2010 Timing Chain

[bpopilek]

Yesterday I finally received the last few parts I needed to start on the timing chain/water pump replacement in my SHO. I previously found the upgrade spreadsheet, with all of the new part numbers, to upgrade it to the newer style chain. Luckily for me, I’m close to Village Ford parts and I was able to pick everything up in person.

I’m just looking for a little advice before I get going on this either later today or tomorrow. My instincts tell me it’s probably better to drop the front subframe with the engine still attached and work on everything outside of the car. My only question is how difficult is this to accomplish? Is there a guide available for this procedure? I realize there are several standard items and hoses that I will have to disconnect. The only thing I’m really not sure about is the wiring harness for the motor. Will it disconnect from the car without having to unplug all of the sensors on the engine? I’m guessing it’s easier to go this route, or would I be better off just working on the engine in the car with the sub frame removed?

Lastly, is there anything else I should replace on the engine while I am at this point? I don’t fancy having to go through all of this again another time. Thanks in advance!


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[4sfed]

Yesterday I finally received the last few parts I needed to start on the timing chain/water pump replacement in my SHO. I previously found the upgrade spreadsheet, with all of the new part numbers, to upgrade it to the newer style chain. Luckily for me, I’m close to Village Ford parts and I was able to pick everything up in person.

I’m just looking for a little advice before I get going on this either later today or tomorrow. My instincts tell me it’s probably better to drop the front subframe with the engine still attached and work on everything outside of the car. My only question is how difficult is this to accomplish? Is there a guide available for this procedure? I realize there are several standard items and hoses that I will have to disconnect. The only thing I’m really not sure about is the wiring harness for the motor. Will it disconnect from the car without having to unplug all of the sensors on the engine? I’m guessing it’s easier to go this route, or would I be better off just working on the engine in the car with the sub frame removed?

Lastly, is there anything else I should replace on the engine while I am at this point? I don’t fancy having to go through all of this again another time. Thanks in advance!


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Can you point to the parts list you used? I've grabbed some but sometimes numbers changed, etc.

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[Shadow351]

I've done timing chains twice on my 2010 (Make sure you replace the phasers or you may end up doing it again like I did). If you are not already planning to, replace the water pump while you are in there, they have been known to fill the oil pan with coolant when they fail. I also replaced the oil pump while I was in the first time due to an intermittent low oil pressure warning.

I did it in car both times, as I do not have the facilities to drop the subframe. That being said, it's not a terrible undertaking to do in car, there are a couple places where clearance/visibility is an issue, but I probably wouldn't drop the subframe if I had to do it again and I did have the facilities. Also, dropping the subframe means disassembling the suspension, and getting it aligned once you are done. Oh, also potentially have to Discharge & Recharge the A/C.

I purchased the Ford repair manuals from a dealer for the procedure/torque specs.
Here is my thread about it: https://shoforum.com/index.php?threads/oil-pressure-warning-at-idle.136523/
And my thread about the waterpump (there is a pic of the room you have with the timing cover off) https://shoforum.com/index.php?threads/gates-vs-motorcraft-water-pump.136551/

Oh and a tool such as this is pretty much a must: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y2B6C1Z/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[bpopilek]

Sorry for the delay in my response. It’s been way too hot and muggy here in MI to work on this thing the past couple of weekends, and I had other pressing things to work on around the house. I hopefully plan to start on it this week though.

I've done timing chains twice on my 2010 (Make sure you replace the phasers or you may end up doing it again like I did). If you are not already planning to, replace the water pump while you are in there, they have been known to fill the oil pan with coolant when they fail. I also replaced the oil pump while I was in the first time due to an intermittent low oil pressure warning.

I have a new water pump and phasers, plus every other component related to the timing chains. However, I should probably get an oil pump while I’m at it. I try to avoid redoing the same repairs/work as much as I can. So, I want to replace anything that can fail while I’m in there. My SHO has 146k miles on it, and I hope to keep it for a while to come.

