Hey there, obviously new to the forums. This place has helped me a bit as Ive lurked. I am having a huge issue with my truck right now and I would like some opinions. Just to put it out there, I will update you as I proceed. I know it can be quite annoying helping some newbie and they cant take 2 seconds of their time and let you know if you helped cure their ills. This is long, tying to cover everything, but I appreciate any help you can give!!!! Also, you may not need all this information, but I figured it could help you help me. Thanks!
Truck: 02 Ranger 3.0 V6 Flex 86,000 2RWD
So, on to the story. This is the first time I have been this deep into an engine. I have had a lot of leaks recently and decided to patch everything up at once. I think the leaks were from lack of use, because this truck has been well taken care of and has had fluids changed religiously, plus it is garage kept. I am working out of the Haynes Manual.
Also, I torque everything to specs. I learned a while ago that if I dont, I break things.
Coolant was leaking from the timing chain cover. While I was in there, I replaced the timing chain and I replaced the harmonic balancer. The balancer was only replaced because of a few notches on it, that I thought at the time were signs of wear. I shouldnt have replaced this part. I replaced it with the Dorman. Yes, I used the puller tool. I got everything back together and all was well. Also, I did bring it to TDC.
I thought I had a rear main oil seal leak. So I drove it to a shop where they helped me pull the tranny properly. They initially thought the rear main was the problem as well. I replaced the rear main oil seal, the front pump seal, and the rear seal on the tranny. However, it wasnt the rear main oil seal that was leaking. Bummer, it was a valve seal that trickled down. No biggie just some lost time and a few dollars.
Upon driving the truck home I decided to floor it. I never ever do that. I hit around 4000 RPM and the truck hesitates like it doesnt have any air. O.K. At first I thought tranny, but the shop helped me pull it off and put it on. So, next I thought timing.
I had to replace the valve covers and decided to do the head gaskets at the same time. I had smoke coming from the exhaust and once I pulled the gasket there was a little coolant in cylinder 6, maybe about a cup. I went ahead and pulled the timing cover again to make sure the chain was on properly. Why not, a few extra bolts. But, I had an issue with getting the harmonic balancer off. It did not want to come off! I worked on it for probably two hours. I decided to walk away for a moment to calm my nerves. At that moment the balancer broke in two separating the disc/tooth part from the sleeve. Yes, the metal broke in two. Once again I was using the puller tool. After it broke in two, the sleeve slid right off with minimal effort. The chain timing was fine, as it should be, it is pretty much idiot proof. I replaced with my original balancer and got my money back on the new one, thinking it is defective.
So I put everything back together with no issues. I used new head bolts and new gaskets everywhere. I also had put in a new oil pressure sensor. Why not, I was already there. I put in new spark plugs and new air filter as well.
I started it up and it idled roughly. When I stepped on the accelerator, the engine bogged down and sounded like a circular saw being held in the air. Imagine the button on the saw is the accelerator. I only heard this noise when the accelerator was pushed. After about 5 minutes, this all went away and the truck drove beautifully. No problems at 4000 RPM. But, the noise and stutter happened every time I started the truck cold.
So, naturally I think, wow I really screwed up, but I am not sure what. So, I tear it all back down and rebuild it again with all new fresh gaskets and head bolts. This time, when I start it up, no circular saw noise. Fantastic! I thought. I got it down the road and it started hesitating while trying to accelerate again. Darn! Then, I got the dreaded No Oil Pressure and Check Gauge light came on. I thought, it was the new oil pressure sensor I installed. No problem, there was plenty of oil in the truck. I was only driving it around the block anyways. Shortly before I reached my road the valves started clapping like crazy. I get it in the garage and shut it off. It was hardly driven at all with the clapping.
I pull the valve covers and notice the rockers are dry. Odd, they were completely oiled when I put them back together. So, after a few days of research and tinkering, I thought I might have an oil pump issue or an issue with the camshaft synch. I decided to buy a new cam synch, but it did not solve the problem, still no oil pressure and still clapping. The old cam synch had been chirping for a while, and I let it go because I got poor advice on it a few years back. So, I decided to remove the cam synch, and use an oil pump primer to see if I could get oil to the rockers. I got oil to the rockers and with the ignition on, not cranked, my wife said when I primed the engine, the oil pressure went to normal. By the way, I have had a hard time locating an oil pressure gauge locally to hook into the oil pressure sensor spot.
So, I thought this was good news. Maybe my oil pump is fine. But, I did notice that the intermediate oil pump shaft wiggled a lot. I can touch the sides of the block with it. I am not sure if that is normal. It seems excessive. So, I thought maybe I installed the cam synch wrong. I put it back together and started the truck, no oil pressure still and now there is a light knock/tap coming from somewhere, but I cannot tell where.
So a few questions?
1) Could it be possible that I bought a bad re-manufactured cam synch and this is the cause of my no oil pressure problem? Actually, this is probably a dumb question, but it seems unlikely.
2) Can the intermediate shaft cause a no oil pressure issue, even if I can prime it and get oil pressure?
3) If I get oil pressure while the truck is off by priming the oil pump, should I get similar pressure once it is started or do the moving parts inside create a huge difference?
