I'm no expert on them but it's a chain driven (total of 4 chains with tensioners) SOHC with a jackshaft replacing the original single cam for the OHV pushrods.

The only thing I know is that the tensioners were a problem from manufacture and the idea of having 4 chains seems optimistic at best. Needless to say it's got valve/piston contact whenever the timing is upset. The engine has to come out of either the explorer or the mustang to even get to replacing the rear chain cassette so all-in-all it's a lovely job with lots of special tools and hours to achieve a seemingly simple task.
My enthusiasm for older vehicles has always confused people that don't work on their own vehicles...

 

thats where you had me confused when you said it was the Cologne engine. The Cologne 4.0 referred to the earlier version of the 4.0 that utilized a single cam w/ pushrods... the Modular 4.0 which came in the 2005+ mustangs was the SOHC chain driven versions.

and i agree.. i wish we could go back to the pre-computer vehicles. they were simpler and easier to work on for sure.. ntm engine bays were larger leaving you plenty of room to work around them.

 

My apologies my only previous knowledge of Ford engines comes from when they bought out Land-Rover and dropped what was disparagingly known to us as the Ford Cologne engine. When my BH asked me to look at her mustang I was ... delighted... to see a familiar engine shoe-horned in there,

 

no worries im not always up on the engines either.. tbh i thought the 4.0s were all the same till you mentioned the cologne part.. thats when i found out the ones under the cologne name were the pushrod motors.. all i knew prior to that was that yeah the rangers had a 4.0 in them but thought it was the same modular that was in the mustangs now lol.. so i actually learned something too...

 

Yall have a good week.

 

So Far So Good. So my buddy James (from Raeford) and his son David are planning a Uwharrie trip on April 5-7 (Thurs-Sunday). Rather than renting a campsite, we have found a rough camp that has bathrooms and is free. So we are going to try that out. I'm not sure how many are going as of yet. But if anyone is interested let me know. The goal is mainly trail riding and relaxing. I doubt anyone will be around to run a smoker, but I'm sure we will still eat good, unless we let David cook my eggs!!! I do relaize it's easter weekend, so if you just want to come down for the day for trail riding Saturday, or Friday, just let me know.

 

The reason Im looking for a pre-2001 ranger, the pushrod 4.0s we're a very good engine.

 

I got the 4.0 back in the mustang. Fired her up. Still bleeding coolant, got to bleed the new clutch etc but hopefully I can move on soon to the F100.

 

spent all morning yesterday loading the 79 onto the 7ton rated trailer.... not sure how much the heavy duty trailer weighed.. but the 79 when it was new weighed near 5K.. well atm its holding all the parts from it along with the parts for the 85 that the good pieces from the 79 will be going into.. so pretty sure atm it equaled what Lil dually does.. with the trailer added in im sure i was pretty close to recommended max weight



about a 4 hr drive later.. normally its a 3 hr drive but was stuck staying between 55-60 with all that weight... trailer wasnt in the best condition either which is the other reason i kept it that slow.. even though the trailer has electric brakes on each wheel none were working when dad towed the 85 down with his truck.. before loading the 79 loaded i got 1 of the 4 brakes to work... the other 3 were dead as a door nail.. (which just an fyi the break away batter was also dead) 1 trailer brake to slow that much weight pretty much really didnt help... (yay for rented things) few steep hills i got pushed till Lil Dually's programming kicked in to use the "exhaust brake" (turbo vanes) to slow it down which did pretty good.. nice thing is had no one pull any stupid moves around me this trip like they normally do..



biggest fun of it was with the weight on the pintle hitch (first time ive ever used one) it was pretty much a tail wagging the dog run..

 

Goodbye winter!