I did it in car both times, as I do not have the facilities to drop the subframe. That being said, it's not a terrible undertaking to do in car, there are a couple places where clearance/visibility is an issue

Any tips on where the visibility is an issue? I did read your other post, and I had already figured the side cover on and off might be a tad challenging. I did buy a new cover, mostly just because I figured it was one surface that I wouldn’t have to work hard at getting clean to make a good seal. I initially had planned on either dropping the subframe or subframe and engine, but now I’m wondering if your way is better. How long would you say it took you to do it in car?

I purchased the Ford repair manuals from a dealer for the procedure/torque specs.

Good call! For some dumb reason I didn’t think about getting these to help. I wonder if there’s a digital version that I can buy and download?

Oh and a tool such as this is pretty much a must

That was the first thing I ordered! I did read about this tool someplace last year when I realized this job was going to be necessary.

Thanks for your reply and advice!



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[Shadow351]

Any tips on where the visibility is an issue?

The first time I did it, I had trouble aligning the CAC plumbing on the firewall side of the engine, and some of the timing cover bolts towards the firewall I remember being tricky to see/access (they are 'recessed' from the front of the cover)

How long would you say it took you to do it in car?

The first time it took over a week, but that's because I twisted off an engine mount bolt (they are metric grade 12.9, so harder then an SAE Grade 8) and I spent hours across a few days cutting, drilling, and grinding to fix that little mistake...don't do that. The second time I did it in a weekend.

I wonder if there’s a digital version that I can buy and download?

You can check eBay, I also have the factory service manual in electronic form that i bought on eBay, but I'm not sure of the legitimacy of these

A couple additional items:

• The bolts that hold the cam sprockets/phasers on are "Torx Plus" (I think TP-55 but I'm not sure), I've heard that a regular Torx will not work (might round over under the torque of the Torque to yield bolts), so I bought a set of Torx Plus sockets on Amazon. Also, make sure you have new cam bolts (new phasers should come with new bolts).
• You need a strap wrench that can fit around the crankshaft dampener to hold the engine from turning as you torque the crank bolt. It is torque to yield and takes a lot of torque (Also this bolt needs to be replaced, so make sure you pick one up)
• There is a revised/updated RH timing guide, I don't know how necessary it is but the parts guy at my dealer suggested it.
• In step 16 of the front cover removal, it says to remove the engine mount studs. I was able to remove the mount without removing these studs, which was good because the eTorx end of one snapped off as soon as I tried to remove it
• I bought a set of 'Hose Clamp Pliers' that came with a pair of long reach clamp pliers (has a cable with jaws at the end) that came in very handy for the CAC plumbing on the firewall side of the engine.
• I used a vacuum cooling system refill kit to refill the cooling system, it worked fantastic, and even helps test for leaks, albeit under a vacuum instead of pressure but it will certainly indicate if you've left a hose off, which of course I've NEVER done before (don't spill 2 gallons of brand new coolant on the floor, its a mess and you'll feel bad about the wasted coolant, just don't ask me how I know. )
• I used Permatex 24105 Ultra Black when I reinstalled the front cover, It is lower cost than the 'proper' Motorcraft sealant, but claims to meet the same specs. I haven't had any trouble with leaks from the front cover.

I think that's all I've got, but if I think of anything else I'll add it.

 

[bpopilek]

Well, I have been working on this a little bit here and there over the past week or so, as time permits. Unfortunately, I have found that life, work, and weather have been factors preventing me from finding the necessary time to complete this fully. I’m hoping to try and rectify that problem this weekend though.

You can check eBay, I also have the factory service manual in electronic form that I bought on eBay, but I'm not sure of the legitimacy of these.

Per your suggestion, I was able to locate a digital copy of the service manual online. It appears to have all the torque spec required to complete this job, and in fact it has most of the information for most service/repairs in general. I do find myself agreeing with you concerning the legitimacy of this. My copy runs under a virtual Windows XP machine, and any attempt I have made to move the data to my main computer fails. It errors out with some expiration notice when trying to do so.

The bolts that hold the cam sprockets/phasers on are "Torx Plus" (I think TP-55 but I'm not sure)

I did have to pick up the Torx Plus sockets (TP55 was correct), I only had regular Torx bits on hand in my tool set. Fortunately, I already previously ordered or had on hand all the other necessary tools that you mentioned in your post.

