Cam chain rattle: Oils to use going forwards?

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I have a 2003 Ford Ranger FX4 Level II, automatic, with 220k mi (I'm the original owner). All of the Level II's had the 4.0L SOHC engine in them, spec'd 5W-30, and have like 4 chains; one for each cam, and I think 2 for whatever else. The winter of 2015 my chains started rattling most of the time on startup/idle, and at the 2700rpm sweet spot. I replaced both the external screw-in tensioners hoping it'd cure the problem, but alas, it still rattles...this on Mobil-1 5W or 0W so it's not a dino cold flow problem.

I'm not looking to open up what is otherwise a perfectly running engine, however, I'm wondering if perhaps now that I'm coming up on an oil change, if I shouldn't try something other than straight Mobil-1 X1 ESP 0W-30 and instead either spike that with something like MoS2 or even try something else. For example should I try dumping in a quart, or even two, of Mobil-1 0W-20 and see if the lighter oil perhaps helps some of the rattle? Or, maybe I should go the other way and try running something like Mobil-1 0W-40, which is just over 30W territory?

Short of opening the engine up and actually fixing the cassettes and everything else, which means pulling the engine, anyone have advice on this? Yes, Yes, the obvious is: Sell the truck while it's running and buy a Mustang GT since it's Summer...I know, I know...
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Yah, the SOHC 4.0 cassettes.200 K Thing is, if a piece of heat blasted plastic from the guides breaks off and de-rails the chain... It happens way after warranty expires, but even so. It leaves you with a broken engine in a high miles truck. Scrap. Fish or cut bait. Fix it. Ka-ching. Sell your future head ache to some poor shlub.
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Agree that replacing the worn chain guides inside is what is needed.

Since that's not your plan, then I would think that a thicker oil, rather than thinner, would help with the rattle. It'll depend on how bad the guides are on the inside....
 
I know, I just don't have time with house projects (to sell this place), looking for new to us house, and my sick parents...plus work. I'd do it myself with the online write-ups available to save some money and have fun, but, at this point I'd have to pay someone to do it.

I guess I could always buy a lower mileage 06+ 4.0L and swap my stuff over to it and be done with the problem...IF that engine turned out to be good.

What I was hoping for was a good diesel conversion thread using the VW 2.0L TDI. Someone actually was going to do one with a '02 Level II (same as at least 03-05 Level II), but he bailed for whatever reason (maybe too many projects himself). If I'm going to drop $2k I mine as well drop $2k on something worthwhile.

I keep wondering given my situation if the MoS2 wouldn't help some. But I don't know if I should try a lighter oil that might get up into the engine quicker or a heavier oil that would "cushion" some of the likely damage being done.

Perhaps heavier w/ MoS2 in summer, and then lighter w/ MoS2 in winter is ticket?
 
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Doubt if MOS2 is likely to "plate" plastic.

PYB 10/40 might be worth a shot. PYB works real good at quieting our Jeep 4.0 engines. Also has a lot of moly in it.

RT6 silenced my Caprice's rattly timing chain before I got around to replacing it.
 
I had a Ford Ranger 4x4 that I used for work and accumulated 253,000+ miles before it went to auction (running fine). Around 175K, when it was on the dyno for a SMOG Check (under load in some jurisdictions), I could no longer stand the rattles and the noise. Standing across the yard in front of the engine, it was nasty loud. It ran fine, it just sounded very bad...

The next oil change on the boss's CC was at Oil Stop (a Chevron affiliate) so I decided to try my old high mileage make then run better oil - Delo 400 15W-40. They asked if I was sure, etc. I said yes, do it. Engine quieted right down and was as mellow as a putty tat from then on. Had a steady diet of Delo from there on out.

Give it a try, may work well for you to
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15W is good to about -15* or something like that, so it should be fine, even in Chicago if it's still in there late in the fall ...
 
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Originally Posted By: chucky2
For example should I try dumping in a quart, or even two, of Mobil-1 0W-20 and see if the lighter oil perhaps helps some of the rattle?


Yeah that'll do it! Like pouring acetone on an open wound!
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Now I'm not no oil expert by any stretch of the imagination, but it seems to me that if you want to put an oil BARRIER between the timing chains and their mating chain guides so that they don't come in contact with each other so easily causing that rattling noise, you might stand a better chance of keeping them separated with a THICKER oil.
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Either sell it now or fix it. No oil or additive is going to unwind the wear and offset the inevitable. If you wanna try a different oil, use Castrol Edge Titanium or any oil that contains titanium. Titanium is one of the better anti-wear adds when the oil is still cold before the other anti-wear adds start doing their job.
 
Originally Posted By: chucky2
I know, I just don't have time with house projects (to sell this place), looking for new to us house, and my sick parents...plus work. I'd do it myself with the online write-ups available to save some money and have fun, but, at this point I'd have to pay someone to do it....


That might be your best option. My brother had a vehicle with the worn chain guide rattle...perfectly good engine mulched a few plastic parts and killed the engine. Certainly wouldn't want that to happen to you.
 
DoubleWasp- Yeah, I know the MoS2 won't plate to the plastic, I was thinking more it might plate to the chain and provide some small level of protection. Thanks for those two recommendations, I'll check them out - I have both available to me locally.

