i have a 2001 ranger 4.0 that i just bought it has 115000 miles on it. i think i have the timing chain problem. i know there are like 3 different chains on this thing. which is normally the problem.

i am new to these forum so thanks in advance for your help

It's all TWO. Front chain for the driverside head and the rear chain for the passenger side head.

It's a very common thing on these early 4.0 SOHC's for their tensioners and guides to take a crap, fall apart, and chain slaps the head resulting in a noisy ass engine at all rpm's. Later engines, these parts were changed for better ones, but eventually they will wear out like all wearables do....just definately not as soon as the early engines.

to replace that rear chain, the engine needs to be removed.

My engine starting making the timing chain noise at only 40,000 miles. And progressively got worse and louder and worse and worse...up until this past summer. I chose to just replace my entire engine with a lower mile one at one 110,000 miles because 1: a punkass teenager beat it up(me) 2: sucked in dirty mud water 3 times(thanks to me) and 3: was CHEAPER to put in a 1,000 mile used engine than it was to fix a beat up beat engine that'll still be beat on the inside.

I got quotes to do the job in about the $1300-1800 range. My new '06 engine with 1,000 on the clock was $1000.

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'01 XLT disguised as a '03 Fx4 Level II.

the truck runs very well. the rattle is not very bad yet but i think i might go ahead and fix before it gets bad.

Mine ran like a raped ape, but constant rattle at even idle was just annoying and it was counting the days til something catastrophic happens. lol.

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'01 XLT disguised as a '03 Fx4 Level II.

is does not rattle all the time just between 2500 to 3000 rpms. on cold start sometimes for about 30 seconds and sometimes not at all.thanks

Yup...you got alot of time before it gets horrible. Mine first started out at about 2000-2500 then went away when not in that rpm range.

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'01 XLT disguised as a '03 Fx4 Level II.

FWIW, mines had the rattle since i bought it with 10,000 miles on it and its now got 85,000 very hard miles on it and it still runs perfect. just keep up with oil changes and it should be fine, ive only heard of just a few actually failing because of it. i can tell when its time to change my oil becuase the chains get louder. lol

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will ford fix sense there is a tsb or does it come out of my pocket.

There's a TSB. aka a recall that isn't a recall...out of pocket for customer unless dealer is nice. There was however a recall replacement on the early SOHC Explorers, yet Ford didn't recall the rangers when they got the same engine. Though there was a person a few years back who still had factory warrantys getting multiple chain replacements which lead to a full engine replacement.

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'01 XLT disguised as a '03 Fx4 Level II.

does anyone know were i can buy this timing chain kit for a reasonable price or is there a kit to fix the problem.

Supposedly this is a daunting task to under take. Removal of engine, speciality tools, and so on. As Fx4 would probably tell you, run her until she blows and upgrade at that time.

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'02 XLT ext. cab 4.0 4x4 Off Road
Usual mods
Unusual color
Only a real man can pimp DWB

My 04 has been starting to get it between 3500-4000 rpm, there's 130 000 km on the motor now tho! But like said you are probably better off keeping an eye out for a written off truck with a low mileage 4.0. I picked up a rolled 05 Level II last year w/ 35000 km on it for just over a grand, sold the rear end and seats/console to cover what I paid for it and have a free motor, auto transmission, front diff, transfer case, etc.
So as soon as mine starts getting really annoying i'm just going to swap in the new(er) one.

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04 Toreador Red FX4 Reg Cab
4.0L Auto, Flashpaq, Gibson Dual Exhast, Rancho shocks

i like that idea.thanks

i just noticed the belt tensioner pulley has play in the bearing you think it could be the problem.thanks