Timing Chain Teardown Time

De-marko

De-marko

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Well, I haven't driven my LS in about 2 months or so. I wrote a thread awhile back about issues with my engine running like total crap. http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=49937 Along with running rough, I had a nasty rattle under the passenger side valve cover right where the tensioner is. The noise became louder everyday, so I stopped driving it not wanting to risk catastrophic engine failure.

Since the down time I have collected parts (Thanks Max!) to do the entire timing chain replacement. Chains, all of the tensioners, seals, guides, arms, gaskets, coils etc. I picked up a Ford repair manual on CD to guide me through this jungle of an engine.

I would have started this sooner, but a unheated garage and 10-12 hour work days on 2nd have deterred me pretty much. Now I'm tearing the car up a little every night. If any of you have tips/tricks or advice let me hear it. I've never posted a pic of my ride so here it is and some "progress".

BTW, LONG SHOT, but if anyone wants to trade me staight across for my MHT luxury alloy wheels for stock 17's let me know. I hate 'em :yuck: :lol:

car 2.jpg


engine before.jpg


engine 1.jpg


engine 2.jpg
 
Junk Pile

Oh yeah, a total PITA, go figure, is that strut tower bar snapped off two bolts when trying to remove it. gheesh :mad: Good times!

parts.jpg
 
I usually snap 3-4 bolts of the 7 when doing that job. I've succeeded in drilling out and re-tapping the holes on a couple of occasions, then using a bolt and nut in place of the built in threads in others. I guess that never-seize is your best friend when it comes to these bolts.

Interesting job, by the way. Good luck with it. There is nothing like a pre-emptive replacement of timing components to preserve an otherwise good engine.
 
if you dont mind me asking, how much did all the parts come to in order to fix the timing??
 
Get some better pictures of the rims and I'll consider it. I've never had timing chain fun on a lincoln. I know it was no fun on my old Taurus. I would have taken pictures, but why would anyone take pictures of a taurus? :D
 
Very cool pics. Looks like a fun job. And when I say fun I mean that the car isn't needed daily so you can take your time with it. Good luck!
 
At least 35 hours the first time.

I am not a professional, but adventurous and love punishment. The first time I did this job took me about 35 hours total, no lie. The worst part which it looks like you are getting to is the *^&*(&#@! pumps mounted to the side of the engine. I had more trouble with stripping bolts (2) then breaking them.

If you can get the power steering and radiator fan pump pulleys off you are way ahead of the game. I could never get them off with a loner tool from Autozone. Without being able to get the pulley off the power steering pump, I left it on and attacked the hydraulic line with a wrench cut in half to get it loose and take off. The fan pump took about 3 hours to get the last bolt off.

Now to the very important part to save having to do this job a second time like I did, about 26 hours. Closely look at the timing gears on the cam shafts. My car was knocking too and the chain ground down a gear which I did not notice.

If you have to change a gear(s) do them one at a time and mark the locations of the cam shafts against the heads and the gear against the cam shaft to make sure the timing is correct.

After I put it together everything ran fine for a couple of months, now I think I need to replace all my coils because my Lemon Sedan (LS) runs like junk again but it does not knock.

I never thought I would have to put so much work into a car that only has 120,000 miles on it. Don't get me started about having to replace all the front end parts to change the ball joints.

Good luck
 
Thanks for advice!!

Yesterday, I removed the A/C compressor which was not too bad except for a bolt that is at the top back of the compressor that has a stud on it for the power steering line. I had to use a middle length (?) deep socket, swivel, 12" extention to get it. Gheesh stuff is tight! Power steering pump and bracket came out with out too much drama. Took a solid 2 hours to get those three things out.

Now, I haven't tackled this before, but is it common to keep saying to the car, "Oh, you Bas-tard"? :shifty:

I'm going to go ahead and replace the DCCV and electric water pump while everything is out. What a brilliance of engineering that DCCV crap is!!:p

More filthy junk. Didn't realize how funky filthy my engine was. Tomorrow is alternator and fan pump hopefully.

dccv.jpg


more parts.jpg
 
MHT Luxury Alloys

I had a few people ask me to show more pics of the rims so here they are. They are pitted on the inside and do not have the little center caps, though I think it would easy enough to get them. Left to right. LF, RF, LR, RR

front L.jpg


front r.jpg


Left r.jpg


right R.jpg
 
Probably so!:lol: I think the whole car, no matter what you do is a PITA sometimes.:D
 
Yeah I've heard it's more trouble than it's worth to do this job with the engine in the car, needless to say I don't envy you.
 
De-marko said:
Now, I haven't tackled this before, but is it common to keep saying to the car, "Oh, you Bas-tard"? :shifty:
Click to expand...


:lol: IF that is all your saying your doing pretty well!! Yes, it is tight in there, but kudos to you for tackling this job youreself. Watch for that seal on the crankshaft, it's jerky to get out. keep posting.
 
Now, I haven't tackled this before, but is it common to keep saying to the car, "Oh, you Bas-tard"?
Click to expand...

You'll say many times more worse things before you're done. :p

Good luck man. I've been mentally preparing myself for that job since the day I bought my LS, and hope I still have 25k miles to go before I have to do it.
 
I better duct tape my mouth shut then LOL! :D

Caddy, I will say......So far....It hasn't been too bad....yet. I did the whole mental prep thing too these last couple months and alot of search on this forum which was helpful.
 
Yeah, well see it's like this... you have a garage. :p


I did a timing chain/sprocket job on a Chevy Corsica about 4 years ago in my driveway. It would have been so nice to have had an engine lift. That was one chain, two sprockets. This thing has 5 sprockets, 4 tensioners, and 4 chains. Not that all of the sprockets would absolutely need to be replaced, but it's a good idea if they show signs of wear (pointy teeth).
 
More Progress

Just back in from the garage and was happy to get the Alternator, hydraulic fan pump and reservoir plus the bracket removed. I would have removed everything last night but was just too cold in the garage. Can't work in cold.

The alternator was a breeze to remove and looks half-way new, but that ridiculous fan pump was a PITA!!! The biggest problem being the two top 10mm bolts. The other is that the big reservoir line to the pumps clamp was almost facing upwards. That was a jerk to get turned around just to remove it.

One of the bolts is behind the high pressure line and the other is behind the electrical connector. For the life of me did not know how I was going to get those out. Of course it is TIGHT in under there, go figure.

I looked and looked until I noticed that the electrical connector on the pump itself is removable with a T35 torx bit. It looks like a pressure switch or sensor. The shop manual doesn't tell you that. Got that out finally then removed the bolt. The shop manual does state that the bolt behind the pressure line has to come out in stages which it does........one 1/8 of a turn at time.:mad: Removing that one bolt plus with almost zero visibility took almost 45 minutes by itself.

What is insanity to me is that from what I have read, lincoln couldn't install an electrical fan on gen 1's because the alternator didn't produce enough power. So, how much engineering time, designing, and money was spent on a hydraulic fan system then just redesigning a better alternator. Just me but I say B.S.!! :soapbox:

Pic of the difficult line and the "friendly" bolt.

pump line.jpg


the bolt.jpg
 
Pics

Here some pics of the pressure sensor or whatever it is that goes on the fan pump and the nights tally.

pressure.jpg


pump pressure.jpg


the junk.jpg
 
That valve on the fan pump is the unit that changes the pressure making the fan go from LOW to HIGH speed and back.
 
Note: You are suppose to change out the teflon "o"rings on the fan lines.(and PS lines) You need install tool to slide and strech the stiff teflon o'ring over the threads. The tool looks like a bullet I make my own just a FYI.
 
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