SOHC Timing Chain Broke?

[Danson]

hey everyone,
i just had my primary timing chain done like 6 months ago, when i picked it up it still had a little bit of a rattle, so the mechanic said that it is probably the timing chains on the camshaft. He called ford about it and ford said that the timing chains will not break they will just make a noise. today as i was driving home from work i hit the gas and the truck did not do anything finally i looked down and all the lights were on on the dash and nothing, the thing wont start and finally it started for a second and all i could hear was the timing chain (Sounded like it was flapping around like crazy. If the timing chain did break do i have to get a whole new motor??

 

[2000StreetRod]

Interference engine

The SOHC engine is an interference engine (pistons can hit valves if timing is too far off).

Before I would buy another engine and swap it out I would try to find out what's broken. It could be only that the chain has slipped and the timing is so far off the engine will no longer run. You may not have any bent valves or damaged pistons. It seems like so many people are too anxious to replace things these days without first determining what's broken.

I would pull the spark plugs and the valve covers and carefully turn the engine over by hand a few degrees and see if the cams still rotate. If they do then I would check the timing to see if one or both cams are out of time. If both are out then the lower crank to jacksaft chain has slipped. Do not rotate the crankshaft counterclockwise because the chain can slip more in that direction. Do not force the crankshaft clockwise against any obstruction because it could be a piston striking a valve.