Ford 4.0L SOHC V6 Rear Timing Cassette Replacement (WITHOUT FORD SPECIAL TOOLS) 

ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION MUST BE REMOVED TO COMPLETE THIS PROCEDURE.

I'm impressed !. It is so nice to see young men who have learned how to do repairs on vehicles not just being parts replacers. I learned my skills out of necessity , because I could not afford to have someone else to do the work. Shop manuals and the right tools are needed and they last forever. Keep learning and there will be very little that you will not tackle.

Honestly these videos are great. No fat, all meat.

I have a 2001 Sport Trac I bought new in 2001 and drove it until 2012 when the cassettes broke with the same motor. I loved the truck so much, I parked it so I could eventually restore it. I prepped in late 2019 to do the work in 2020, but then the pandemic arrived and that pretty much destroyed the plans. But I'm ready now. The truck is in great shape. I dropped and cleaned out the fuel tank last year, put in a new fuel pump and it started back up, but the rattle is still there. I'm not a professional mechanic, but I'm competent and tackled difficult jobs like this before and there's lots of great how-to videos on how to pull and do this task. I have friends who run garages and called them this week. They said basically get a new motor and don't go through the hassle, yet another friend who was a mechanic all his life (retired now) said it can be done and to go slow. This video helps and I appreciate the insight. I sat on getting this fixed for too long and also have to replace the cab body mounts which crumbled over the years. I'm sure there's other issues to resolve, but the truck is worth saving. So, I'm hoping to get started soon! I was also quoted around $700 back in 2019, but now they say no. Hmm.

Your videos on the 4.0 SOHC engine are priceless!! Outstanding!!! Keep up the great work!

Just completed this after watching all of your videos ( and a few others) about this job. All is complete and my old Mountaineer is back on the road. Many thanks and many bloody knuckles, liked and subscribed.

Just finished doing all new timing. Most underrated channel ever

Great video man! I have a ton of mechanical experience and a pretty well stocked garage, but I’m still dreading this job. This vid makes me feel quite a bit better. Thanks.

Thanks man! First time putting in used engine; watched your other video on that,ran across this one and watched it and boy I’m glad I did! Mine was broke and I wouldn’t have known otherwise!!

Awesome video ... I admire anyone that can fix a 2001-2004.5 4.0 S.O.H.C. with a factory defect that Ford never owned up to.

Hey nick great video i have the same problem on these dumb design 4.0s but i was very enlightened and i can’t believe how calm u were working on these engines great job man🤙🏼 i have 06 exploder and pulled 2 motors now to do the same jobs and u give great instructions. Maybe add some more torque specs lol bc every bolt has some torque specs but keep up the great work mechanic.

Aman brother! Now that's skill for a young person as yourself, I've learned something new. Thanks

Это круто, живу в Беларуси, езжу на форде 9 лет, много было поломок, твое видео очень помогает, сейчас буду снимать двигатель, буду пользоваться твоими видео как инструкцией. Все очень круто, ты крутой мастер!!!!

You the man! Best and straight forward on your video. Saved me from buying a new motor 👏🏼

Very nice to work there young man I think you are very talented Ford motor company should’ve stepped up and replaced always at the get go but they didn’t very much appreciated the amount of your knowledge thank you

Thank you I'm ging to try this tomorrow or rilly this week ...kind of excited about it

I didn't need to do this, but I used this video to locate the timing chain tensioner bolt so thanks.

This video is helpful I have 3 of those engines now I know how to replace the timing cassettes

Thank you for this video It’s perfect self explanatory!!!! Amazing!!!!

You are Awesome!!!!!! Mahalo for making this video! if you ever make it to Maui, I owe you a beer, a bong rip or a high five or... all of the above

I have a 4.0 from a Ranger that every shop I talked to would not work on it because they all got plastic in the engine from the timing chain parts and plug up oil passages. Three different shops said they did it once and had a brown engine come back.

Thank you for this video, it will be very helpful. It seems like you're knowledgeable and like you've had some practice at it. This is my first time to time one of these motors, I just hope it goes smoothly.

I did mine today on a engine that I bought but haven't installed yet. So glad I subscribed to your channel. Thought I would change it but wouldn't you know it was broken in two pieces just like in the video and I got the two broken pieces of the cassette out with long needle nose pliers.

You didn't show if you removed the rest of the broken cassette guide. Did you remove it and if so how? I've seen video where you have to take off upper pan and clean out all the broken pieces.

Simple, great job!

Well done man! Definitely helpful for those without the right tools, I’ll link you to my engine build I’m starting that vlog in the spring

1st time viewer and must say that your videos is Great. Also watched how to replace the front chain and cassette which I will be doing tomorrow. Small shop that doesn’t have the special tool to lock cams in place. Thank you and will let you know how it goes.

