Advice, '98 Merc Mountaineer

[levittownnick]

135K miles, good body condition, 4 new tires (< 1,000 miles).
Started idling rough about 1 week ago and has a slapping/clanging noise in the front of the engine. The dealer said that the Timing Chain Tensioner needs replacement but at 135K miles they don?t recommend replacement and suggested that I take it elsewhere.

What are the pro?s & con?s? How much are we talking about?

 

[texasabil]

Re: Advice, '98 Merc Mountaineer

I buy and sell though the year and sell when income tax time gets here!!! I bought a 98 v-8 loaded got a very good deal on it 130000 miles well my wife wont let me sell it. she drives it 3 days a week!!! I had to put a radiator on it and so I replaced the water pump and thermostat other then that runs great I don't get but about 17-18 mpg but its a v-8!!!

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Advice, '98 Merc Mountaineer

Does it still run ? If so it may be savable as long as there is not too much metal in the oil pan, I'm sure it needs all 3 chains replaced plus the jackshaft chain no doubt all the early design plastic guides and tensioners are all broken and junk.
I have heard the average repair cost for this is around 2500 US Dollars. Cloyes a quality manufacturer of timing chains is hawking an entire kit and I guess you can get it for about $250 on ebay or about $500 retail I think all the parts from Ford will cost ya about $300. I would not use any china or no names parts in it. Special tools are needed to hold and time the cams and cost about $1-200.

If your motor does not run it is possible it has crashed the pistons into the vales thus bending the valves and ensuring your engine is junk in which case you junk it and get another. I woudl only do the 2005+ Mustang 4.0 which fits fine, is readily available with low/good miles for reasonable prices $500-700 and has much better designed timing chain guides and tensioners.
As for as the tensioners themselves being bad, sure I'm sure their junk as well but the real problem is the broken plastic tensioner arms the hydraulic tensioners pushes on in addition to other broken plastic guides in there.

Sorry to hear about your misfortune with this truck I wouldnt wish these problems on my worst enemy. I love Ford products its all we drive but IMO this 4.0 SOHC is probably the worst engine they ever produced. It was a good motor before Ford fitted it with the ridiculous overhead cams, I guess this is what happens when you cobble overhead cams onto what amounts to a bored and stroked 1975 Pinto V6. :facepalm:
Big props to the old 5.0 V8. I have 206k on my great running/driving fully loaded 99 AWD and beside minor wear items this this truck is all original and solid as a rock and a real tank I must say. Wife loves it and being that it has heated seats and remote start it is a preferred ride for me.

All the info and or advice you could ever dream of on explorerforum.com
Good luck man.

 

[levittownnick]

Re: Advice, '98 Merc Mountaineer

Thanks for the information. The truck runs but idels poorly and has detectable loss of power. At this point I have not made a firm decision but I'm leaning toward having the chains done rather than a remanufactured engine.
Again I thank you for your input.

Nick

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Advice, '98 Merc Mountaineer

What motor is it? What about the timing chains is making it run poorly? Are you absolutely sure it is the chains making the noise?

I have a '97 E150 with a 4.6l V8. It started making a noise that you would swear was coming from the front end of the motor. I fact, it was coming from the rear. The flexplate was cracked almost all the way around, just outside of the ring of 8 bolts that hold it to the crank. Many more miles and that motor would have been freewheeling.

Lest you think this is a fluke, I was looking on the internet to find what it would take to replace the assumed chains, guides and tensioners. I ran across a youtube of a guy with the same motor in a Crown Vic. He had the whole front end off the motor and was actually running it in the video to show there was nothing wrong with the chains, etc. His problem turned out to be.....you guessed it.....a cracked flex plate.

My motor has over 225k miles on it. Those chains are not a big problem.

And I am curious? Why would a dealer recommend you take you car somewhere else?

 

[scipper77]

Re: Advice, '98 Merc Mountaineer

And I am curious? Why would a dealer recommend you take you car somewhere else?

Because the cost of the dealer repairing the issue would be more than the value of the vehicle. It would be easier to go buy another truck.

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: Advice, '98 Merc Mountaineer

Theirs a big difference in replacing the timing chain(s) between the 4.0 v-6 sohc and the 5.0 v-8.

 

[levittownnick]

Re: Advice, '98 Merc Mountaineer

What motor is it? What about the timing chains is making it run poorly? Are you absolutely sure it is the chains making the noise?

I have a '97 E150 with a 4.6l V8. It started making a noise that you would swear was coming from the front end of the motor. I fact, it was coming from the rear. The flexplate was cracked almost all the way around, just outside of the ring of 8 bolts that hold it to the crank. Many more miles and that motor would have been freewheeling.

Lest you think this is a fluke, I was looking on the internet to find what it would take to replace the assumed chains, guides and tensioners. I ran across a youtube of a guy with the same motor in a Crown Vic. He had the whole front end off the motor and was actually running it in the video to show there was nothing wrong with the chains, etc. His problem turned out to be.....you guessed it.....a cracked flex plate.

My motor has over 225k miles on it. Those chains are not a big problem.

And I am curious? Why would a dealer recommend you take you car somewhere else?

The engine is the 4.0 and my only option is to assume (I was not present when the work was done but I have used this dealer for the past 13 years and have no reason to doubt them. I know that I pay more than at other places but...) the dealer did the work that was billed to me. The bill indicates that the fan belt was removed. That would eliminate the noise being made by any of the components driven by the belt. The Timing Chain Tensioner is a relatively common problem on this engine. I tend to trust the dealer's judgement. As for refusal of the work, the dealer can't make much money not doing jobs therefore I respect his judgement and his opinion.