So I was wondering if I should be thinking about replaceing my timing chain. I have a 2000 ranger 4x4 3.0l that has been in the family from 90,000 miles to the current 125,000 miles. I have every maintenance receipt for that period of miles and there is nothing about the chain. So then I looked through the factory maintenance schedule and couldn't find anything. So anyways how often should you replace the chain? Thankx.

 

bump


Anybody know???

 

Chains , unlike belts, last a looonnng time.I wouldn't worry about changing it until you rebuild the engine .About 300K.

 

Wow 300K!!! I have a couple old jeeps and have had a few chevys that you had to change the chain on every 60 to 90K.

 

Mine was stretched past the limits at 121,000, so I believe the 300K is pretty optimistic...

Most people just don't replace them until they fail. Shame too, it can cause a lot of damage. If you are doing the water pump and CPS (at or near 100K), it's a good time.

 

Kinda got confused (not hard to do) on info regarding timing chains/belts. I have a 2002 Ford Ranger Edge 3.0L 4x4 70K miles. Is it a chain or belt? Is it interference or non-interference? Do I need to replace it? When should I replace? I have started driving it on longer trips and don't want to get stranded if I can help it. Thank you!

 

Rangers all used the 3.0l Vulcan engine, it is a non-interference engine, it uses a timing chain, no it does not need to be replaced unless you need to change front cover gasket because of a coolant leak, which was a known issue with this engine, and you change the chain just because its not expensive, there is no tensioner to replace
Timing chain was never a "known issue" on the 3.0l Vulcan engine

Ford also made a 3.0l Duratec engine which IS an interference engine, so that can be the source of some confusion if you look at just a 3.0l ford engine, there are two different 3.0ls
And there is also a 3.0l Ford diesel engine, lol

 

thanks ron, good news on the timing chain, bad news on the impending failure of the front cover gasket

 

"Known issue" just means something to watch for, i.e. loss of coolant, which most people do anyway, lol

But its not a 100% failure rate, far from it, just a "known issue"

 

04 Edge 2WD with now 142K. At 136K finally tackled front engine cover leak and found timing chain clearly stretched. No noises or anything to alarm you.
Tried to look specs but found it easier just to replace the timing components.
Just my two cents.