I am sure alot of the 4.0 guys know about the Timing Chain Rattle problem. I just realized that I am having this problem, or at least I think I am. I have checked out the TSB on it and from that I am pretty sure thats what it is.

My question is, if I were to take my truck in to Ford will they fix this for free since I dont have a warranty anymore or is this something I have to pay to get fixed?

I did a search and saw other people here with this problem but wasnt sure if I should expect to pay for this to get fixed or not.

Any help would be great!

 

The TSB is 04-15-04. At one time, Ford was doing a customer satisfaction program for noisy tensioners on 2000-back SOHC Explorers up to 72,000 miles but I don't think it was ever offered on Rangers which got the 4.0 SOHC from 2001-on.

 

Yeah I noticed that. But I am guessing because they put the TSB out on the Rangers that means its not a recall right? And if its just a TSB they wont cover the charges to fix it?

 

To the best of my knowledge, there has never been a recall on the 4.0L SOHC tensioners. Ford seems to look on the rattle as more of a nuisance than anything that will damage the engine.

Unless there is a special customer-satisfaction campaign with extended time/odometer limits, a TSB will be customer-pay if it's outside of 3/36. Only the dealer can tell you for sure.

 

Ok thanks for the help Bob. That is kinda what I thought, but I will ask the dealer anyway since I am taking it in for a trans flush anyway.

 

Justin the noise you are probably hearing is the fuel injectors, they make a lot of noise and the plastic intake manifold does nothing to quiet them. The problem that the explorers had was pretty bad, i sat in one for a few mins and you heard were loud slaps and cracks as the pistons hit the valves

 

Hmm I dunno, it happens right when I hit above 2500 RPMs and then stops when I drop below that. Then once the engine is warm it doesnt really do it anymore.

 

most likely the injectors, my explorer did that a lot as well, at the same RPM range. im not sure what it was exactly but we never had any problems wtih it after about 85k miles

 

Where can I find the ford TSB's? I think I have the timing chain rattle problem on my 4.0 sohc. When I accelarate, I can hear something rattle in the engine compartement.. only on accelaration of maybe over 3000 RPM but doesnt happen all the time.

 

is this only on the sohc?

 

I think it is from what I read.. primarly on 2001 and early 2002 rangers with the sohc. Also same problem with the explorers with the 4.0 sohc.

 

oh alrighty then

 

i wouldnt worry about it.

 

hmm the rattle i hear occurs when climbing steep roads, like going over a mtn, thats when u really hear the sucker rattle, other than, that, nothing... besides, i have come to the conclusion, that unless the truck actually reaches out and grabs the tech by the *****, they wont find anything wrong with it.

 

lmao

is your cruise control on when going up that hill?

the onthing that rattles like a **** on my truck is the gas pedal when the cruise is set

 

LOL fmd. I had the dealer look at this today since I was doing other stuff under waranty and they said they only heard spark knock.. normal condition and that it may help to use higher octane gas.. I was like hummm ok but ford manual recomends to use 87 and nothing else... then they were like well its nothing that will damage or what not and just left it at that for now. I still have 15 000Km of waranty so if it gets wors I might have it checked out again before its done.

 

This is definitely detonation/spark knock. Mine was doing the same thing before they cleaned the maf sensor.

 

I know what a knock sounds like.... my car - my mazda 626 knocked when it idled, and it was BAD this is a definite rattle... like, if u listen really close u can hear it around town,. dad says its cause of hard starts, stretches the chain, at any rate, like i said before, unless the truck physically jumps out and slaps them up side the head, or the "computer" which simply monitors emissions for the state says theres a problem, they have no clue. personally, I think they should replace the check engine light with a dollar sign, cause when ever it comes on, will mean BIG money for everyone but you.

 

When I have my hood open while the engine is running, I can hear a rattling noise. Is that the same problem you you guys are having, jsut not as loud? I've never heard it while driving and can barely hear it from outside with the hood closed.

 

A knock at idle or low rpm's is not spark knock. That would usually be something mechanical like a lifter, rod or main bearing, or wrist pin. Detonation/spark knock would occur under a load, such as driving up an incline on the highway, and has a definite "rattle" ( fast sounding clatter-clatter-clatter ) sound that can sound very much mechanical.

 

unless its still on recall they wont fix it

 

well atleast for free

 

I dont think it ever was a recall on rangers..

 

then they are not gonna fix it for free. gonna cost you a lil $$$$

 

Thats why Im not gonna have it fixed till its a real problem.. I can only hear it a bit on hard accelaration and they told me it was spark knock so maybe it is..