Hey guys and yes I searched. I have a youngish 2006 4.0 SOHC 4x4 Ranger with just over 100k. I've put a ton of work into it including a lot of expensive rusty frame and crossmember repair w/shackles etc. Did axle seals when I did the brakes, new fuel pump, new 4wd switch in dash and on transfer case, new hubs, new tranny lines, new grounds everywhere, new sway links and ball joints. Really the list is 3 times as long as that but I'll leave out things like new shocks. I'm asking about the CATASTROPHIC stuff. That is because I'm currently getting the truck back on the road after the front and rear timing chain tensioner issue that I had the engine pulled and all hardware replaced professionally. I've had so much fail on this truck I'm tempted to sell it in the spring. Currently there are no issues and I could get up to 10k for this thing in my area. So are there other known issues that are huge and might creep up on me or does it have a fresh 'bill of health.' I'm reading a decent amount about head gaskets but can't tell how frequent that is or what engine. I'll take any input thanks!

 

4.0l OHV model would crack heads or blow head gaskets if over heated, not the 4.0l SOHC
But any engine will do that if over heated long enough, its just physics, head metal expands when heated, which crushes a head gasket or cracks the head

The 4.0l SOHC does have a plastic thermostat housing that can crack and leak, there is a metal replacement now

Engines with long timing chains are more likely to have timing chain issues, goes with the territory of overhead cams
The 4.0l SOHC should have its 2 timing chain tensioners replaced every 100k miles

Manual trans is fairly bullet proof
Automatics have many interdependent system so tend to have more issues, the Ford 4R and 5R were pretty reliable, Ford used them for 26 years, 1985 thru 2011, but it IS an Automatic
Service it on schedule and hope for the best

BW1354 transfer case is also bullet proof for the most part
4WD Electric control system did have 4x4CM(control module) issues, but you should have the later version in a 2006 which was more reliable
Best practice is to shift from 2wd to 4high and then 4low, and then back to 2wd once a month, don't have to drive in 4WD just do it sitting in the driveway, this keeps the shift motors lube spread out and transfer cases internal linkage working

Someone is going to get a good Ranger when you sell it, from all the work you have done

 

That was super helpful Ron thanks. Esp the info on SOHC vs OHV on the gasket.

I must have the 5R (or technically the 5R55E) on my 06. Should I mess with this auto tranny and have the solenoids checked or wait until I have a reason to do so. I'm not a huge fan of transmission flushes etc. So far the trannys been the strongest part of the truck.

Finally, a bunch of my searches turned up issues with the cam synchronizer shaft getting worn and its a huge issue. Guess that must be another luck of the draw kinda things huh?

Thanks

 

Unless you have transmission issues, i wouldnt worry about the solenoids. But i would drain and fill the trans fluid a couple of times depending on how bad the fluid looks.

Transmission issues most of the time (related to solenoids) can generate codes. Make sure you have a good code scanner for the truck. I prefer the FORSCAN software as it shows everything and its almost free. Just need the proper dongle (USB or bluetooth).

 

Sounds like you're well on your way to being familiar with the NotoriousFailureItems.
Yep, don't flush the 5r55e; Drain+ReFill & FilterChange & BandAdjust every 4yrs\33kMiles, do now if you don't know when\if its been done.
Consider HandPumping 1qt of old ATF from TrannyDipTube every 6months & refill with 1qt of new MerconV; keeps ATF fresh & Tranny happy.
Also substituting 1qt of LucasTransmissionFix can slightly thicken ATF viscocity & help smooth shifting.

 

4.0 SOHC motors don't have cam synchronizers, that's only a 3.0, and 4.0 OHV issue.

If you already did the timing chains, that was the most catastrophic item on the 4.0 SOHC. They're solid motors otherwise.

One thing that wasn't mentioned was the PCV hose elbow near the throttle body. They tend to develop cracks and will cause unmetered air to enter the engine. This will throw rich codes if I recall correctly, due to the computer adding more fuel to make up for the increase in air.

 

+1 ^^^

No sychro on SOHC, just OHV

Solenoids are electric so will set a code if there is a problem with one
"new" parts are NEVER EVER TESTED any more, so swapping out working electrical parts for "new" is just asking for trouble, lol

In "the old days" parts makers would pay people to pullout assembled parts and test them, maybe 1 out of 10, 10%, or 3 out of 10, 30%, it was called Quality Control and was a LABOR COST
Labor is now more expensive than most parts, so no more Quality Control, you just get a warranty, because its cheaper for a parts maker to give you another one than test them as they are assembled

Ford and GM still require Quality Control on all parts installed, as do pretty much all auto makers, which is why a Motorcraft(Ford) part cost $100 and same part from 3rd party costs $40
I would pay $300 for a Motorcraft fuel pump vs $100 for 3rd party because its a pain to change it, don't care if they give me a free one if it breaks, my labor ain't free
If its an easy part to swap out then 3rd party all the way, with warranty, lol

 

Ron, i bought a $150 refurbed valve body and when my transmission guy used it to perform a rebuild, i was encountering a new problem. He told me that 10% of the valve bodies out there come back with an issue due to lack of testing/replacement of all parts.

