wcgman

I havent replaced a timing chain on any of my stangs, but I can say that in general, my experience of 25 yrs of driving Fords, timing chains are usually the last thing to go wrong. In driving probably 15 vehicles, only had a timing chain fail once.

But if you're in changing the cam, might as well do the timing chains anyway.

Derf00

+1 if you do the cams or any work where you need get into the timing cover, may as well change the Chain and guides. It's not the chain that usually fails, it's the guides that wear out that then rub the chain out. The guides are usually lined with Nylon, once that covering wears off you end up with extra slop and friction with metal-to-metal rubbing. That friction is what ultimately wears the chain out.

Definitely do the auto tranny fluid. Once the fluid gets dirty the degradation accelerates.
Power Steering fluid should be flushed, Brake Fluid should be flushed, Cooling system flushed, rear diff flushed. After that you are good to go for about 60K before any major flushes again.

tbear853

In my last career I was periodically issued a car for "work" .... and over 31 plus years and 15 or so cars, starting with a '78 Plymouth Gran Fury 440



and ending with a '06 CVPI 4.6.



I must say my last three cars were the least trouble of all. They were a '98, a '00, and that '06. All three had 4.6s and went well over 100K with zero issues, the '98 was only turned in because it had high miles (over 120K) and needed a complete department radio swap out due to upgrades and because the miles were so high, they just issued me a new car, which wasn't really so new .... it was a '00 with 25K hard miles placed on it by "O J Lilly" .... and I drove it to 136K before getting the really new '06 in summer 2006. Turned it in when I retired 01-01-10 and my replacement needed a car as he wrecked his before transfer so he got my '06 and he run it up to 165K miles and got a '12 CVPI. Car didn't even use oil .....

I'ld say an '06 Mustang auto taken care of and not so abused as we did our work cars should easily see 250K (and many more) miles on today's roads with today's fluid technology and modern materials.

oldlugs

The 4.6 has a reputation for long life. Many of the police issue Crown Vics are sold off when near 100K miles, and see another 100K+, as taxis. Regular oil changes are about all they need.

gatkins94

Mine is an 07 with 150,000 miles on it....runs just like it did when I bought it. In fact, I bought new brake pads recently and went to replace the original ones, and when I took the calipers off, the original ones looked 3/4 new....I put them back on and threw the new pads in the trunk.

mustang racer06

Thanks for all the input guys. Ive just been sticking to regular upkeep and shes running just fine. Still weary on that trans flush at 91k tho. I doubt its been done and you guys know how the old legend goes once its gone to long.

Quake Guy

Just change fluid, don't flush it. I think many times, either the flush itself or the wrong fluid gets put back it and wrecks the transmission.

red07gt

Bear

You were probably the guy who nailed me on Route 33 heading towards Harrisonburg near Massanutten in 1989!!!!!! I had that 81 Civic up to 72 MPH...wooohoo...

Granted it was deserved and I never got another ticket for over 20 years......

tbear853

Still stings some huh?

Nope, not me (but 72 in a 55 was enough to have turned me on casual patrol .... LOL). I do know that area really well .... and in fact will be up there tonight for a dinner ride with my GWRRA Chapter VA-R folks.

I worked Prince William Co in my first years, transferred to Rockbridge in 1981, fell in love with the area and stayed. Before I was a Trooper (something I talked about since I was 6 or 7 years old according to Mom) ... in my HS and early college years (16-23), I did accumulate 9 violations myself ....
.... 4 were like mufflers or a dead inspection type things, no points ....
.... and 2 were from minor accidents ( "Fail to yield ROW" (I was 16 and maybe the first time I drove alone to run an errand) and "Follow too closely") ....
.... but 3 were for speeding. 33/25 (I was slowing, I was going faster before I saw him ... LOL), 68/60 (just in a hurry to pick up a date), 60/45 (missed the sign as I was facing a setting sun and crossing some rough RR tracks, was reduced in court to "Def. speedo", no points).

So while I did only have 2 convictions for speeding, both were for 8 miles over the posted limit, and because they occurred 11 months and a few days apart (meaning within 12 months) .... and it was before the demerit point system was started January 1st, 1974 .... so then two moving violations within 12 months = 60 days automatic suspension of driving privileges. It was 1973 and really hurt my social life on weekends as I had to hitch a ride home from college or stay and Ferrum was not where I wanted to be on my weekends.

What I was driving 1989 ....



Remember these?



That was on I-95 near Ashland, it was 1980 and I was on my way home to Manassas after a week of in-service school.

red07gt

That Caprice was what got me!! He was on the other side of 33 and I came hauling around a blind corner and knew right away I was toast. He was cool about it and I actually told him he had a great spot!

Yeah I fell in love with the area as well... attended JMU from 85-89. My mom grew up in Rockbridge county (She is buried in Raphine) and until the day she died she referred to the Shenandoah Valley as "God's Country". I want to eventually move to the valley when I retire......ahhh....one day!!!

I remember those 55 MPH drives home...damn that was slow.