Came out of the store the other day and my engine was locked.

I have a 98 4.0L SOHC 4wd, 73k mi. I heard the rattling, and could never reproduce it at the service shop.

I took it to a shop that is highly regarded for engine work. Before I took it there, they told me they suspected the timing chain. If it was the timing chain, they said it would cost about $1200. If I threw a rod or something else, it would be the engine.

Now they called to say it is definitely the chain, but that I will need a new engine for $3225. What is going on here?

Is there any way out of this? Am I being rooked?

 

Timing chain tensioner program 00m12 extends warranty on the tensioner up to 6 years and 72,000 mi. Check with someone else. There may be help available.

 

Eventhough you are technically outside of the ONP on the timing chain, if you had already gone to the dealership regarding the concern and they didnt replace the timing chain, you should STILL be eligible for a free engine replacement. Go to a FORD dealer (if not where your truck is now), tell them what happened, have them look up your previous concerns on OASIS and demand an engine replacement since the recall was not performed as it should have been. Good luck!

Edit - if they give you crap about it, call the Ford customer service line. The number is in your owner's manual. DO NOT PAY FOR ANYTHING TO BE DONE TO THE TRUCK!

 

Good luck with getting it replaced. I am the second owner of a 97 explorer with the 4.0 sohc and it broke ten days outside the extended service period of 7/100 on the m program of 01m01. Because it was not previously diagnosed by Ford the customer service line said there was nothing they could do. And further more the supervisor informed me that I could not talk to anyone higher up in the company than her. BS.

A Jasper engines long block cost $3122 plus installation cost.

 

Powerkleen, you say 10 days outside warranty, do you mean Jan 10. 2004 If so when was your truck built, can they run a 7/100 and claim the seven years expired before your truck was 7 years old. I'm sure yours was not built on Jan. 1. Has anyone condisidered a class action suite against ford on these POS 4.0's And what about replacing the sohc with a ohv when it blows. Is that an option.

 

Wolgie,

I have wondered about a class action lawsuit about the cam chain area function problems, whether the guide or any other part. I don't even think this is in the service manual as needing to be done. I don't think that the chains are supposed to be causing problems this early on.

The ford dealer checked my VIN and it come up with a warranty start date of Jan 23, 1997 which put my vehicle breaking down on Feb 2, 04 as being 10 days out of the warranty extension date. This is really great since the bulletin was sent out several months before I purchased my vehicle used. Ford claims that since this is not a safety issue that they only have to send this out once and good luck or got screwed. Since my wife was driving down hill and lost all power steering and power brakes and had to fight to control it with the 9 month old child in the back, I consider this a safety issue. Just like the tires, what would happen with someone being killed or killing other innocent people due to ford problems?

I also just spent $2700 to rebuild the tranny and the local shop said that this was also a defect from ford. He said that metal shavings from the converter clogged up the cooling lines and further damaged parts including the valve body. Several people that I work with have heard from others to expect to rebuild or replace the tranny at 80-100k miles.

Let's get something started since Ford has the problem but doesn't want to do anything about it.

Anthony

 

Apparently there is a class action suit already started. The guy that has my car right now says I can join. I don't really see how that helps, though. I mean, what is that, a reimbursement in 5 years or something?

 

Tom,

The only questions I have are

Who?
What?
Where?
When?

I already know why. I will try and join if you tell me how.

Thanks

Anthony

 

I don't have any details yet. I am in dicy maneovers right now between the shop that wants me to pay full price and sue and the dealership that may or may not have me under warrantee.

I will post back with what I learn tomorrow.

 

I'm in, just tell me where to sign

 

I just went through the service records for my daughter's 1997 4.0 SOHC and see that she was notified for the chain recall a few years ago. The dealer replaced the chain tensioner and checked for the lower manifold leak recall. This was around 75K and is now at 105K. She mentioned that she had heard a rattling type of noise when inside a parking ramp or between buildings. After reading about these common yet expensive failures, I am very worried.

She's paid for lots of service including $2400 for a transmission rebuild and this was at 90K after having at least two transmission fluid/filter changes, one done at a dealer shortly before the O/D light started flashing and the clunk noise occurred.

If there is truly a lawsuit, we'd like to get her in on it.