2000StreetRod
Moderator Emeritus
- Joined
- May 26, 2009
- Messages
- 10,597
- Reaction score
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- City, State
- Greenville, SC
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 00 Sport FI, 03 Ltd V8
For some time I have been encouraging members to purchase Ford OEM timing chain related parts and avoid parts from unknown manufacturers. At least two forum members posted that they had purchased inexpensive aftermarket timing chain components that were very poor quality and unreliable. It seems that the least reliable timing chain components that result in engine damage upon failure are the left and right timing chain guide assemblies and hydraulic/spring tensioners. A broken guide assembly or weak tensioner can result in timing chain slip. If the chain slips too much the pistons will strike the valves. A seized tensioner can cause a guide assembly to break. Broken guide assembly fragments can wedge against the timing chain causing it to break.
Last year I received an e-mail from an engineer employed by Cloyes stating that their timing chain guide assemblies were supplied by the same manufacturer that supplies Ford as OEM components. Since then I have cautiously recommended Cloyes as an alternate source for the Ford SOHC V6 timing components. Last night I was fortunate to "win" new Cloyes left and right cassettes and tensioners on eBay at a significantly reduced cost. When I receive them in a week or so I will compare them to Ford OEM almost new components I won on eBay two weeks ago.
Since the engine is usually pulled to replace the right cassette it is obviously undesirable to utilize inferior components that can fail early and cause expensive engine damage. I encourage members to post in this thread their comments regarding timing components they have purchased from various sources (PCI, Rockwell, 4USA, InnerFireGear, 1A Auto, etc).
Last year I received an e-mail from an engineer employed by Cloyes stating that their timing chain guide assemblies were supplied by the same manufacturer that supplies Ford as OEM components. Since then I have cautiously recommended Cloyes as an alternate source for the Ford SOHC V6 timing components. Last night I was fortunate to "win" new Cloyes left and right cassettes and tensioners on eBay at a significantly reduced cost. When I receive them in a week or so I will compare them to Ford OEM almost new components I won on eBay two weeks ago.
Since the engine is usually pulled to replace the right cassette it is obviously undesirable to utilize inferior components that can fail early and cause expensive engine damage. I encourage members to post in this thread their comments regarding timing components they have purchased from various sources (PCI, Rockwell, 4USA, InnerFireGear, 1A Auto, etc).