timing chain tesioners - 87000 miles fix/sell?

[alsherlock]

2001 LS - V8 automatic, premuim, silver w charcoal, 87000 miles - a diamond vehicle, orig owner/a senior couple/

timing chain tesioners just shattered on passenger side on start up in my driveway - engine running rough, noisy as all get out.

HATE to lose this car, but tired of spending $$$, thou after thou. Did all the coils in the fall, Transmission in January, rack & pinion in early july. then this.

Book time is 15 hours to open the front and fix, but who knows if any amage to valves or pistons.

Suggestions/ thoughts??? - including maybe does any body want to buy this beauty? is at 11040, Long Island NY

 

[ShortCircutLS]

Hate to say it but, you'll have to get in there and check the valves and positions, lifters everything! Same thing happened to mine. That's going to be a tough decision. Low miles and lots of work already in to it. Up against more time, money and blood. 15 hours minimum. I wish I would have kept my old one now that its gone. Unfortunately that was NOT an option. Good luck.

 

[SlickLS]

Same thing happened to mine except my secondary timing chain snapped (prolly due to bad tensioner). I pulled the head off and sent it to the shop to get it fixed (3 bent valves). I replaced all tensioners, guides, chains, and seals. That was 25k ago and still running strong.

 

[TooManyToys]

So how hard is it to pull the head off one of these?

 

[mikeyswood]

Once you remove the exhaust header you get a good bit of room to work.

I say fix it. Are you doing it yourself or paying someone?

 

[TooManyToys]

I haven't pulled the covers yet to confirm. A few years back I would have had a warm, well lit full service shop to do the work in, now if I do it it will be in the driveway in front of the garage.

 

[20snowboarder13]

Personally I would say fix it.

It might be easiest to pull the engine if you are going to go through the trouble of checking on everything. Assuming that the only thing wrong with it is tensioners it's going to cost a couple hundred dollars. I have an engine out in my garage right now and it took my father and I about 8-10 hours to pull the engine. One problem with these cars is some of the bolts are TTY (torque to Yield). Meaning its a one time use and the HAVE to be replaced. If you are fixed on pulling the heads be sure you can find the bolts before you do it. Once the engine is out though it's smooth sailing. The chains are easily exposed after removing the valve covers and front cover and then only a few bolts to pull the actual tensioner.

If you decide not to pull the heads, I would leave the engine in. The just clear out the front of the engine. A lot of space can be made be removing the radiator fan and then from there I don't think it would be too hard. Once again pull the valve covers and then the front cover.

Good luck.

 

[centason]

I say repair, and use the updated tensioners. It's a plus to have a shop to do it in.

 

[TooManyToys]

Once you remove the exhaust header you get a good bit of room to work.

I say fix it. Are you doing it yourself or paying someone?

If I can do this in the driveway, I'll be doing it. But the manual says to pull the motor if the heads need to be removed.

 

[davemeradith]

Same thing happened to mine except my secondary timing chain snapped (prolly due to bad tensioner). I pulled the head off and sent it to the shop to get it fixed (3 bent valves). I replaced all tensioners, guides, chains, and seals. That was 25k ago and still running strong.

dang how much that cost you?

 

[marcredd]

I have not seen that Slick on here since Summer.

 

[ecarlcl]

I say fix it. It's going to be cheaper than buying another car.

 

[Kumba]

Suggestions/ thoughts??? - including maybe does any body want to buy this beauty? is at 11040, Long Island NY

How much to fix, assuming you needed a full set of chains, tensioners, and reworked head?
How much to buy another car similar to yours?
How much to buy a new car you like?

And finally, how much money do you have to spend? Go with whatever you can afford. Don't let your frustration control you.

If I can do this in the driveway, I'll be doing it. But the manual says to pull the motor if the heads need to be removed.

That's because the Ford manual assumes you have a lift where you can just drop the whole front subframe from under the car. If you worked for a Ford/Lincoln Dealer you would have the equipment which would make that easy to do. Plus it is easier to strip and dress an engine on a stand then in the engine bay. Less of a chance of broken stuff.

I'd imagine getting the exhaust loose would be a PITA. After that I would do like others suggested and pull the radiator fan (and probably radiator too) and then go to work.