Timing Chain Teardown Time

well.... first I want to say gear wrenches are the poo!!!! Make sure they are flex heads like the like showed. I think I might use those more than ratchets now. The only issue I found was finding a complete kit. I bought one metric and one SAE, then knowing the sizes I use often, just built onto the kit as needed. 8mm was the big one for me. I think 10 and 8mm are the two most commonly used sizes in these cars and 7mm is right behind them. It's odd because I'd figure 12 and 14 would be.... oh well.

As for the electric fan.... I'm getting ready to do my timing chains/cams and have an electric fan. I guess if your still not back together by then i can show you everything involved.

Dirty oil gunk.... I had a pretty nasty crank case when I did my VCG's. I may at some point hot tank the whole damn motor, but what I did as a for now thing, at 2k miles I pour half a can of sea foam into the oil. I change my oil about 500 miles after that. I havent pulled anything off to see how much better it is, but after one application I did the drivers side vcg (that project got done in two steps due to a screwdriver through my finger) and it looked noticeably better than my passengers side. I've done the seafoam thing a few times and by keeping the oil and filter fresh, I know I'm not adding much if any build up. The added detergent in the seafoam should be cutting down on the old stuff.
pics to make you feel better:
DSC03699.jpg

DSC03698.jpg

DSC03700.jpg
 
+1 on getting those wrenches.

Yeah, I would have liked to hot tank everything. I took the front engine cover, all brackets, crank pulley and misc. stuff and had that done. I hate putting an engine back together with greasy crap everywhere.

I noticed that your exhaust sprocket uses a allen bolt. Mine is a 17mm bolt.
 
Man it's was a pain in the a$$ to set that timing huh..thanks for the write up..keep us posted because I know you are getting close to starting the car
 
De-marko said:
Here is a pic of the exhaust camshaft sprocket. What does everyone think of the teeth, usable?
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Looks fine to me. The teeth aren't sharp. The "shine" that you see in the trough between the teeth isn't reaching up one side so the chain wasn't worn or loose. Otherwise in good shape besides the tensioner being broken. :p
 
SlickLS said:
Man it's was a pain in the a$$ to set that timing huh..thanks for the write up..keep us posted because I know you are getting close to starting the car
Click to expand...


Not too bad at all if you have the right "special" tools. I'm sure it can be done without them, but I wasn't going to take any chances. ;)
 
Getting close!!

I installed quite a bit today. Timing cover, crank pulley, new water pump and pulley, valve covers and an idler pulley. I also put the oil cooler back on and I highly recommend hot tanking the cooler. I couldn't believe how much gunk came out of that.

I'm waiting on a new A/C compressor to show up and exhaust manifold gaskets.....hope to get her done next week!! :steering

blue covers.jpg
 
De-marko said:
Not too bad at all if you have the right "special" tools. ;)
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I had the 3 special tools needed to set the timing. I was just implying that these modular motors are waaay diferent than push rod motor like chevy uses. You should be cranking it next time you work on it. You are not far away.
 
SlickLS said:
I had the 3 special tools needed to set the timing. I was just implying that these modular motors are waaay diferent than push rod motor like chevy uses. You should be cranking it next time you work on it. You are not far away.
Click to expand...

The 3.9 is not from the modular family of engines.
 
TDUB said:
The 3.9 is not from the modular family of engines.
Click to expand...

Ahhh yes it is. Does a 3.9 have push rods? NO..it is ALMOST the exact same setup as the cobra motor besides its smaller and doesnt have a supercharger. Explain to me why you THINK it isnt?
 
its is not a modular motor. the modular motors a) are ford motors b) are interchangeable thus giving it the madular name c) arent made by Jaguar

the 3.9L is a) not a ford motor b) not interchangeable with a damn thing c) made by jaguar
 
the jag motor and the LS have the same shortblock so how do u figure it is not the same? Ford engineers had something to do with the 3.9
 
ummmmm.... ford bought Jag a brand new facility to design and engineer, but the mod motors are not the same as the 3.9
 
SPSully said:
ummmmm.... ford bought Jag a brand new facility to design and engineer, but the mod motors are not the same as the 3.9
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So you dont set the timing similiar to that of a 4V 4.6L cobra motor? The cooling system is very similiar to a cobra also. Ford actually put a 2V 4.6L in a LS. The new mustang has a similiar 5 speed automatic that's in the LS.
 
