Can someone verify my sadness?

[kamps989]

Timing chain cover leak? and if so does anyone know of a good walk through here or somewhere else or any snags I may encounter? Chiltons is useless for this. I am thinking I will just have to dive in and figure it out as I go.

 

[adsm08]

Yes timing cover leak. No sadness.

The timing cover on the 3.0 is pretty easy. Remove fan and water pump, a handful of bolts, and anything else that is in the way, and it comes off. Should be done in a Saturday morning.

I would plan to replace the water pump while there.

 

[kamps989]

Thanks for the speedy reply. I was thinking the same thing on the water pump. Any other things I should think about doing while I have the coolant drained out of it?

 

[kamps989]

Just in case someone is looking for info on this in the future here is a link to a great video where he removes the timing chain cover gasket https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w68Ld8eKp7k it is a Taurus but most of it still applies.

 

[Bronco638]

I went thru this last Fall. Here's your chance to do a lot of preventative maintenance; replace hoses, replace t-stat, flush radiator, fill with new coolant, install a block heater (this was worth every second/penny this winter), replace water pump, replace belt pulley and idler, replace serpentine belt, replace fan with elec. unit, etc.

 

[Earl43P]

Be advised, to replace the 3.0 water pump you will have to completely unbolt that power steering bracket. It blocks access to one bolt for the water pump - no getting around it!

I'll search for the post that shows the PS Bracket bolts locations, something like "water pump, with pictures". Might be on RF or RPS.....off to search!


Close enough.... http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141343&highlight=water+pump+pictures

 

[det107]

I know this isn't a big issue but I checked the timing chain & it had slack !! R/R chain & sprockets-