Hi, everyone! The timing chain bit the dust on my '03 ranger (4.0l SOHC v6; 2x4). I can't afford to hire a mechanic or buy a new car, so I'm going to give it a shot. I know I might be in over my head with this one, but if nothing comes of it I will at least have learned something. Silver linings, I guess.

My research has taken me pretty far but I'm still am unable to find some answers.

First off; I know I have an interference engine, so there's going to be more to this than just pulling the engine and slapping some new chains on. I'll probably have to replace some valves. My question is this: will a dent in a cylinder head from the valves need to be fixed? I've done some research into cylinder damage, but I can't find the answer to this one.

Second; I was having issues with the engine occasionally stalling when putting it into drive or reverse. It seems that there could be a myriad of causes for that (transmission, torque converter, master cylinder, ECU, etc). Could this issue also be linked to the timing chain, or should I look elsewhere?

Third; I may be short on cash, but I'm going to do this right if I do it at all. It seems that every forum post I've read unwaveringly suggest a Cloyes kit. I know ranger/explorer engines are notorious for having bad timing chain tensioners. Are the tensioners in the Cloyes kit higher quality than the factory ones, or are they about the same? Also, do I just need the one kit (like this one 2001-2011 Ford Ranger Timing Chain Kit - Engine Mechanical - Cloyes, Front 01-11 Ranger Timing Chain Kit - 5520-09023875 - PartsGeek), or do I need even more parts for this repair?

Other than that, I guess I could also do with some tips and general things to look out for. My Chilton's manual is on the way and I'll be pulling the engine in about a week to do a diagnosis. From there, I'll be ordering parts unless the repairs seem too expensive or too difficult for me.

Thanks to anyone who replies!