SlickLS said:
So you dont set the timing similiar to that of a 4V 4.6L cobra motor? The cooling system is very similiar to a cobra also. Ford actually put a 2V 4.6L in a LS. The new mustang has a similiar 5 speed automatic that's in the LS.
Click to expand...

Once; and they had cooling issues out the wazoo! The only similarity between the 4.6 and the 3.9 is they are both V8s.
 
well there is more similarities than that.... but your right. They are of the AJ series motor.

As for the other stuff from the new stangs to the LS.... Ford used the LS platform to build the new stang. It got to pricey real quick and they re-did it. There are still a few spots where the LS influence is seen, but not as much as the first 05 design.
 
LS4me said:
Once; and they had cooling issues out the wazoo! The only similarity between the 4.6 and the 3.9 is they are both V8s.
Click to expand...

It didnt have cooling problems. Ford actually used it on the track for testing products, that later made it on the mustang as Sully pointed out. The 4V 4.6L and our 3.9L are almost identical except for the size. Sorry they are. I have torn down many cobra motors and just got done changing the timing assembly on my LS and it was identical to the cobra.
 
ok, so the 4.6 3v is completely different than ours and is a mod motor.


What is modular about these motors? Pick any 4.6 or 5.4 and swap a single engine part with the 3.9 and I will agree they are modulars. Untill then, tell me where in the AJ series the 4.6 and 5.4 are.

You are correct they are DOHC 4v and so are the cobras. Its a common belief that the 3.9 is a mod when it is not.
 
The Modular name apparently comes from a Ford manufacturing protocol which allowed assembly lines to switch out stuff quickly, in order to make different engines of the family - has nothing to do with being able to share engine parts. A lot of Ford Modular engine parts don't interchange.

But yeah, the AJ series is not part of the Ford Modular engine family.
 
damn it! I was just about to correct myself! LOL Yeah what he said ^^^


the Modular motor family is V8 or V10
4.6
5.4
6.8
5.0 cammer
 
Ok but modular or not, the cobra 4.6L is very similiar to our 3.9L...example the timing assembly and cooling system
 
It doesn't matter. Shut up. :p Take if to the Bitch slap thread if you feel the need to continue this useless bantering about one engine being "similar" to another.
 
Great post , thanks for taking the time to post everything up . My LS is about to flip 6 figures so this may not be too far away for me.....hopefully not but the luck I've had with this damn car probably so .
 
De-marko said:
I installed quite a bit today. Timing cover, crank pulley, new water pump and pulley, valve covers and an idler pulley. I also put the oil cooler back on and I highly recommend hot tanking the cooler. I couldn't believe how much gunk came out of that.

I'm waiting on a new A/C compressor to show up and exhaust manifold gaskets.....hope to get her done next week!! :steering
Click to expand...

De-marko,
What kinda paint did you use to paint the VC's?
I've been meaning to do the whole VCG replacement and I figure why there off I could paint them a color of my choosing.
 
Prep is the best thing you can do. I removed all of the bolts and had the valve covers hot tanked. Sand the entire surface of the covers with 150 grit sand paper until the covers are white and then wash them thoroughly. The surface HAS to be clean and dirt/grease free. Remove the oil fill neck and leave it black or paint it separately. Tape off the coil valley and any connections to vacuum lines etc.

When you paint plastic engine pieces you have to use an adhesion promoter to keep the paint from baking and scratching off. I like "Bulldog" from Klean-strip, this works very well and have used it for last few years.

You spray the covers with a good coat of the bulldog which is basically glue, on the covers and let it sit for ONLY 5 minutes, you don't want it to totally dry. After 5 minutes spray the covers with your choice of paint. Definitely use high heat engine paint. Spray a couple good coats of paint and let them dry for several hours. The last step is to spray the entire surface with a decent coat of the bulldog again. This way the surface is the hard glue and not the paint. The bulldog also gives an extreme shine by filling in any orange peel. Let them thoroughly dry before putting them back on!!

I have painted several sets of valve covers from the 4.6L and have excellent results. My friend who bought an '01 Bullitt Mustang new installed patriot heads and some comp cams, we painted his valve covers that same dark green and when he sold the car a few years later the paint was still in good shape minus a huge gouge when he dropped something on them.

sand covers 2.jpg


glue 2.jpg
 
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