 

Awesome info guys. I'll look into my throttle body and get that tranny fluid changed. I'll keep my fingers crossed and run this thing for another 100k I hope. I think that about wraps up this one for me. Many thanks to all!

 

I think trucks in general are kind of luck of the draw thing...

We had a 2000 ranger, 4.0L ohv, automatic trans 4x4. I think my girlfriend paid 10K for it about 18 yrs ago. The only thing we ever had to put in the engine work wise was an uppper intake gasket that blew out. Normal tune ups and 3K mi oil changes. We never touched the transmission and it never gave us a day of problems. It started blowing a head gasket a couple yrs ago, huffing white smoke. at that point it had almost 300k on it so, i dumpped a bottle of bars leak head sealer in it. Smoke vanished, we drove it daily for another 50k. One day the frame broke, we strapped it up and kept driving it daily. it started to run a little hotter than normal (below 200F still... high enough to f\get my attention). I found the t\radiator full of oil, so that head gasket let go somewhere else.

My girlfriend drove it for 6 months like that to work... never overheated or skipped a beat. ran like it always did. Then the frame break moved out place and inspection time was coming up so... we sold it for parts. The guy drove it away in Oct this yr with 356k on the clock.

We bought another one, a 2003 with the sohc 4.0L.... we had it a couple yrs, and at 180k the timing chains gave out. it was the middle of winter so we had a local machine shop just rebuild the engine while they had it out to get the rear chains done. That wasnt cheap but...whatever. 90k later here its still zipping along with no problems, and we aint touched that transmission either. Oil changes and tune ups is all it has gotten other than that nasty bit of timing chain work. Rust is killing that one worse than it got to the 2000. Itll probably tear itself in half before it quits running.

We had other rangers, rust killed them long before anything else, They were all running just fine when they got sold for parts.... always busted frames. But daily driving they all took a beating, and never gave us any major problems.... or none that we couldn't fix in the driveway cheap.

My brother bought one a couple yrs ago, drove it for a month and the engine popped and locked up for no apparent reason.... so go figure huh?

 

could this be why my truck sometimes throws a engine code? some days the light is on others it turns itself off. i havent put a scan tool on it yet and the truck runs fine so do i just leave it?

 

Adding on what's been said about the tranny - I have a 2005 5R44E, the valve body sputtered out on me this fall after much abuse, so I replaced the VB (got one from Central Valve Bodies, Donnie was great so I really recommend him) but I also took a chance on the state of the clutches and simply drained out all the tranny oil. I undid the lines at the trans cooler, took out 2 qts at a time, topped up, and then re-did until the colour was a cherry red and I'd taken enough out to have more or less replaced everything. Gentler than a flush, but still a load of fresh, clean oil. I know on older trannys, that's a risk, and I took it because I thought my tranny might be done anyway, but in my case it turned out perfect. (At least, so far) Just putting that out there.
Edit: Somebody else (klc317) made an instruction link, which is what I followed, here it is: https://www.ranger-forums.com/how-di...-flush-137565/

 

new 4wd switch in dash and on transfer case,




There is a switch at the transfer case ????

A 7 pin plug, that goes intermittent sometimes, but never saw a switch.

 

Only a 5wire rotary limit switch, part of the 4x4ShiftMotor assembly.

 

Oh yeah, saw that, but why would one even mess with that ?. Its not really a user switch.

 

I cut my 7 pin plug out, and put two new 4 pin plugs.

All splices are soldered & heat shrink tubed

 

4x4 RotaryLimitSwitch position is somewhat adjustable via the 3 slotted screws on the cover.
I just slide a length of bicycle innertube over the harness plug, then cableties on each end to provide added protection for that connection.

 

Just an FYI for those of us in rust belt like climates. When I lost the 4wd on mine the symptoms seemed like an exact match for the 'behind the dash module' whatever we're calling it thing. Swapped it = no change. Turned out to be the RotaryLimitSwitch mentioned by Dillard (thank you!). When you look at his picture and how low and far back it is you can imagine the salt abuse that switch and its wiring gets. Mine was the most corroded ball of rust you ever saw. Its an pretty easy swap and the first place I'd look to if you can't engage 4WD where there are salty roads.

Thanks IslandRanger. I'm might give that a whirl if the need arises!

Yeah Fred I agree with all of it. When it comes to most trucks and probably many other vehicles, we're all pretty much rolling the dice.

 

Yep, Donnie at CVB is great; really knows these 4R\5R Tranny ValveBodies.