04- Marauder-201,410 Dreaded Ticking

[prg333]

I have a 2004 Mercury Marauder with 201,454 miles.

It has the dreaded chatter on start up and
under load and when driving you can hear the ticking. It definitely is the chain slapping around and the tensioners are surely worn out. When idling after driving it is quite noticeable also. I SHOULD have paid more attention when
then chatter started back in march, after I took the car out of it's winter hibernation.. A good mechanic said he COULD do all the work to open up the engine cover. But he is a bit hesitant, bc of the high mileage and he does not know what he might find, once he get in the engine.. He gets $75.00 an hour and thinks it could take 15-20 hours labor not including parts.

The mechanic suggested I DO NOT drive the car bc of the chattering.
I am not handy enough to do the work. Plus I spend a bunch of $$ having the AC cooling system re-done and the right rear axel seal went bad.

So instead of having the work done on my current engine. It was suggested I get a replacement engine with less miles. As it would be cheeper to swap engines. Any suggestions/advise as to where I could get a engine with lower miles. Any members have a Marauder engine, they want to sell?

The mechanic I talked to said one could even get a long block Ford engine and put it in the Marauder.. Any thought on that.

I would hate to have to sell the car now but that might be a last resort.

I live in NY in the Hudson Valley area, 60 min from Rockland County, Wetchester County. Bergan County NJ Area.

Thank you for the advise

[RubberCtyRauder]

it should cost like $1200 -1500 range for labor and parts. find a new mechanic. used motor will be $1500-:3000, plus labor. dont see how that is cheaper

[prg333]

He seamed to think it was cheeper to drop in a new engine. As if you could get one with less miles, it might last longer then mine at just over 200,000

I know the engine on the Marauder is good. But how may miles realistically can you get out of one.

[RubberCtyRauder]

there are members on here with 250,000 to over 300,000 miles

[RubberCtyRauder]

lower miles engine, no guarantee that timing chains do nit need done. seen them replacec in the low 100k mile range

[prg333]

True one could run into the same problem with the chain tensioner problem with another engine

[RubberCtyRauder]

it's a judgement call, spend $2500-4000k for motor and swap or $1500 for timing chains. parts are about $450. depends on your budget, cash avail. is it a keeper, or want upgrade in a couple years etc.

[prg333]

Once you do all that work with the chains and tensioners. Do people usually do the water pump,Upper and lower radior roses spark plugs and Crank shaft seal plus oil change?

[RF Overlord]

15-20 hours to change the tensioners and guides???!! While I haven't done this job myself, that seems way high.

[Curless]

Whatever you do, DO NOT start it up again... The noise was your warning, there are plenty of people here that gambled and lost...

[ctrlraven]

Another member here (Seneca) changed my tensioners and guides in about 8 hrs and that was moving pretty slow, we went out to lunch and taking a bit to burp the coolant system.

https://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=92538&highlight=seneca

It was the passenger side tensioner that failed, caused slack in the chain and it ate up the nylon plastic on one of the guides.

[crownvic97]

15-20hrs is completely ridiculous, I wouldn’t use that mechanic.

Even if you go get a used engine, you should replace the timing components anyways, so that’s not going to save you any money.

[prg333]

Yes 15-20 hrs seems high. Unfortunately I am kind of stuck, hard to find another mechanic where I am. But I can try. Sadly I have driven the car for longer then I should have with the chatter at start up. Now it makes the noise at idling and driving. I hope hat work could still be done on it, and metal has not collected in the oil pan and traveled around the engine.

I am VEY ANNOYED at myself for not addressing the chattering sooner.

Thank you letting me know about the member who did the work. I can PM him

[RF Overlord]

PM Marty...he used to live near you and perhaps he can recommend someone.

[martyo]

PM Marty...he used to live near you and perhaps he can recommend someone.

I am PMing him now.

[Comin' in Hot]

Once you do all that work with the chains and tensioners. Do people usually do the water pump,Upper and lower radior roses spark plugs and Crank shaft seal plus oil change?

I just did it, you might as well do the water pump, cam cover gaskets, oil filter adapter gasket. The crankshaft seal gets replaced with the timing cover gaskets.

It’s not a hard job, just lots of bolts and the passenger side cam cover sucks to remove and install.

[crownvic97]

I just did it, you might as well do the water pump, cam cover gaskets, oil filter adapter gasket. The crankshaft seal gets replaced with the timing cover gaskets.

It’s not a hard job, just lots of bolts and the passenger side cam cover sucks to remove and install.

I am almost done with my project, I had to swap heads too, but I think you should pretty much replace everything while you are in there in my opinion. water pump, oil pump, and all gaskets.

I pulled my engine to do mine so I also did the oil pan gasket and rear main seal.

[fastblackmerc]

Check with local Mustangs owners / clubs in your area for mechanic recommendations.

[mm svt]

We recently had a clack sound, we first removed the driver side cam cover ( remove the wiper cowel first) rotated the engine over by hand and found the secondary cam tensioner was sticking before going back in. Pulled the engine out, removed the oil pan, timing cover and passenger cam cover. We inspected the internals, and replaced the cam tensioners only as the primary timing components were new last winter. We made a set of hoist brackets that are similar to the service manual (expensive) which make things easier for removal and installing.

I’m sure someone has and will again do this job by only removing the timing cover. After 200k miles it’s going to be dirty and need a good cleaning.

Tips: remove the power steering pump pulley to remove the pressure line to remove the bolt behind it.

There’s a special tool for the front timing cover seal that presses it in vs a hammer and board.

