On Thursday, December 23, 1999 at 3:00:00 AM UTC-5, wrote:
> I wish I would have read some of these articles before I bought my 2000
> Ford Explore XLT. Well, Ford still has the same problems with the
> 2000's. My timing chain and cassette had to be replaced at 1,600
> miles. (along with many other repairs). There is still an engine
> noise that Ford can not identify. I have repeatedly complained about
> it. I guess Ford is just sick of me. They have offered to buy back
> this Explorer. Guess what??? I am taking them up on it.
>
> In article >,
> (Jaz5437) wrote:
> > Just interested in hearing about anyone elses problems with the
> timing chain
> > tensioners in the 4.0L SOHC engine.
> >
> > I bought my '97 used in April '99 with 50k and luckily also bought
> the extended
> > warranty (although it hasn't helped me really). I noticed the problem
> a week
> > after I bought the thing. Took it in to have repaired. They had it
> for two
> > weeks and didn't fix the problem. Was then told the tensioner was
> being
> > redesigned and would be in in 30 days. Five months went by and still
> no part.
> > Finally I took it to another dealer who tried to fix it again. Still
> no go. He
> > then said there was another new design and was ordering parts. A week
> later I
> > took it in again to have the yet again redesigned tensioner put in
> and it still
> > didn't fix the problem. He told me that Ford had no clue what the
> problem was
> > and was going to put a new engine into it, but the bad news is that
> even the
> > new engines had not been corrected. So I took it in again only to
> find that
> > Ford changed their mind. Ford had yet again redesigned the tensioner
> so I was
> > on the parts list again. Three weeks have gone by and still no parts,
> although
> > I was told to bring it in next Monday and parts should all be there,
> but why
> > should I expect that after 8 months of screwing around that they will
> finally
> > get it right.
> >
> > Is this what everyone else has been through? Isn't Ford obligated to
> repair my
> > vehicle by any means up to the retail value of the vehicle in a
> reasonable
> > amount of time under the contract they signed with me (extended
> warranty) ?
> >
> > I guess one good thing is that it is still running, although the noise
> > continues to get worse and I have been told that this problem has led
> to the
> > timing chain failing and ruining the engine on numerous occasions.
> >
> > Why can't they just get rid of the chains and retrofit to a belt
> system and why
> > cant they just offer the V8 with the fully functional 4WD?
> >
> > To everyone out there DO NOT BUY AN EXPLORER WITH THE SOHC ENGINE?
> The few
> > extra HP or MPG will be made up for by the many sleepless nights you
> will be
> > spending worrying about the POS in your driveway.
> >
>
>
> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.

I know this thread is old, i was still in high school. I have a 98 4.0 sohc explorer for about 5 years now. i believe the timing chain tensioner is bad also. its sounded the same since ive had it. i always thought it was because it was wrecked it had rattles underneath. it runs great and i hold it to the floor. i will drive it until it completely quits on me. 109k miles when i got it, now its at 145k. too many electrical interior components.