It looks like this job necessitates the removal of the engine from the car because the transmission bellhousing covers the cassette pivot bolt. Is this correct? Thanks for a great and informative video.

Great series. Good tips. Thanks so much!

Excellent video!!!! Can you answer the following? 1 . Time (hours) to remove engine outside? and 2. Time (hours) to install engine back in place? Thank you very much.

very precise video but I needed to see the procedure to remove and install the rear timing chain and the sprocket that it connected to.

How are you so good? And so young. You’re amazing!

I would like to see the removed tensioner compared to the new one to determine if any pieces broke off and remain in the engine.

Wish I had check before putting used engine in . Found issue when changing valve cover gaskets Thanks !!!

I did a front cassette repair job and the new repair didn’t last long. I was able to drive the truck for a good 8 years but it was constantly rattling and finally died. The front cassette blew up and rammed thru the top of the valve cover partially .

Well, I am about to do a timing chain full replacement. they have been rattling for while I had some issues few weeks back, so its time, your videos are great help. well, I am buying the tool, cause my mechanic doesn't have it, so I can sale to him when I am done. This 4.0 set up is real shit show of design, but what can you do but fix it. should be fun.

Wow that is crazy you have to pull the engine to install timing chains on this motor. I was considering buying a Ford truck with this engine but I'm going to pass now. How long would the engine run with the rear cassette broken like that? And what happened to the piece of cassette that was in the bottom I didn't see you fish that out. Did it go into the oil pan?

You made it look pretty easy

Congratulations man!!! You are a Genius!!

Do you have a video for the left timing chain cassette guide WITHOUT removal of the camshaft and/ or cylinder head

I've seen the rear guides done in vehicle with the trans pulled back. My question is have you done this? And can it be done in a 4x4 model with the transfer case there? Great videos!

Thanks my brother

This is assuming you don't have damage, like bent valves. The one I'm working on has both front and rear broken. Front chain broke a hole through the valve cover. And this engine has markings on the cam that looks like this was done at least twice already. Two scaped spots where they used the vise grip on it.

Great video! You make it look easy. Question. Can I pull/ replace the pivot bolt and torque to spec w/out having do anything else? Or does removing that pivot bolt and retorquing misalign/ unadjust the other bolts or aspects of the timing chain cassette?

noise from this particular guide area, suspected jumped timing but still runs, albiet rough after warm up. What is likely hood of valve damage

Like the flag brother! I’m looking at a 4.0L today scary to look at it

You did help, thank you❤👍!

While you have the engine on the stand pull both oil pans and check for broken pieces or you might just wind up pulling the engine again.

Index marking the cam gear to the cam and the chain to the cam gear helps too, that way you can make sure it goes back exactly the way it was b4 breaking bolts loose. O and ive done extensive research on timing drive kits for the 4.0 mostly cuz i was looking for a performance kit or a kit thas better then the ford one. Out of all my extensive research i have not found 1 afternarket kit that can even come close to matching the quality of the Ford kit which is far superior in quality and design. I know your saying they look the same but theyre not.

If the vise grip wasn't there, how far would we expect the cam to move?

Is there a piece that breaks off of the cassette that needs to be fished out?

What can I do if my cam is not parallel when I change the timing belt from the back and now I just needed to do the front can I still do something or I messed up ? I been going slowly and cautious I’m just stuck in this moment

WOW! thanks for the information !

Great video. The cam sprocket bolts are torque to yield. They say your not supposed to reuse them. Have you ever had an issue? Also where did you get the torque spec because all I’ve heard is a number + 90 degrees. Never just a straight torque. Thanks

How do you time the cam when its jumped timing? Edit: oh it makes sense nevermind 😅

I did tighten the cam bolt without a foot lb ratchet. Just put a pretty good nice n tight snug on it. Should be good 63-70 ft lbs if I had to guess

Any way you can help with replacing the front side chains? There’s 3 😳

A friend replaced all timing chains and reinstalled engine but thinks back chain is off a couple of teeth. Is there any way to adjust it without pulling the engine out again?

Only criticism I'll give is that I wouldn't reuse an old tensioner, I would replace it along with the cassette unless you know you've replaced it recently. Even if it is a low mileage engine, if it is old then there is components in the tensioner that go bad. Reason being is the way they are made, at the top of the tensioner where the oil feed inlet is there is a one way valve encased in a rubber stopper. We all know what happens to rubber when it is exposed to oil for a long time, it becomes hard and brittle. This means that stopper at the top will start to leak and when oil pressure isn't up to snuff it will result in too much flex/movement when towing/low RPM and that results in breaking the cassette as it allows too much flex/movement when it shouldn't. It is why when generally if you are doing the timing components, you should always replace tensioners too.

I gotta do this I popped my oil pan and saw a bunch of plastic pieces, pretty sure this is the issue. I have no engine hoist so the block is still in it. So taking the chain guides out is going to suck because it would be up by the firewall. ahh man fun times.

