JC316

Ok, here is the deal. I started getting an engine knock a while back. Thinking that it was a rod knocking, I rebuilt the engine. Halfway through, I found out that the timing chain was going slack, so I ordered a new timing chain tensioner. Put it all back together and it was still knocking.

Tore the front cover back down and still saw the chain going slack. I re-timed it, then with the front cover off, I turned the engine over. The oil flows through the timing chain tensioner and out the purge hole, thus pumping it up and tightening the chain, but the second I stop turning the engine over, it goes slack again. Put it back together and it still knocks like a ****.

Thinking that the new timing chain tensioner was bad, I bought one from the Ford house. Put that one on today and I am getting the same story. I hear the oil pressure bleed down, so I think that I am getting oil leakage around it, so I put some ultra RTV around it. It still bleeds down and the chain goes slack. It will stay tight through half an engine turn using a ratchet, but the other half, the chain goes completely slack. I can clamp it with a C clamp and everything works great.

This only happens on the passenger side timing chain. I am more than sick of this knocking and I am not putting it back together without that chain tight. Anyone have ANY idea what the hell is going on here or how I should go about fixing it?

JC316

Well, my last idea is to put a new timing chain on. I got it hot and ran low on oil before it started knocking, so it could have stretched it.

JC316

Ok, Just a heads up to anyone that might have this same problem. It was the timing chain. It has stretched nearly a half link. Popped the new one on and viola, no more slack.

Drag5.0mustang

Thats good hopefully theres no more knock!

JC316

Will let you know tomorrow. The other chain is going slack too, so I am going to change it out as well. Should have it running again by tomorrow night.

ESABATM

You do realize that with no oil pressure the tensioner will not lock the chain tight jsyk.

JC316

Didn't know that, but the timing chains reduced the knock by 90%. Now I have exhaust rattle, but nothing more. However I am having issues now with it missing BAD at anything above 1/4 throttle and I am running VERY rich. Changing out a bad O2 sensor now, but somehow I don't think it will help. 100% sure that I timed it right and 80% sure that I put the crankshaft position wheel on the right direction.

sweet99

Just did my front timing parts. Got a bit upset when I saw the chains go slack as we turned the motor by hand but realized that the tensioners had no oil in them so when the plunger was all the way out the chains were tight but half way around they would go slack. How about the cam position sensor? In place? Which way did you install the crank position sensor, flange in or out? It should be -______________! Mark

JC316

Yeah, but mine were going so slack that they could touch each other..... New wires fixed me right up with the missing issue.