SteelQualityMan
04-12-2017, 02:33 PM
There are a lot of threads on this site about timing chain noise, wear, etc. and I didn't want to hijack anyone else's thread. I had my windows open yesterday because the weather was so nice, and as I pulled into a parking space, I heard an unusual sound from the engine. You know how we get after driving a car for such a long time that you know every sound it makes, so anything different really stands out.
What I heard was coming from the front of the driver's side cam cover or valve cover. It was somewhere between a 'ting' and a 'clack', not very loud, and not continuous. Having heard of disasters because of cam chain problems, I shut the car down immediately. This morning I decided to make a brief video to post so I propped the phone up under the hood, crossed my fingers and started the car. Of course, because I wanted to make a video, there were no unusual sounds at all within 7 or 8 minutes of a cold start.. I can't figure out how to insert a video file in a post, but I will if someone would like to send me directions. Unfortunately, all you will hear are the normal sounds of a Marauder with a K&N intake cold starting and idling.
My problem now is: do I drive it 185 miles back home tomorrow as I planned to do, do I have it towed to the Ford stealership, or something in between. There is a decent Ford place here in Columbus (OH) that has done work on the car before now, but I don't know the one in my small home town of Warsaw, Indiana. If I tell the dealer to preemptively replace the chains and guides, it will end up costing me over a grand I'm sure. I have a pretty well equipped garage at home, but there is nothing I can do here in a hotel parking lot. Triple-A will tow me 100 miles max so that's not an option. Suggestions would be appreciated.
Background: the car has about 190,000 miles, I have owned it since 2007, and it has always been well maintained. Oil pressure is very good, both at idle and at speed (on a real oil pressure gauge), running Royal Purple 5W20 and a Royal Purple filter. In the last month I have driven the car to and from the New Jersey Shores area, a distance of about 750 miles each way, with no problems.
What I heard was coming from the front of the driver's side cam cover or valve cover. It was somewhere between a 'ting' and a 'clack', not very loud, and not continuous. Having heard of disasters because of cam chain problems, I shut the car down immediately. This morning I decided to make a brief video to post so I propped the phone up under the hood, crossed my fingers and started the car. Of course, because I wanted to make a video, there were no unusual sounds at all within 7 or 8 minutes of a cold start.. I can't figure out how to insert a video file in a post, but I will if someone would like to send me directions. Unfortunately, all you will hear are the normal sounds of a Marauder with a K&N intake cold starting and idling.
My problem now is: do I drive it 185 miles back home tomorrow as I planned to do, do I have it towed to the Ford stealership, or something in between. There is a decent Ford place here in Columbus (OH) that has done work on the car before now, but I don't know the one in my small home town of Warsaw, Indiana. If I tell the dealer to preemptively replace the chains and guides, it will end up costing me over a grand I'm sure. I have a pretty well equipped garage at home, but there is nothing I can do here in a hotel parking lot. Triple-A will tow me 100 miles max so that's not an option. Suggestions would be appreciated.
Background: the car has about 190,000 miles, I have owned it since 2007, and it has always been well maintained. Oil pressure is very good, both at idle and at speed (on a real oil pressure gauge), running Royal Purple 5W20 and a Royal Purple filter. In the last month I have driven the car to and from the New Jersey Shores area, a distance of about 750 miles each way, with no problems.