Also, I pulled spark plug wires while the truck was running to help locate a change in sound, but nothing changed. There hasn't been any metal shavings in the oil, there was a little milkshake at one time, but I flushed the engine with oil a few times since.
Sorry this was so long, but thank you for your help!!!
Truck: 02 Ranger 3.0 V6 Flex 86,000 2RWD
So, on to the story. This is the first time I have been this deep into an engine. I have had a lot of leaks recently and decided to patch everything up at once. I think the leaks were from lack of use, because this truck has been well taken care of and has had fluids changed religiously, plus it is garage kept. I am working out of the Haynes Manual.
Also, I torque everything to specs. I learned a while ago that if I dont, I break things.
Coolant was leaking from the timing chain cover. While I was in there, I replaced the timing chain and I replaced the harmonic balancer. The balancer was only replaced because of a few notches on it, that I thought at the time were signs of wear. I shouldnt have replaced this part. I replaced it with the Dorman. Yes, I used the puller tool. I got everything back together and all was well. Also, I did bring it to TDC.
I thought I had a rear main oil seal leak. So I drove it to a shop where they helped me pull the tranny properly. They initially thought the rear main was the problem as well. I replaced the rear main oil seal, the front pump seal, and the rear seal on the tranny. However, it wasnt the rear main oil seal that was leaking. Bummer, it was a valve seal that trickled down. No biggie just some lost time and a few dollars.
Upon driving the truck home I decided to floor it. I never ever do that. I hit around 4000 RPM and the truck hesitates like it doesnt have any air. O.K. At first I thought tranny, but the shop helped me pull it off and put it on. So, next I thought timing.
I had to replace the valve covers and decided to do the head gaskets at the same time. I had smoke coming from the exhaust and once I pulled the gasket there was a little coolant in cylinder 6, maybe about a cup. I went ahead and pulled the timing cover again to make sure the chain was on properly. Why not, a few extra bolts. But, I had an issue with getting the harmonic balancer off. It did not want to come off! I worked on it for probably two hours. I decided to walk away for a moment to calm my nerves. At that moment the balancer broke in two separating the disc/tooth part from the sleeve. Yes, the metal broke in two. Once again I was using the puller tool. After it broke in two, the sleeve slid right off with minimal effort. The chain timing was fine, as it should be, it is pretty much idiot proof. I replaced with my original balancer and got my money back on the new one, thinking it is defective.
So I put everything back together with no issues. I used new head bolts and new gaskets everywhere. I also had put in a new oil pressure sensor. Why not, I was already there. I put in new spark plugs and new air filter as well.
I started it up and it idled roughly. When I stepped on the accelerator, the engine bogged down and sounded like a circular saw being held in the air. Imagine the button on the saw is the accelerator. I only heard this noise when the accelerator was pushed. After about 5 minutes, this all went away and the truck drove beautifully. No problems at 4000 RPM. But, the noise and stutter happened every time I started the truck cold.
So, naturally I think, wow I really screwed up, but I am not sure what. So, I tear it all back down and rebuild it again with all new fresh gaskets and head bolts. This time, when I start it up, no circular saw noise. Fantastic! I thought. I got it down the road and it started hesitating while trying to accelerate again. Darn! Then, I got the dreaded No Oil Pressure and Check Gauge light came on. I thought, it was the new oil pressure sensor I installed. No problem, there was plenty of oil in the truck. I was only driving it around the block anyways. Shortly before I reached my road the valves started clapping like crazy. I get it in the garage and shut it off. It was hardly driven at all with the clapping.
I pull the valve covers and notice the rockers are dry. Odd, they were completely oiled when I put them back together. So, after a few days of research and tinkering, I thought I might have an oil pump issue or an issue with the camshaft synch. I decided to buy a new cam synch, but it did not solve the problem, still no oil pressure and still clapping. The old cam synch had been chirping for a while, and I let it go because I got poor advice on it a few years back. So, I decided to remove the cam synch, and use an oil pump primer to see if I could get oil to the rockers. I got oil to the rockers and with the ignition on, not cranked, my wife said when I primed the engine, the oil pressure went to normal. By the way, I have had a hard time locating an oil pressure gauge locally to hook into the oil pressure sensor spot.
So, I thought this was good news. Maybe my oil pump is fine. But, I did notice that the intermediate oil pump shaft wiggled a lot. I can touch the sides of the block with it. I am not sure if that is normal. It seems excessive. So, I thought maybe I installed the cam synch wrong. I put it back together and started the truck, no oil pressure still and now there is a light knock/tap coming from somewhere, but I cannot tell where.
So a few questions?
1) Could it be possible that I bought a bad re-manufactured cam synch and this is the cause of my no oil pressure problem? Actually, this is probably a dumb question, but it seems unlikely.
2) Can the intermediate shaft cause a no oil pressure issue, even if I can prime it and get oil pressure?
3) If I get oil pressure while the truck is off by priming the oil pump, should I get similar pressure once it is started or do the moving parts inside create a huge difference?
Also, I pulled spark plug wires while the truck was running to help locate a change in sound, but nothing changed. There hasn't been any metal shavings in the oil, there was a little milkshake at one time, but I flushed the engine with oil a few times since.
Sorry this was so long, but thank you for your help!!!