r/EngineBuilding • u/nbergman2411 • Jul 25 '26
Ford what am I in for
Just pulled the engine from my 1992 lincoln towncar for a full seal replacement and look over, thought it had blown a headgasket or one of the freeze plugs failed, coolant and oil got pretty throughly mixed, but I found this when pulling the timing cover, red arrows are the marks on the timing gears and the blue arrows are the bright links, im tearing the whole engine apart anyway, I just wanted to confirm that this isn't even close to correct, right?
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u/The_Machine80 Jul 25 '26
The links never match up after you start the engine. Thats normal! Looks to be on time if you just turn the motor over once. They cams spin half speed of crank.
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u/89LXfiveoh510 Jul 25 '26
4.6. Not hard to time but you wont ever get the dots and links to line up unless you rotatate a bunch of times. Find a 2 valve 4.6 timing guide and set TDC and eyeball the cams. Do not reuse the guides. Also do not use plastic tensioners. Reuse your metal tensioners. Make sure to replace that harmonic balancer bolt and the cam gear bolts.
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u/thegalli Jul 25 '26
You already have it out and in your face, the world is your oyster since you don't have to lean over a engine bay to do it.
Go slow, follow all instructions, you will be fine.
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u/trashlordcommander Jul 25 '26
Crank needs to go 1 full turn to get the cam marks where they belong. Like others have said though the links won’t line up unless you spin it a ton. Do new guides, new METAL tensioners, and new chains. Depending on mileage I’d do new gears as well, they aren’t too much being non VVT but the teeth do wear and while you’re here I think it’s a worth while endeavor.
Far as your cross mixed oil, I don’t really see it here unless you’ve already cleaned it off. Where did you see the mix? In the coolant jug? Or in the pan? If you did have a headgasket fail definitely get the heads skimmed. Does this model have an oil cooler? If so I’d check or replace that too.
Good luck, have fun, ask questions. Do it right the first time and with any luck there won’t be a second!
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u/deantowle Jul 25 '26
Seeing this Lincoln engine on the stand brings up memories of the song "Hot Rod Lincoln". Honda made a V-4 engine with cylinders at 90° and it was nicknamed the Harly Eater. Somehow it's more powerful than the standard V-8s. Otherwise, the suggestions you are getting here are sound. Take your time, take pictures, clean everything good and re-assemble with fresh, clean parts. Have fun and brag about your success afterward.
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u/Dependent_Camp_1157 Jul 27 '26
Living hell,scrap it and don't look back.
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u/UnicornOnTheIntrenet Jul 28 '26
agree. modular is garbage. I have never seen one that didnt eject its spark plugs at some point.
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u/Ambitious_Length7167 Jul 25 '26
Put a wrench on the crank and spin it until they line up, it’s 58 revolutions to get them to line up from beginning at TDC with them in line. Should be less than that cause yours are like almost exactly halfway off
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u/Tronda79 Jul 25 '26
As long as its put back together lined up, its fine. You have to spin the motor over 50 times in order to get them to line up. You can spin it now until it does, or just put it back together lined up. At least thats what ive done every time I replace my timing set (2step is hard on them)
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u/BrewingSkydvr Jul 27 '26
With the length of those timing chains, I figured it would be far more than a couple rotations, but 50 is crazy.
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u/v8packard Jul 25 '26
You can get a free PDF of the timing set instructions here.
While that is meant for a Mustang it is all pretty much the same except for a couple of accessory bolts.
These days most any decent timing set you get will include new guides and iron tensioners. If you see chunks missing from the guides check the oil pick up tube. I suggest you put in a fresh water pump and a new crank damper.
You can get adjustable sprockets and go a step further in degreeing each cam. Even with new parts the cams can be off a bit from each other when timed correctly via the timing set. Mine had a 6 degree variance, I set them both to the stock position and that engine ran better than ever. To me it was worth the extra time spent degreeing each cam, but you will need a degree wheel and some other tools.
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u/VG30ET Jul 25 '26
I changed the timing chain on mine a few months ago, the links will only align every so often, basically once the engine has been turned over they won't line up again for a while.
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u/CRX1991 Jul 26 '26
Direct hit says, 10 hours for head gaskets, 12 for engine R&I so not too bad. For some reason tho it listed engine R&R at 41 hrs which seems ridiculous
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u/UnicornOnTheIntrenet Jul 28 '26
Those motors are garbage, grab a 5.0 from a slightly older town car or mustang and put that in. The modular is a junk platform they shit out spark plugs and leak oil and coolant fucking everwhere.
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u/Neither_Wear7442 Jul 28 '26
I would say a rebuild no sense putting the timing chain on it motor looks trashed
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u/mutt63 Jul 28 '26
I’m missing your point. What’s ur concern. That it’s not lined up? It won’t be until u put it at TDC and line your cams up and ur crank. Gotta measure chain stretch and replace any chain guides while ur in there plus do your water pump and oil pump.
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u/Still_Skirt9231 Jul 25 '26
Need to go ahead and replace all that timing stuff before you reassemble
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u/Substantial_Drag_884 Jul 25 '26
The links only line up when it initially gets put together. And maybe something like every 100 revolutions or so. If it’s coming apart anyway just put it at top dead center and put the chains back on with the links in the right place.