4.0 Whoes
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From: tennessee
4.0 Whoes
My girlfriend has a 96 explorer sport with the 4.0 automatic. The problem is when she starts it on cold mornings it ticks really loud and the engine misses until it warms up then the ticking goes away and the engine runs smoothe. I was thinking that it might be a bad lifter but I am not familiar with these engines at all. What do you guys think the problem could be. It also has 168,000 miles on it. Thanks.
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Didn't SOHC start in 1997? But I was also thinking if it is a SOHC that the cam guides and tensioners might be in question.
The curious thing is the engine miss, not the tick. Tick can easily be attributed to low engine oil pressure at start up, sure. But a true spark miss...not ususally temperature related. When is the last time plugs and wires were changed? Sometimes, when things heat up, metal expands and electrical connections work a little better.
Other thing is that it could be a bad A/F mixture that then gets OK once warm. A/F with temp is affected by the coolant temp sensor and the intake air temp sensor.
food for thought
The curious thing is the engine miss, not the tick. Tick can easily be attributed to low engine oil pressure at start up, sure. But a true spark miss...not ususally temperature related. When is the last time plugs and wires were changed? Sometimes, when things heat up, metal expands and electrical connections work a little better.
Other thing is that it could be a bad A/F mixture that then gets OK once warm. A/F with temp is affected by the coolant temp sensor and the intake air temp sensor.
food for thought
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From: tennessee
The oil was changed 2000 miles ago along with the plugs. I was thinking that maybe a lifter wasn't getting enough oil pressure at start up and wasn't opening a valve causing the miss, or am I way off base here. The loud ticking noise is what has me worried.
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Originally Posted by Jharger
Didn't SOHC start in 1997? But I was also thinking if it is a SOHC that the cam guides and tensioners might be in question.
Also, it seems that a cold temp misfire or low idle condition is a frequent indicator of bad intake manifold gaskets. Either because the mixture is too lean for the motor to run properly orr because as the lump heats up the surgaces expand together and start to seal.
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Hey lurch, If you do have the 4.0 SOHC I believe it has a hydraulic cam chain tensioner. If the cam chain was worn and the tensioner was worn at start up it could create a loud rapid knocking noise as the chain slaps around inside the engine. Once oil pressure is built up and the tensionerr is able to take up the slack it would go away. I know that my 98 had a recall on the tensioner some time ago. Also, my experience has been to use the Motorcraft oil filter as some of the less expensive aftermarket filters don't allow the tensioner to remain pressureized when the engine stops. Good luck!
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