At this point I have the front tire and inner fender well removed to gain access to the lower portion of the engine. Like you, I too was able to remove the entire motor mount in one piece, preventing any issues with damaged/broken bolts. I currently have the side cover completely off (It certainly was a tight fit to get it out!), including the water/oil pumps and the main timing chain. Using a floor jack to raise/lower the engine, with the access available through the fender, it appears that I have plenty of room to complete this in car. The only concern I have right now about completing this relates to getting the new side cover installed without getting sealant all over everything else in the process.

Unfortunately, I ran into a small problem last Sunday when working on this and I had to stop where I was at. While trying to remove the Torx Plus bolt holding the front phaser on, the force I used caused the cam lock tool to pop off go flying. As a result, the cam turned quite a bit and I cannot be sure of its proper position. DOH!!! Both phasers are still fully attached, along with the secondary smaller chains. I am concerned that perhaps I did not have the timing marks lined up properly before removing the main chain and that it why the tool did not seat right and was able to pop off. I personally would like to go through and make sure everything is still properly timed before doing anything else. Is there a walk through or details online to assist with verifying this? I have searched, but with so many different versions of this car and engine, I want to fully make sure I am looking at the right information before proceeding. I have NO desire to reassemble this and try to start it without knowing that everything is 100% properly timed and installed. It never fails to have at least one mishap during a big project! Thank you all for the previous help/tips so far, and thank you in advance for any additional help or information you can provide!

 

[Shadow351]

Timing things is really only critical when reassembling (just don't rotate the cams more than a few degrees). Since you said the secondary chains are still on, secondary timing should still be on (the sprockets are keyed to the shafts). Also assuming you only rotated the cams a few degrees when the tool slipped off, I don't see any reason you couldn't rotate them back in the other direction until the flats on the cams line up with the tool again, and the timing marks on the sprockets 'point' up perpendicular to the surface of the cylinder head. The tool will only fit on when the cams are in 2 places (2 flats per cam), so either TDC or 180 (camshaft) degrees out, the point which the timing marks are 'up' is TDC. I do remember having to hold the tools down when torquing and removing the bolts, especially the originals.

When you reassemble, the cam sprockets are keyed to the shafts, so they will only line up one way, and as long as you line up the timing marks on the sprockets to the colored links on the chains, you should be good.

 

[bpopilek]

Timing things is really only critical when reassembling (just don't rotate the cams more than a few degrees). Since you said the secondary chains are still on, secondary timing should still be on (the sprockets are keyed to the shafts). Also assuming you only rotated the cams a few degrees when the tool slipped off, I don't see any reason you couldn't rotate them back in the other direction until the flats on the cams line up with the tool again, and the timing marks on the sprockets 'point' up perpendicular to the surface of the cylinder head. The tool will only fit on when the cams are in 2 places (2 flats per cam), so either TDC or 180 (camshaft) degrees out, the point which the timing marks are 'up' is TDC. I do remember having to hold the tools down when torquing and removing the bolts, especially the originals.

When you reassemble, the cam sprockets are keyed to the shafts, so they will only line up one way, and as long as you line up the timing marks on the sprockets to the colored links on the chains, you should be good.

When I typed up my last post, I was tired and probably over reacted a little bit. I had a chance to go play with this some more today. A quick look over everything told me that I was good to go with my timing marks. Whew!

I also got my Torx Plus bit set today, so I was able to get the last of the old parts fully removed. I next started cleaning the engine where the side cover attaches, and I found a little bit of sludge in the bottom of the oil pan that I cleaned out. In addition to replacing the chain and other components, I'm taking this opportunity to clean and paint all of the old aluminum parts. Mainly just to make the final product look a little bit nicer. I'm using a high temperature Rust-Oleum flat back paint that I've used in the past on another engine rebuild. It seems to hold up quite well, and it definitely looks better that old dingy aluminum.

One other question that just came to mind while typing this is in regards to the oil weight. From the factory, my car required using 5w-20 oil. I seem to recall reading a post, quite a while ago while researching this job, that recommended switching the engine over to use 5w-30 instead. Is this a good idea, and is there any reason behind why I would want to switch oil weights? Thanks again for the help!

