Timing chain tensioners

[cougar9150]

Taking the motor apart for all the gasket repairs. I notice that my driver side timing chain tensioner is fully compressed and the chain has slack.

The guides/chains still look in good health along with the upper cam chains/tensioners so I think I can just swap out the lower tensioners. Anyone have experience with this and know if I can just replace the tensioners or not? If I am replacing 1, I think I should replace both.

[ImpalaSlayer]

arnt they hydraulic? if im right, and they are hydraulic, they are probably bled down.

[cougar9150]

Not sure, don't know much about modular's. Just one side has tension and one doesn't, it seemed weird
If that is the case well good, I don't have to explain yet another box to the wife.

[ImpalaSlayer]

i know others know more, i may be wrong

[ntd]

both sides should have a tensioner that is hydraulically controlled. There were two styles one was ratcheting and the other wasn't. I think there cheap you could replace one if needed but I would replace both, this is the ratcheting one the other will not have the teeth on the plunger that pushes on the chain

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[cougar9150]

The one I have are the non-ratcheting style. It appears it should be fairly easy by the manual as long as I don't have to degree anything. Should be able to pop the old ones out and new ones in. $45 ea at Rock Auto, might as well or I'll be worried about it and if some thing is bad I'll kick myself if I could have caught it.

[cougar9150]

Not sure why but the Mach 1 tensioners are cheaper. I would assume I could use those since its the same motor. Anyone know?

[ntd]

Not sure why but the Mach 1 tensioners are cheaper. I would assume I could use those since its the same motor. Anyone know?

IDK Ford list the same repair procedures for mm and mach1. Both parts have the same base part # but I cant look at the full part #'s.

[cougar9150]

Ya it seems that the MM shares the primary timing tensioners with the Cobra and the Mach 1 w/the GT. Not sure why but I have cross referenced part numbers to numerous vehicles.

Weird things is both part numbers are applicable to alot of the same vehicles (trucks, crown vics, 2V/3V/4V, etc... ) but I can't find the Mach 1 and Marauder on the same application for the same part. Same with the Cobra and Mach 1, can match up the MM/Cobra but not the Cobra/Mach 1.

[RoyLPita]

Check the guides also for wear.

If you are going to replace them, get the ratcheting ones. They will stay in place instead of bleed down.

[cougar9150]

Check the guides also for wear.

If you are going to replace them, get the ratcheting ones. They will stay in place instead of bleed down.

Guides, chains, and everything else look good. I'm picking up the tensioners from a local Ford dealer this afternoon. Do you happen to know the P/N for the ratcheting ones? I'll look at them before I buy them.

[RoyLPita]

Guides, chains, and everything else look good. I'm picking up the tensioners from a local Ford dealer this afternoon. Do you happen to know the P/N for the ratcheting ones? I'll look at them before I buy them.

Not offhand. The directory that we use would not specify this feature.

[cougar9150]

Well they didn't have the ratcheting type so I just got the style like mine. Off and on fairly easy, only took about 20 minutes in all. Bad tensioner just slides in and out loosely with no resistance.

Now I'm assuming that I will need to prime the oil system once its all back together. Anyway to do this on a modular?



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[babbage]

Why do you say prime? When you start it the oil pump will pressurize those - or are you thinking you have air in there?

I guess you replaced the 2 valve cover gaskets too right? Also there is a couple of places where you have to put RTV or it will leak. You have the shop manual?

[Kennyrauder]

My Ford Store changed my tensioners on Warranty 03 300A at 30K. Rattled on start up as the tensioners would bleed down & the Chains would rattle against the "CASSETTES". There might be a TSB on this. GOOD LuCK.

[cougar9150]

Why do you say prime? When you start it the oil pump will pressurize those - or are you thinking you have air in there?

I guess you replaced the 2 valve cover gaskets too right? You have the shop manual?

The old 5.0s you could prime the oil system, and I know on the 4.6 standard practice is packing the oil pump with vaseline during assembly. I'm not removing the oil pump or anything connected to it so I was wondering if I could prime it before I start it again to prepressurize the oil system.

Wasn't sure because I have it all open and pulled the tensioners if I would get a dry start condition. Thinking that the pump would have trouble picking up a prime and might damage something because of no or low flow.

Motor is basically down to a long block and I'm replacing all the gaskets because of a leak at the front cover and oil pan. Got both a paper and cd shop manual.



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[Marauderjack]

If the motor is still in the car just remove the spark plugs, turn the fuel pump off and crank it until you get oil pressure!!:beer:

[babbage]

If the motor is still in the car just remove the spark plugs, turn the fuel pump off and crank it until you get oil pressure!!:beer:

easier to pull fuel pump relay.



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[Marauderjack]

[QUOTE=babbage;855209]easier to pull fuel pump relay.


That's what I had in mind!!:rolleyes:

[cougar9150]

If the motor is still in the car just remove the spark plugs, turn the fuel pump off and crank it until you get oil pressure!!:beer:
It will be next time I go to start it again. Right now it's on the engine stand, waiting for all the covers to go back on.

[Marauderjack]

It will be next time I go to start it again. Right now it's on the engine stand, waiting for all the covers to go back on.

Stick the starter on it without spark plugs and prime away.......:D