BrocLuno- Man I've used 15W-40 before, that stuff is thick! I might consider it though, maybe I'll try one of these other somewhat lighter alternatives first and if doesn't work, dump after 1-2k and try the 15W-40. I remember one winter turning a mostly empty bottle of that stuff that was in my truck bed outside upside down once when I moved back up to Chi area, and I thought, What the heck, I know I had some left in here? After like a minute, it started finally appearing at the other end of the bottle!
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But, it's Summer...so maybe I should at least give it a try!

Merkava_4, UltrafanUK, Ducked- My only thought on the thin oil would be it might get up into the chain and cassette (whatever is left of it at this point) quicker than a thicker oil and, while sounding more harsh, may yield less wear since the oil would be up there quicker. You all are likely right, along with everyone else, that probably a thicker oil is what I need.

skyactiv- I know I should just have it fixed, but to have it fixed properly in the Chi area it's going to be over a grand between parts and labor. If the cab corner on the drivers side hadn't started rusting last year, it'd be a no brainer. But now...if the body is going to Chi salt disintegrate, then dumping money into it doesn't seem like a good idea. If I trade it, now that that corner is rusty and it's rattling, I'm going to get little for it...and I really don't want a new car payment right now before buying a house. I'm just looking to buy as much time as I can reasonably buy...

Kuato- I know, I know...but I just don't know if it's worth the money. The other thing is, I don't really have the garage space to do this myself. Maybe when we move, I'd be able to pull the engine myself and slowly fix it properly as sort of a fun project. I'm just trying to protect what's in there as much as a I can for another year. In a year we should be in the new place (wherever that ends up being), and I should have the garage space necessary to tackle it myself.

Thank you all for your comments!
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I had a DOHC Ford Sierra here (European car, not the US truck) that broke a chain guide, which ultimately killed it. Quite a nice car, and RWD, which is hard to find here, killed by the failure of what looked like a piece of bakelite. (and, to be fair, some collateral stupidity from me).

Is it unreasonable to feel that pieces of bakelite should not be doing severe duty inside an engine?

Same car, I broke the pipe to the brake servo while removing the battery. Another POS brittle plastic component.

I replaced it with part of a Japanese ball-point pen. By that time I had a lot more confidence in the Japanese ball-point pen than I would have had with a Ford OEM replacement.
 
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SR5- OK, I'm going to try that first, along with some Liqui Moly MoS2 from NAPA. We'll see how it goes. If I can, I'll put in like 4.5, 4.75 quarts (I have 5 qt system) w/o the MoS2, run it for a week or so, and see what the noise is like. Then put the MoS2 and the rest of the oil in, then see what that does. With my luck the engine will blow haha...

Ducked- I really don't know why Ford went with this design...there must be a better way!
 
Originally Posted By: chucky2
I replaced both the external screw-in tensioners hoping it'd cure the problem, but alas, it still rattles...

If you compare your chain with brand new one, I guarantee that it at least an inch longer. No one oil help you here, tensioner are already on their max position, but thi sis not enough. The only thing you can do is to replace the chain.
If you don't do that it could jump over a gear tooth, so your valves will say "hello!" to pistons.
 
Oil won't fix worn out parts. With that said I have never had any OHC chain components changed even with engines well into the 200Ks. At present I am using M1 0-20AFE.
 
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Originally Posted By: chucky2
DoubleWasp- Yeah, I know the MoS2 won't plate to the plastic, I was thinking more it might plate to the chain and provide some small level of protection. Thanks for those two recommendations, I'll check them out - I have both available to me locally.

BrocLuno- Man I've used 15W-40 before, that stuff is thick! I might consider it though, maybe I'll try one of these other somewhat lighter alternatives first and if doesn't work, dump after 1-2k and try the 15W-40. I remember one winter turning a mostly empty bottle of that stuff that was in my truck bed outside upside down once when I moved back up to Chi area, and I thought, What the heck, I know I had some left in here? After like a minute, it started finally appearing at the other end of the bottle!
shocked2.gif
But, it's Summer...so maybe I should at least give it a try!

Merkava_4, UltrafanUK, Ducked- My only thought on the thin oil would be it might get up into the chain and cassette (whatever is left of it at this point) quicker than a thicker oil and, while sounding more harsh, may yield less wear since the oil would be up there quicker. You all are likely right, along with everyone else, that probably a thicker oil is what I need.

skyactiv- I know I should just have it fixed, but to have it fixed properly in the Chi area it's going to be over a grand between parts and labor. If the cab corner on the drivers side hadn't started rusting last year, it'd be a no brainer. But now...if the body is going to Chi salt disintegrate, then dumping money into it doesn't seem like a good idea. If I trade it, now that that corner is rusty and it's rattling, I'm going to get little for it...and I really don't want a new car payment right now before buying a house. I'm just looking to buy as much time as I can reasonably buy...

Kuato- I know, I know...but I just don't know if it's worth the money. The other thing is, I don't really have the garage space to do this myself. Maybe when we move, I'd be able to pull the engine myself and slowly fix it properly as sort of a fun project. I'm just trying to protect what's in there as much as a I can for another year. In a year we should be in the new place (wherever that ends up being), and I should have the garage space necessary to tackle it myself.

Thank you all for your comments!
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I'll add one to the thicker oil recommendation. The thicker oil will also leave a thicker oil coating on the plastic guides rather than all drain off.
 
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