4.2L tuneup Q&A
 

Howdy all, I'm driving a '99 150 4WD, reg cab, short box w/ 4.2L that I bought new. She's about to roll 140K soon. I have done very little to this truck and amazingly it has more than paid for itself. Changed the oil always using Valvoline Durablend 10W-30 (sometimes not so regular), all other fluids are factory, new air filter at 48K and another at 120K. It's had 99% 89 octane through it's life. The truck itself still has the factory clutch and I just touched the front brakes for the first time at 120K. Three of the factory tires lasted nearly 110K with no rotations (lot's of highway). I did have to crimp and new terminal on the end of the starter cable cause it broke. It the process I broke off a starter bolt in the bell housing which still needs attention, grrrr.... Anyway, I think that I should take a look at changing the timing chain/belt. Which is my question: timing belt or chain? I have not touched these newer Tritons at all, so my knowledge of them is quite limited. Anything to watch out for or be wary of? I appreciate any thoughts from those of you who have done one of these.

TIA!
Aaron

Hey Aaron! Glad to have you hear!

First off, our motor is not a Triton motor. It's just a 4.2 V6 without a name. As far as the belt goes, it's a belt...I think.

33 bucks baby.

right here http://www.parts.com/partlocator/ind...99&catalogid=1

Your quite welcome.

tom

Well, pooo. Must be I was confusing it with the 4.6L. Either way, the 4.2 is what I have. Side note: There are quite a few websites that do refer to the 4.2 as a Triton. So, I can take some comfort knowing I'm not the only one. So..... If it's not the overhead cam type it's likely a chain????

And Joe is wrong it does have a name it is either SX or Essex dont remember but it IS pronounce S X

and I think it is a chain

Chain according to the Haynes manual. BTW, since when do we have to post at least 10 character's in a reply???, or was I just alway's longwinded and it never applied before?

They must have changed it with this new format to kep people from posting

I agree

yes

No

Screw you

type of posts

Oh!!!!!!!!

I'll search the archive some more, but in my brief browsing I saw quite a few posts that had something to do with a coolant leak issue that tends to take out the lower end. Does this apply to the '99 engines (truck assembled 01/99 by our Canadian friends)? I haven't noticed any real coolant loss. In fact, I just looked at it here a few weeks ago at it's last oil change while the engine was at temp and it was on the lower mark (full when cold). It didn't concern me at the time as I know this has been 4 years and 140K worth of use, but maybe I should poke around in that area too?? My parts store of choice is Napa. I'm wondering what chains are available for the 4.2 other that the stock ho-hum chain. Sumpthin' like a Cloyes true roller. I looked on their website but everything I saw was pre 4.2L days. Or perhaps a nice loud gearset. I could drive around this summer with the windows down, listening to the 'whirrrrrr' and dreaming about 871's...


Aaron

It's a timing chain. The only thing I can think of to look out for is when you're taking off the front cover, make sure you get the bolt that it hidden by the oil filter. First time I pulled one off my old T-Bird I didn't know that bolt was there and just thought the cover was stuck and ended up breaking the cover :-arrgh
As far as I can tell the thing that makes a motor a "Triton" is that it has 3 valves per cylinder. We only have 2 per cylinder
As Jimmy was referring to earlier, our engines are Essex...meaning they were assembled at Ford's Essex engine plant. It's stamped on the front of the block on the drivers side I think. The old 302's and 351's were built in the Windsor plant and the Cleveland plant, which is why you hear 351W and 351C. The 4.6 and 5.4 are built in the Romeo plant

I say again, Here is the URL to purchase the "CHAIN" for 33 Dollars. I think everyones ignoring me :'(

Tom,

I tried the link the other day, but it just takes me to a generic supplier listing and not directly to the chain.

Aaron

No no no, that's this sites way of trying to steer you to it's sponsers. If you actually read the first paragraph, it will say "if you really want to go to the site you entered, click here". When you click there, it will take you to the URL that I linked you too. Try it.

Tom

fordpartsonline.com has it for $30. Those are probably the stock chains tho. I'm wondering if anyone like Cloyes makes a bit better version (i.e. a true roller).

Morana makes a 3 keyway double rolling timing chain. At $200 though it's kinda steep though if all you really want to do is just replace the stock one. I'd just stick with the stock replacement one if I were you, but here's the one Morana sells, it says 3.8 but I'm sure it will fit the 4.2. You can email him to make sure though

http://www.moranav6racing.com/drchain.html