Maintenance kit for 3,4L (?) and timing cover maintenance

[GEN 3 SHO FAN]

Hi,

I just found this site selling a maintenance kit for our SHO... I'm concerned about the quality of the parts, the kit is priced at 112$.

Also, the mention "content may vary" isn't helping.

The kit EK4199M by DNJ (may) include :

-Piston Set
-Piston Rings
-Main Bearings
-Rod Bearings
-Head Gasket Set
-Lower Gasket Set
-Thrust Washer
-Timing Chain Kit
-Oil Pump

https://www.partsology.com/dnj-ek4199m-engine-rebuild-kit-master-ford

 

[99sho-time]

that is one of the strangest things ive ever seen almost looks sketchy.

 

[GEN 3 SHO FAN]

The brand seems american however, not chinese Alibaba things. (Probably made in China anymway.)

After, some check up, it appears that is out of stock...

 

[gamefanatic]

The parts are legit. I contacted DNJ when looking for my head gaskets a few years ago. They were being sold through RockAuto, and had just stopped selling them! I can't say that the parts that are advertised on these sites are actually available. I believe they have limited production runs like other companies.

You can validate the part #'s at the DNJ catalog site:
http://www.dnjecat.com/
HGS4199 - Left / Right head gaskets

 

[gamefanatic]

To be honest. You'd almost pay the same, if you include effort, for a new shortblock + headgaskets.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/252911894312
They say last one, but they have been selling them for years...

And this one:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/272564279238

Watch them. They frequently have free shipping sales...

 

[gamefanatic]

BTW, SHOsource gaskets are the same as the DNJ, though made by a different manufacturer. At the time I got mine, SHOSource was not selling them. Price is nearly identical to what RockAuto had the DNJ ones. Haven't found anyone selling the original metal style. Technically if its just the coating thats bad, you could just scrape it off and use your own flavor of liquid sealant, spray copper.

 

[99sho-time]

so you can get a timing chain from dnj?

 

[GEN 3 SHO FAN]

I must admit that I found this kit when I was searching spare parts for the timing cover (mostly gaskets) as they mention "timing chain kit".

Later, I was able to find one of these kit for sale... the lowest price I saw is around 2300 $ US.

If you want to save some money, you can just take this kit :

Timing chain kit : DNJ TK4199 at 1000 $ US...
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/DNJ-TK4199-Timing-Chain-Kit-for-96-99-Ford-3-4L/302218537731?fits=Year:1996|Model:Taurus|Submodel:SHO&epid=112600707&hash=item465da0eb03:g:OwoAAOSwzVhbVlqN:rk:3f:0

Speaking about timing, when I check E-bay and make a search with "Taurus SHO 1996 timing", some sellers put timing parts from 2.5 duratech saying it will fit on the V8 3.4L ... ? (crank gear, the longer chains, guides, tensionners).

I know the 2.5 had served to create the V8 but I'm not sure at which point all these parts will fits... (even the duratech 3.0 parts can fit according to them). If these fit, can the gaskets fit too ? (NO)

 

[99sho-time]

I guess if you bought a duratech chain you could just count the links

 

[GEN 3 SHO FAN]

It will not fit, probably any veteran know already this but here is what I know :

Comparing images from differents timing covers of Ford engines of this time (3.4, 3.0, 2.5L), it's appears that Yamaha, when creating the heads of our motor, added secondaries sprockets (and secondaries smaller chains) which were absent from the 2 others engines. Chains for the 3.4 are probably uniques to the engine. (I'm not in need on this side, but it's good to know.)

(In another way, that let me thing that the well know sprockets problem is linked to this Yamaha's developpement... I also rode that Yamaha had a similar prob with antother engine in the '90 but I forgot where.)

This settup had the advantage of taking less space beside the heads and I think it was one of the challenges at that time (putting a V8 in a fwd car). The bad side of this is there are more moving parts (3 chains and 6 head sprockets vs 2 chains and 4 sprockets). More moving parts = more wear and then, more kinds of failure.

3.4L

2.5/3.0L


However, with the 2 side by side we can compare the timing cover gaskets and the one on the right side (front side of vehicule) seems very similar in shape to the one on 3.4L...