but the cassette that tensions the cam chains are not. Furthermore, to fix this problem required a new block because of metal particles that were probably deposited into the oil pan and dispersed through the engine. Even after the fix, I would have the same junk in the engine that caused the problem in the first place. I have gone to the web page listed earlier in this thread and it basicaly states that I could argue with the dealer that I bought it from some 400 miles away and he MIGHT share the cost of repair. Even ford's rep told me I would have to talk to the dealer I bought it from and TRY to work something out. This is hog wash......This vehicle only has 79000 miles on it. Even if they fix the cassette and $7 chain in the front, how much longer is the one in the back going to last. If Mr. V10Mustang who stated " You people must have some very shady dealerships......what a joke
I work at a dealership and I am the engine man.....and I do these alot.......the cassettes..... and yes they are a pain in the butt.....you don't have to pull the motor though.......warrenty time pays like 7.8 hours or so........can't remember.....
but if you have the noise and they won't do it........you need to call ford and complain.....becuase it's not normal
and if they tear it down and tell you that something else broke and caused the cassettes to break and are going to make you pay.............tell 'em to shove it.......the cassette broke and caused the other thing to break........(lower jackshaft tensioner) happens alot on higher mileage vehicles that have been making this noise for a while
and ford will cover it under the owner notifcation
what a bunch of shady ford dealerships.......it sucks that ford places have to be like this" I f he would please, please help me get this thing fixed, I would make it WELL worth his time. I loved my explorer. It would cost me a lot less to just fix it myself than to do it through the legal system and even if I did, the only people who would make out would be the people who represented the ones of us with this problem.

My e-mail address is:
smaybery@dtccom.net
If v10mustang is successful in helping me, you will be rewarded.

Thanx
Howard Maybery

 

the Owner Notification Program only is valid for vehicles under 100,000 miles. So owners like me are stuck with this problem! It sucks!!!

 

me too.... other than another SD, i'm done with fords!

 

I called Ford this morning and a customer service rep told me that Ford sent a notice to me around December 2000. I did not receive this notice. However, the CSR said that the notice may have not included my vehicle. Meaning, that vehicles made at certain plants and with certain VINs were sent notices. It was a bit confusing b/c they said I had this notice sent to me. Strange because I received the Firestone recall, but no notice regarding the Cam Chain Tensioners. I think Ford is a little confused about the issue themselves. After speaking with this person, I'm not sure if the recall was under the Owner Notification Program which means Ford will only correct the problem once it is brought to their attention. Or, if there was a notice that went out and if you fell under this problem after a diagnostic check then you can get it fixed by ford.

Who knows...

 

Yes this rattle is normal for a timing chain (or more accurately a cam chain) that is fixing to come out the valve cover. My ford dealer also told me not to worry about it, it was a normal noise. When the tensioner (guide) finally failed completely, the chain knocked a hole about the size of a half dollar in the valve cover. This gave the chain enough room to move a couple of links on the cam sprocket and the valves were hit by the pistons and destroyed all kinds of stuff. Go ahead and listen to the dealer if you want to. What he is doing is making it where you are going to need a new engine. By the way, 7 yrs from date of manufacture OR 70,000 miles is it for repair by ford. It don't matter how long you complained about it or even if you were told it was normal..... I have called Ford Service so many times, they have had my number blocked...................

 

anyone have a copy of this "secret warranty"