Use silicone on the lower alinement dowel pin, harmonic balancer key and both sides of where the head mates to the block and timing cover.

[justbob]

We recently had a clack sound, we first removed the driver side cam cover ( remove the wiper cowel first) rotated the engine over by hand and found the secondary cam tensioner was sticking before going back in. Pulled the engine out, removed the oil pan, timing cover and passenger cam cover. We inspected the internals, and replaced the cam tensioners only as the primary timing components were new last winter. We made a set of hoist brackets that are similar to the service manual (expensive) which make things easier for removal and installing.

I’m sure someone has and will again do this job by only removing the timing cover. After 200k miles it’s going to be dirty and need a good cleaning.

Tips: remove the power steering pump pulley to remove the pressure line to remove the bolt behind it.

There’s a special tool for the front timing cover seal that presses it in vs a hammer and board.

Use silicone on the lower alinement dowel pin, harmonic balancer key and both sides of where the head mates to the block and timing cover.



Ratcheting wrench thru the PS pulley holes works great. No need to remove pulley or hose.


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[blazen71]

Ratcheting wrench thru the PS pulley holes works great. No need to remove pulley or hose.


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Nice!!! :D

[Catfish]

If I was in your situation I'd consider a Coyote swap. They're starting to show up in salvage yards in wrecked Mustangs.

[prg333]

What kind of modifications would have to be made to drop in a Coyote engine? It has more Horsepower Would I have to change the Exhaust system

[RubberCtyRauder]

What kind of modifications would have to be made to drop in a Coyote engine? It has more Horsepower Would I have to change the Exhaust system

there is alot to do, it's not plug and play, exhaust, trans, tuning ,etc.

[prg333]

A mechanic suggested that I get the oil drained out of my car and to break open the oil filter to check for any type of metal shavings among other things from Nylon to plastic pieces from the tensioners etc. It seems like the best thing to do before doing all the work opening up the engine cover. As it could be a metal mess inside the engine.

Also if I did get new tensioners chain and water pump seals valve covers etc. Since the engine would be running with more compression could that possibly blow out a head gasket. Someone else suggested rebuilding the engine. But that would be
quite costly.

[Turbov6Bryan]

more compression blow out a headgasket? Whoooo is thissss mechanic?

Run.

[prg333]

He thinking back did not say more compression. But he said the engine would be running smoother more efficiently with the the new chain and tensioners. As opposed to how it is running with the chain loose. So the said the car "could" blow out a head gasket. Is that information sketchy? I do not know enough about engines to make a judgement on his statement

[RubberCtyRauder]

the chains are loose because a tensioner is failing, these are interference engines, meaning if timing of piston and valves is off too far they will hit and cause serious breakage of parts. your mechanic does not know mod. motors, theze are not pushrod motors.

[prg333]

He did mention valves and pistons being off especially a piston doing damage

[Shinker]

I had the same problem on my 03 with 109000 miles Passenger side tensioner was toast. Replaced primary tensioners and chains in the car. Drove it last summer but had a ticking noise that was annoying so decided to pull engine to see if noise was a lash adjuster or valve guides. Lash adjusters were all hard as a rock but exhaust guides seemed loose. Engine still out and heads are off. Was amazed at the condition of the cylinder bores. No ridge and can still see the cross hatch pattern. Bottom line is some broken plastic pieces from the chain guides were inside the oil pickup tube blocking oil flow and I would not have found them without pulling the oil pan

[prg333]

I bet my oil pan has a punch of plastic and some metal shavings in it. I saw a black 2011 Crown Victoria LX for sale that has the Police Interceptor badge on back. But leather sets front and back. I think it has the police engine and tranny with better suspension then regular crown vic. Less millage 80 thousand
might be worth looking at. Not as nice as a Marauder. But still good. Rather have that then a Camry or Accord SOOO BORING THOSE CARS

[justbob]

I had the same problem on my 03 with 109000 miles Passenger side tensioner was toast. Replaced primary tensioners and chains in the car. Drove it last summer but had a ticking noise that was annoying so decided to pull engine to see if noise was a lash adjuster or valve guides. Lash adjusters were all hard as a rock but exhaust guides seemed loose. Engine still out and heads are off. Was amazed at the condition of the cylinder bores. No ridge and can still see the cross hatch pattern. Bottom line is some broken plastic pieces from the chain guides were inside the oil pickup tube blocking oil flow and I would not have found them without pulling the oil pan



My boys Ranger sometimes gets a little gunk in his screen. Pan removal is almost 1 1/2 hours if you’ve done it before.. So I went ahead and drilled and tapped a 1/2” I.P. hole directly below the screen. Now it’s a matter of backing out the plug (an axle fill plug) and sending in a micro vacuum cleaner attachment about 3/4” straight up, suck it clean, reinstall plug. WIN!


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[RubberCtyRauder]

I bet my oil pan has a punch of plastic and some metal shavings in it. I saw a black 2011 Crown Victoria LX for sale that has the Police Interceptor badge on back. But leather sets front and back. I think it has the police engine and tranny with better suspension then regular crown vic. Less millage 80 thousand
might be worth looking at. Not as nice as a Marauder. But still good. Rather have that then a Camry or Accord SOOO BORING THOSE CARS



The VIN will tell if it is a police car..a police interceptor badge can be had on ebay all day long.. A P7B in the VIN is a cop car, the car you see is most likely a plain LX..there is no difference in motor and transbetween them..it's only the PCM that slightly changes the shifting..cop cars had 3.27 or 3.55 rear axle..LX had 2.73