Can it be done with engine in the vehicle?

I have this in a 2wd sport Trac, could i just move the trans out of the way and do this without pulling the motor?

Hey , ok everything went smoothly except the vice grips came lose and the cam shaft spun so I turned it back maybe one turn but it seemed like it spun a couple times it happen really quick but I have all timing marks lined up and almost done with putting the engine in. Will it be ok and start?

Is this still an issue on 2008 models? I’ve seen some references to the materials changing through the years.

So what about any broken small pieces that may have fallen in lower end of motor. I suggest pulling oil pan to check.

Have you ever heard of the 4.0 having oil only on the exhaust manifold studs like I just did the valve covers and cleaned up the engine for the most part but some of the studs definitely look wet

THANKS YO.. Walk threw was perfect for a mechanically inclined beginner. Any advice on getting all the broken pieces out??? Mine broke up pretty bad.

Great video! I missed information, how was the broken part of the cassette guide removed from the bottom of the engine? Thx

So it’s the transmission bell housing that covers the lower bolt when still installed?

Yo i like the way you did your video, I'm meesaging to ask u where on Amazon did you find the parts to get that done? Also im looking at getting it done with the engine still in the cab of the vehicle.

Can i replace the rear timing chain guide without removing the transmission? 05 explorer 4.0

I'm about to perform this repair for the first time on a 2006 mountaineer. It has a blown head gasket, and the oil looks like soy latte. Any advice on how to clean all of that mess up? I think I'll have to tear it all the way down to the block just to make sure I clean all the gunk out. Have you dealt with this before? If so, what do you think is the best way to clean all of that out? Thanks for the great video man. Ford has been trying to screw people out of as much money as possible since about 2003, so I love finding ways to screw them back. Keep it up bud.

Thanks, I just learned a lot. 👍

Is it possible to change the rear cassette without taking the engine out?

Hi I saw the video very nice. But I have a question. Same motor same problem. But my chain I believe jump off a time the car is not running so my question is my motor vent valve ? Plz let me know

Ok sorry I've read some of the previous comments about the broken pieces being removed by removing the bottom steel oil pan which is fairly simple. But shouldn't the upper pan(not sure thats what its called) also ?

What about whats left of the broken guide? Down in the lower part???

good tips new subscriber in OZ

Hello. There is any rear chain cassette upgraded or more “strong” to avoid this failure? I do not know any brands to choose the best. I am in progress to fix my 4.0 v6 and i would like to install a good spare part insted a chinese quality, you know.

Bro... The timing tools are dirt cheap these days. Unlike when I had to purchase the kit from Marco back in the day. (2002). I have to time my son's 2003 Sport Trac as the rear cassette failed. Jesus, I hate these engines.

With camshafts clamped can i remove the head to do head gaskets?

ok... so what if the front chain broke because the engine fell off the stand and you were dumb and spun the balancer anyway? what if you tried to compensate for turning that balancer by turning the cam by itself? Am I proper fuqed? Can I use the tools and set everything right?

Great informative, entertaining content. Active IG? Any thoughts on the 5.0 swap vs keeping it ultra simple with 4.0?

Do you have a way to check the oil pan for broken guide pieces? I know alot of the larger ford engines just destroy the guides and they end up in the oil pick up. I know that one came out mostly in one piece, these trucks are just such a pain.

Hey tky for ur information but I have a question when that chain do was working on jump off a tooth bent valve ?

This will be my fist time doing any job this big. My question is can this be done without removing the motor from the vehicle? Can the Tran be back off to access the lower bolt?

Looking to replace timing chain. Looks like a pain. So depending on mileage maybe it’s best to buy a low mileage checked fully engine. Many v6 Explorer looking great in junk yard probably because of faulty timing chain cassette.

How much dose a repair like this cost ? Im trying to do ir soon

Hi i have a 2005 ford explorer and the right side poblem is camshaft not turning can be the tensioner or i need to do the same work u did?

Same procedure for a 4.0 mustang engine?

are the replacement cassette guides any stronger or are they just identical to the original ford ones?

Can you do that with the motor inside the engine bay?

What size o-ring or kit did you use for the positioning bolt? I can't seem to find one that will fit properly

Excellent vid & info.

Can this be done in the Truck? Not sure there is enough room to pull the cassette out. 2007 ford explorer sport track

is a 1998 motor the same as the one your working on, i see gen 1, gen2 mentioned mine is awd with 172000 ks thanks in advance, cheers Mick

I am sure someone asked this question before. Can you do this without taking the engine out? Take off air intake, air coolant container, head gaskets, etc. Can it be done?

Do u have to remove the motor to replace the timing chain cassette on v6 4.0 mustang

Hi mate, great video. Have you used the melling timing kits, any good?

What is the rear center sprocket with the cover get torqued to replace the chain and can’t find the torque spec for that one