ebinmaine 80,060 #9951 Posted Sunday at 11:26 PM 24 minutes ago, adsm08 said: Yesterday I started into replacing the valve cover gaskets, plugs/wires, and thermostat on the Explorer. When I got the passenger side cover off I found the rear timing guide was broken (A known issue with this engine). Today I started removing the engine to replace the timing cassettes. The front one isn't bad. The rear one requires removal of a bolt, that is behind an oil plug, that sits inside the footprint of the transmission bell. Yeeeeesh. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adsm08 4,890 #9952 Posted Sunday at 11:29 PM 2 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: Yeeeeesh. Well, this is what happens when you take a reasonable, reliable, pushrod engine and give it to the Germans and ask them to make it OHC. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cleat 9,093 #9953 Posted yesterday at 12:01 AM 58 minutes ago, adsm08 said: Yesterday I started into replacing the valve cover gaskets, plugs/wires, and thermostat on the Explorer. When I got the passenger side cover off I found the rear timing guide was broken (A known issue with this engine). Today I started removing the engine to replace the timing cassettes. The front one isn't bad. The rear one requires removal of a bolt, that is behind an oil plug, that sits inside the footprint of the transmission bell. What year and engine is your explorer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cleat 9,093 #9954 Posted yesterday at 12:01 AM 58 minutes ago, adsm08 said: Yesterday I started into replacing the valve cover gaskets, plugs/wires, and thermostat on the Explorer. When I got the passenger side cover off I found the rear timing guide was broken (A known issue with this engine). Today I started removing the engine to replace the timing cassettes. The front one isn't bad. The rear one requires removal of a bolt, that is behind an oil plug, that sits inside the footprint of the transmission bell. What year and engine is your explorer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ineedanother 2,766 #9955 Posted 22 hours ago 3 hours ago, adsm08 said: The rear one requires removal of a bolt, that is behind an oil plug, that sits inside the footprint of the transmission bell. That sounds like a chapter in a day of my life Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adsm08 4,890 #9956 Posted 14 hours ago 10 hours ago, cleat said: What year and engine is your explorer. Its an 04 with the 4.0 SOHC. This was a known issue with these engines which Ford didn't really get nailed down until 2005 or 2006. I've owned this vehicle for 7 years and put 55 or 60k miles on it and have kind of suspected this guide was broken the whole time, but it hasn't been causing real issues, so I left it alone. I inspected it while doing valve cover gaskets and disturbed it. Now my technician brain won't let me put it back together broken. I am also going to look at a Flex that's about 10 years newer next weekend to replace the Explorer. If I buy that I know two people in need of a vehicle right now who may either be given the Explorer outright or sell it to them very cheap, and I want to make sure its right if that happens. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 31,968 #9957 Posted 1 hour ago (edited) Another ski bench finished up... Trash picked skis and bench sides / back... Edited 1 hour ago by SylvanLakeWH 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adsm08 4,890 #9958 Posted 44 minutes ago Well after being yelled at over nothing by a psychotic co-worker, and then running out of gas on a test drive, I decided I did not hate my life enough yet today, sooooo.... Engine is out. I forgot the flexplate bolts are e-torx, so it can't go on the stand yet, because I didn't bring the right sockets home. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
