GT Timing Chain in the 4.6L

[RED2001GT]

How many miles is the average lifespan for the timing chain in a stock 2001 GT?
Will the timing chain last for at least 200,000 miles if the car remains 100% stock and if it's not driven hard? I would like to know.
Thanks

 

[Jbauer]

You can drive it all you want. The chain will last.. The tensioners and guides are another story

 

[RED2001GT]

How many miles do the tensioners and guides usually last if the car remains 100% stock and if it's driven gently? I never beat on my 2001 GT and it's still 100% stock.

 

[mransr]

my are still good after 200,000

 

[Mustang5L5]

Being stock and gently driven has nothing to do with it. The engine turns just as hard and stuff wears out. I've seen stock mustangs break just as easily as modded ones


WHy so much concern about the timing chains? There are other things to worry about lasting 200K miles than the timing chains

 

[RED2001GT]

WHy so much concern about the timing chains? There are other things to worry about lasting 200K miles than the timing chains

Because my other car is a 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.7L V6 AWD SUV that has a timing belt in it and the owner's manual says that it needs to be replaced every 60,000 miles. I wanted to find out whether or not a timing chain needs to be replaced at the same approximate mileage as a car that has a timing belt in it. I know that timing chains last longer than timing belts, but I don't know how much longer. That's what I wanted to find out here. I don't want to have to worry about changing the timing chain in my 2001 Mustang GT when the mileage on it gets to 60,000 miles or even at 100,000 miles. I currently only have less than 6,000 original miles on my GT right now, but I am hoping that I will not need to replace the timing chain if and when the mileage starts getting high on it.

 

[bdcardinal]

we have some fleet vehicles at work with 350,000+ miles on them on the original chains, never had the valve covers off. all they get are oil changes every 5k miles. no problems. mostly crown vics though, but all the running gear is the same.

 

[d98gt]

I have near 200k on my mustang and just removed my chains and everything looked and operated fine. I reinstalled them after noticing the great shape that everything was in.

 

[Hardtop68]

Mine is almost 135,000 miles and everything is O.K... I change oil and filter every 5,000 miles... How do you tell the chains need to be changed? chain noise? engine timing not O.K.? I don't know... I expect they will start making some noise after seizing!

 

[bdcardinal]

on jobs where we replace the tensioners and guildes we will also sell new chains. we figure if its all part and the customer is paying $110 an our, they might as well get new chains.

 

[BurningRubber]

Timing chains do not get changed, they are designed to last the life of the motor and normally have no problem doing so.

They may stretch and wear a little bit, but they are unlikely to fail as long as the guides/tensioners stay in good health.


Timing belts have change intervals, and that is why they suck in comparison to timing chains. Seems most of the vehicles that have timing belts are the most PITA ones to work on, hahaha.

 

[98COBRA281]

you only have 6k on it

go beat the $hit out of it for another 150k, and dont worry about the timing chains... i have 103k on my and my chains look brand new...

 

[RED2001GT]

Thanks. I figured that the timing chain on the 2001 GT lasts for a few hundred thousand miles.

 

[R.J.]

In Sean Hyland's Max Performance 4.6L book he says Fords chains are quite durable and he has NEVER had a problem with one, on any of his race engines. He even built a timing cover with a plexiglass front to watch the chains perform. If you are worried and want to change them, the cobra primary chains are polished for high rpm durability and are completely interchangeable with the GT chains. This is directly out of Hyland's book.