Pulled my oil pan -- found a surprise ! *** PICS ****
- Thread starter MakDad
- Start date
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MakDad
Member
Not hard, just time-consuming. Here's what I found in more detail. Enjoy these pics of the tensioner disaster:
MakDad
Member
putting her back together tomorrow... one thing is confusing me. As I turn the crank, first one side, then the other side gets slack in the chain. At one point they're both rather tight.... is this normal ? I hope I didn't screw up timing when I took the oil pump off. I DID mark the links to their corresponding teeth though.... hmmm
As the camshaft(s) turn you will be fighting the valves opening compressing the springs. Depending on which side of the lobe you are on it will push the cam one way or the other. The tensioner is operated by oil pressure so until it is run the first time there may be slack in the timing chain. There should have also been some sort of lock on the tensioner that keeps it compressed until you install it, then it is removed?!
If the camshafts timing is significantly off you will have piston to valve clearance issues and they will make contact. This will prevent you from turning motor over any further by hand.
MakDad
Member
Yes, there were locking metal shims that held the tensioners compressed. (in the pic in the previous posts you can see one of them). I removed them.
The side with the tensioners always stays rather tight. The other side however, the one at the guides, becomes lose about every 1/2 turn of the crank. The pass. side becomes so lose that the chain actually touches itself.
Do you think something might have been damaged when I took the chains off and the cams turned back a bit from tension ??? (the crank was not touched during this time) Of course, I marked the teeth and matching links and put them back the same way after re-installing the oil pump.
So are you saying that if there IS interference with the valves, I wouldn't be able to turn the crank a full turn ? As of right now, I can do it no problem.
Also, is it safe to try to crank the motor via the starter and listen for noises ??
Thanks for all the great info Toms
Last edited:
MakDad
Member
update
Hey guys, just wanted to give a quick update.
Approx. 7,000 miles later and no issues whatsoever. Pressure gauge reads in the middle and no more ticking noise. Seems like the tensioners are holding up.
Hey guys, just wanted to give a quick update.
Approx. 7,000 miles later and no issues whatsoever. Pressure gauge reads in the middle and no more ticking noise. Seems like the tensioners are holding up.
1997SCEBFEX
Full Access Members
thanks for the positive update.
PanHandler.
PanHandler.
ZombieSoldier
Full Access Members
good to hear!
rwinsouthla
Member
Great detailed write up. But you have me listening ever so closely to my 148,500 mile 2006!!!!
BrandonH13
Full Access Members
How much different would it be to do all this on a 05 3v? The one I bought had all the timing stuff (chains, tensioners, guide, phasers) changed and the shop that did the work said they thought the guide broke, but yet when they pushed it "back together" it didn't look like anything was missing. Well about 300-400 miles after that we put on it, its making noise, has a cam position code. The shop that worked on it took it to ford that said it was mistimined on bank 1 and that it had low oil pressure.
I don't know what they classify as low, but said it was enough to not make the phasers act the way they are designed. I talked to the shop and they DIDN'T take off the pan or anything to see if there was debrise. So looks like now I am going to have to take off that and hope that there is stuff/sludge that is covering the pick up tube to starve off the pressure. I will also be looking at taking off the pump if need be and seeing about retimining it myself also. Sad that this happened RIGHT after we bought it with less than 120K on the motor. Have all the service records to, but the previous owner did take it to jiffy lube and stuff quite a lot for the oil changes.
I don't know what they classify as low, but said it was enough to not make the phasers act the way they are designed. I talked to the shop and they DIDN'T take off the pan or anything to see if there was debrise. So looks like now I am going to have to take off that and hope that there is stuff/sludge that is covering the pick up tube to starve off the pressure. I will also be looking at taking off the pump if need be and seeing about retimining it myself also. Sad that this happened RIGHT after we bought it with less than 120K on the motor. Have all the service records to, but the previous owner did take it to jiffy lube and stuff quite a lot for the oil changes.
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