60k Maintenance Details

[big green]

I am very unclear about the so-called 60K Maintenance regime. Why? I have the Service Manual for my 1995 ATX SHO, and it details no such regime. Moreover, I have read, for example, the 95 ATX does NOT require a Timing Belt change at 60K, but rather only at 120K. Where does this 60K come from? Ford's Official Service Manual details maintenance recommendations, and most of what is commonly called the 60k regime is NOT mentioned at all. Please help. Thanks.

 

[rubydist]

The original factory service manual (from 1989) requires a timing belt change every 60k miles. My 1994 factory service manual specifies at 100k miles the timing belt replacement and valve lash adjustment are to be done for either 3.0 or 3.2 SHO. Many people still do the mtx service at the originally prescribed 60k multiples. While you are at it, it is good practice to change the crank sensor, crank seal, cam seals, water pump, valve cover gaskets, plugs and wires, although those are not specifically noted in the manual.

 

[big green]

Thanks

Thanks for the reply. Apparently the big issue is whether we're talking MTX or ATX. MTX needed the timing belt at 60k, not so with the ATX. This is major of course, as replacing the TB is pricey.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

This is major of course, as replacing the TB is pricey.

A SHO probably isn't the right car for anyone who thinks the ~$20 or so a timing belt costs is major/pricey.

As mentioned, the 60K term just stuck from the original recommended maintenance/inspection intervals for various things. Over time it pretty much became a reasonably reliable measure of "this is around when such-and-such commonly fails" within the enthusiast community which coined the term. By the time the automatic cars came out, the term was already ingrained in the SHO lexicon and just became a generic "60K", instead of "60K if you have a manual car, or 100K if you have an automatic car".

Ask 10 different SHO owners what a 60K includes, you'll get 11 different answers.

 

[shomuchfaster89]

A SHO probably isn't the right car for anyone who thinks the ~$20 or so a timing belt costs is major/pricey.

trying not to read to much into this, but I'm thinking he might be referring to the labor, not the actual part?
I don't think anyone who knows cars and repairs would consider a substantial maintenance item like a timing belt to be expensive if it were only $20. It's the labor that costs (significant amounts of) money on these cars if you don't do it yourself.
Again, I could be way off base on what he meant, but there is a substantial difference between the parts and labor regardless.

Ask 10 different SHO owners what a 60K includes, you'll get 11 different answers.

:laugh_ti:

 

[ShadetreeSHOguy]

Dont forget rod bearings

 

[rubydist]

I have said this many times, and I'll say it again here: If you cannot do most of the maintenance on the SHO yourself, you cannot afford the car.

Its not reasonable to a normal person to spend $500+ replacing the timing belt on a $500 car. If you do the full 60k "right" you will spend around $350 in parts. If you pay someone to do all that, you will spend at least another $500 in labor. And that doesn't include the rod bearings (which mtx cars should have as a precaution about every 100k miles) which will set you back another $600+ if you pay someone to do them.

 

[big green]

The cost is not the belt, but its installation. Otherwise, good overview of the 60k, thanks a lot.