Originally Posted By: littleant
30k is pretty low milage. There are 2 chain tensioner's (oil pressure fed) they could be plugged. I would change both of them before I did anything with the chains. But first you should drop the oil pan to see if pieces of the chain guides are in the pan. If they are then installing new tensioner's would not help. There are plenty videos online on changing the tensioner's. The engine would have to come out to change all the timing chains. I would not go to a heavier oil. Also that 4.0 is an interference engine and if the chains go when driving bent valves will more then likely occur.
Is dropping the absolutely necessary or could there be any chunks that would come out the bolt hole?
Originally Posted By: PimTac
Originally Posted By: RoGuE
I don't have the tools, time, or knowledge to do it myself and I priced it around and it is an extremely expensive job, nearly as much as a whole motor replacement. I let her know what could happen but she just can't afford it now. This car has been plagued with issues. Weird electrical issues, HVAC blender issues, computer says change oil all the time even after resetting it, TPMS issues, abysmal fuel economy (our Suburban gets better gas mileage), peeling paint even though it is almost always garaged.
It sounds like she is on borrowed time. If she cannot afford the fix what will she do when the timing chain or the guides decides to go?
That's a good question she would have to answer if/when it happens. Probably won't be another Ford.
Originally Posted By: Pajero
Sorry to hear that. She may want to consider trading it in? But, everything is about $$$$$. Only a matter of time.
Good luck!
Respectfully,
Pajero!
Agreed, money is everything. Trade-in could be an option but with maybe a $5k-6k valuation would it be worth it? Who knows, maybe this will keep running for another 10 years rattling away.