We have had nothing but problems with the Explorer 4.0 SOHC engines. We have had a 2000, 2001, and 2002, with 2 of the 3 having timing chain issues, resulting in destroyed engines. Have replaces 2 engines and have read nothing but problems with the poorly designed engine! Where a simple head gasket replacement is $1600 due to the cam chains placement (front and rear) requiring complete engine removal and a pain in the ass of a repair and repair bill! This engine is a total failure by FORD, as much as hate to say it. Always been a FORD TRUCK guy, and still running my '96 F250 460ci. But these Explorer 4.0 SOHC are a plain joke, Failure By Ford, and will certainly influence my future vehicle purchases. Feel like I've been SCREWED!

Within 6 months of buying my truck, i heard the dreaded engine tap and decided to take it to a mechanic. Let me tell you, as soon as he heard what i was, he didn't even want to look at the truck and told me that the rear timing chain inside the engine was going to go. Even the dealership didn't want to look at the truck. That was 3 years ago....

This past Friday, as I was driving home the chain went and with it the whole engine. I found out that the the valves were bent and that the lifters we constantly open, allowing for all the oil to get mixed up with the gas in the compression chamber and had seeped into the muffler. So yup, an an engine swap for me. Can't complain, thought, as I knew of the problem before hand and it was only a matter of time before this happened. Will I buy another Ford in the future?? Maybe, when they fix the transmission problems on teh new one ;)

At 100,600 my 2000 Ford Explorer died. The engine sounded like it started dieseling at almost exactly 100K, the start of our trip. On the drive home it got a bit louder, than 20 minutes later it sounded like we threw a piston. Two mechanics have said that they're not sure what the problem is but they'd need to tear apart and rebuild the entire engine to find it and fix it. It's either replace the engine or junk it which is crazy at 100K miles on a very well maintained truck. I've always liked Ford's but I'll never buy another one again, and the transmission started slipping about 1000 miles ago. Solid truck except for the entire drivetrain. LOL

Problem came out of know where while driving on the interstate, my check engine light started flashing. Soon after there was a knocking noise every time I accelerated and as I was in idle. I made it to a service station where it was concluded that the long block in my engine had failed! And it would take no less than a week to put back in (the engine I mean and this was after it took three days to figure out the exact source of the problem). On top of which my warranty had just expired 30,000 miles earlier, which would've covered the problem!! Talk about annoying as junk!