Fuel Grade and Timing Chain

[jdub07]

2000 Mountaineer 5.0

What grade fuel should I be using? The previous owner was using 87. I use 91 in my mustang 5.0 so it was kinda odd to me that 87 would be okay in the mounty,...unless its okay because they make newer cars run better on lower grade gas? Any suggestions?

Timing chain: i hear a slight ticking not ping but tick. Could this be the timing chain? There are 42,000 miles on it,....at how many miles do the do the timing chains usually start to go?

 

[Billy177]

you will be fine with 87 octane and that ticking is an exhaust leak

 

[jdub07]

you will be fine with 87 octane and that ticking is an exhaust leak

Thanks for the quick response....any reason exhaust leak over timing chain?

 

[Jester1994]

It's most likely an exhaust leak, since that happens to all 5.0's, inlcuding mine, with age. There's not much you can do about it except replace the headers with aftermarket ones, as well as the gaskets, etc. You just need to live with the good old ticking, just pretend your being timed every time you get on it to go somewhere.

 

[jdub07]

It's most likely an exhaust leak, since that happens to all 5.0's, inlcuding mine, with age. There's not much you can do about it except replace the headers with aftermarket ones, as well as the gaskets, etc. You just need to live with the good old ticking, just pretend your being timed every time you get on it to go somewhere.

Well that makes me feel a little better...it is almost hard to notice unless driving next to a wall or close to a curb where the sound of the car bounces off it and back at me. I just wanted to be able to jump on getting the timing chain done IF that had been the case. Thanks for the info

 

[TPLYNCH]

The 5.0's are also susceptible to pinhole leaks in the EGR tubing. That is another cause of ticking sound.....