Neighbor has a 2003 Explorer Sport Trac with the 4.0 SOHC. It's got a timing chain rattle. It's his lake cabin beater, so it has value in keeping it but there's also a limit. Is it worthwhile to repair the timing chain? Engine change? I know these have issues but I don't know what that really means.
Run away screaming, seriously.
There are multiple timing chains on that engine and the back one requires the engine pulled. It's a horrid design and quite possibly the worst engine ever. It does nothing well
If its on the back chain, there's a slim chance it's just the tensioner which is easy. Anything else timing chain related on those is probably not worth the effort.
The front tensioner is super easy.
Neither upper chain is easy to replace. Lower is no picnic either.
"Lake cabin beater" makes it sound like the oil was last changed in nineteen ninety-never, though.
I did have a five year old Ranger that would NOT tension the front chain, which is how I know it is fairly easy to swap, because I had the durn thing out several times. Oil was not getting to the tensioner for whatever reason. It was out of warranty by mileage, he balked at the costs of diagnosing further and traded it in.
Garbage. And, garbage designed by a moron. Change the oil, change the chain tensioners, and wash your hands of it. When it blows up, push it in the lake and use it to tie up boats.
If it has the updated cassettes(post 2000 TSB/recall) then change the tensioners and pray to god it isnt stretched chains.
The rear is beyond a nightmare. Get a good beer gut pad as youre gonna be laying on top of the motor for a while.
Also, knowing how E36 M3ty the rest of the truck is(check the wheel bearings for play) id probably junk the thing or drive it until it blows up and sell it for scrap.
And for gosh sakes, get the Ford timing tool if you can find one. Not even most Ford dealer service departments could get them. Ford didn't do you the favor of putting timing marks on anything for the first several years. If one of the cams or the crank moves, it's a boat anchor.
You can do all of the above work with it in the truck... if you want it to take three times as long. It really requires yanking the motor.
I'd be considering a low-mileage junkyard motor if available.
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