 

[Shadow351]

Ford changed the spec for the 3.5L EcoBoost in later year cars, supposedly because the 5w-20 wasn't holding up to the heat produced by the turbos. I run 5w-30 at the recommendation of Brian from "BSG Automotive" (formerly Fordtechmakuloco)

 

[bpopilek]

Hello! I just wanted to post a final update on this thread. As of last night, I finally have this project 100% completed. I actually finished it the day before, but of course I found an oil leak after the first test drive. Doh! Luckily it was just the seal around the VCT solenoid on the rear valve cover. After another hour of work, it is running top notch with no more leaks. It’s soooooo nice to start the car and not hear the timing chain rattling anymore!

After researching this day after day, I still never found a single post that detailed everything that you should be aware of when tackling this job. Mainly referring to the 2010 timing chain upgrade. I did compile all of the notes and may make a complete how-to one day if time permits. If I had to do it all over again, and I hope I never have to, I’d have replaced all of the seals in the valve covers. Additionally, while none of the directions I found online specifically said to do so, I did end up buying an entire intake manifold gasket set. I’m glad I did because several of the other seals, that were not on the initial parts list to replace, definitely needed to be.

I’m just glad that this job is done and now I can move on to some of the other odds and ends that need my attention. Thanks again for the help!


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[bpopilek]

I wanted to provide an up to date Excel spreadsheet that has the most recent part numbers and pricing for everything needed to convert the 2010 EcoBoost timing chain to the newer style. It also has direct links to the parts online to help you get the most up to date pricing. The cost of many of these parts have fluctuated quite a bit, even from when I ordered my parts just a couple months ago. It is zipped up so that I could add it to this post. Hopefully it can help others.

 

[lincolntmc97]

The first time I did it, I had trouble aligning the CAC plumbing on the firewall side of the engine, and some of the timing cover bolts towards the firewall I remember being tricky to see/access (they are 'recessed' from the front of the cover)



The first time it took over a week, but that's because I twisted off an engine mount bolt (they are metric grade 12.9, so harder then an SAE Grade 8) and I spent hours across a few days cutting, drilling, and grinding to fix that little mistake...don't do that. The second time I did it in a weekend.




You can check eBay, I also have the factory service manual in electronic form that i bought on eBay, but I'm not sure of the legitimacy of these

A couple additional items:

• The bolts that hold the cam sprockets/phasers on are "Torx Plus" (I think TP-55 but I'm not sure), I've heard that a regular Torx will not work (might round over under the torque of the Torque to yield bolts), so I bought a set of Torx Plus sockets on Amazon. Also, make sure you have new cam bolts (new phasers should come with new bolts).
• You need a strap wrench that can fit around the crankshaft dampener to hold the engine from turning as you torque the crank bolt. It is torque to yield and takes a lot of torque (Also this bolt needs to be replaced, so make sure you pick one up)
• There is a revised/updated RH timing guide, I don't know how necessary it is but the parts guy at my dealer suggested it.
• In step 16 of the front cover removal, it says to remove the engine mount studs. I was able to remove the mount without removing these studs, which was good because the eTorx end of one snapped off as soon as I tried to remove it
• I bought a set of 'Hose Clamp Pliers' that came with a pair of long reach clamp pliers (has a cable with jaws at the end) that came in very handy for the CAC plumbing on the firewall side of the engine.
• I used a vacuum cooling system refill kit to refill the cooling system, it worked fantastic, and even helps test for leaks, albeit under a vacuum instead of pressure but it will certainly indicate if you've left a hose off, which of course I've NEVER done before (don't spill 2 gallons of brand new coolant on the floor, its a mess and you'll feel bad about the wasted coolant, just don't ask me how I know. )
• I used Permatex 24105 Ultra Black when I reinstalled the front cover, It is lower cost than the 'proper' Motorcraft sealant, but claims to meet the same specs. I haven't had any trouble with leaks from the front cover.

I think that's all I've got, but if I think of anything else I'll add it.

How did you purge the AC system? I have the manual and am reading it currently, but I wondered if anyone had a cheaper way or if I am going to have to buy the AC kit.

 

[Shadow351]

I didn't need to touch the AC system at all. I think I just loosened the brackets that affixed the AC lines to the body and there was enough 'wiggle room' to do everything without opening the AC system.