'99 Timing Chain Replacement

[terence123cars]

Does anyone know at what mileage that the timing belt should be changes on the 3.8 litre engine? and if you have changed one, how big a job is it. I would think that the engine would have to come out ? Thanks for any suggestions. Terry

[wiswind]

The 3.8L engine does not have a timing belt.....
It has a timing chain.
A timing chain does not require routine replacement like a belt does.
It should never require replacement.
Not that it cannot fail....but just not likely.

[LeSabre97mint]

Originally Posted by terence123cars

Does anyone know at what mileage that the timing belt should be changes on the 3.8 litre engine? and if you have changed one, how big a job is it. I would think that the engine would have to come out ? Thanks for any suggestions. Terry

Terry

Are you just trying to be preventive in thinking about replacing your timing chain or are you having troubles?

The chain can be replaced with the engine in the vehical. The oil pan and basicly the front of the motor comes off to open up the area the chain is in.

Like Westwin said that chains don't require the same replacement schedule that a belt does. My 95 has close to 200,000 on it and when I had the engine apart putting in headgaskets (at 177,000) I checked the chain for slack and didn't find any. However, I did replace the rod bearings and was glad I did. That was the best 35.00 I spent. Most of the uppers were showing a bit of copper. #6 (the one that was making noise on startup) was showing the most coper. I don't have any rod noise on start up now.


Regards

Dan

[CoachKarl]

300,000 mi. Replace the crankshaft run-out bearing, when you change it.

Karl

[LeSabre97mint]

Originally Posted by CoachKarl

300,000 mi. Replace the crankshaft run-out bearing, when you change it.

Karl

Karl

Is 300,000 from experience? How did the cylinders look (if you got a look at them). Do tell more.

Dan

[wiswind]

Coolant into the oil will cause bearings and such to go bad.
If you see even a slight coolant loss..... I would take a oil sample and send it in for analysis. It will be causing damage LONG before you are able to tell by the oil looking "milky".
If you fix the coolant leak early in the game...you can save yourself some MAJOR repair bills.
Information and a free sample kit can be gotten at www.blackstone-labs.com

Removal of the front cover of the engine (required to change the timing chain) is a MAJOR job.

[CoachKarl]

Wiswind is right, Timing Chain Cover is way complex. I replaced my headgaskets in the Van, but cannot see how you could pull that thing off without dropping the whole drivetrain. (Not very hard to do if you have the room in your garage to drop it out the bottom. I do not) Poke around the trade journals (like this: babcox.com/editorial/ar/ar90134.htm) There are guys who service fleets of Windstar taxi's, Winstar Mail trucks, etc who write these things.

Karl

[terence123cars]

Originally Posted by terence123cars

Does anyone know at what mileage that the timing belt should be changes on the 3.8 litre engine? and if you have changed one, how big a job is it. I would think that the engine would have to come out ? Thanks for any suggestions. Terry

Yikes, yes sorry, I ment Timing Chain. I was thinking on a maintenance basis. The 300,000 sounds alright. Probably at that milage it'll need most components changing anyway. Thanks for the info.

Terry