Help Please - 2000 TC Engine Problem

M

MattMark8

New member
Hello everyone. New here and new to Lincoln ownership. Been a long time Ford lover but the TC is my first Lincoln. Planning on getting a Mark VIII eventually hence the username. I have a 4.6 2V that was apparently dead when I got the car. Did a comp check and had nothing on Bank 1 and useable comp on Bank 2. I figured the timing was off making for open valves at wrong timing making no seal. I began tearing it down and barely got the cam cover lifted up before noticing that all of the rockers/followers for the forward-most valves for all 4 of these Cyl are missing. Was able to magnet out 3 and 4th is still MIA out of sight until the cam cover is fully removed. BTW whose lame idea was that blower heater box setup on the firewall idea? I guess I have to tear apart the whole area to get this cover removed. So what I am trying to do is figure out how/why and what the best repair route would be. Money is definitely an object since I've been out of work with a major injury. Please help guys I really need it. Thanks in advance.
 
Last edited:
C

chris2523

New member
sounds like the motor jumped time and pistons have become very well acquainted with the valves.
i'd just get another 2 valve long block and drop it in there. the 2 valve sohc motor is plentiful on swap pages and in junkyards.
 
M

MattMark8

New member
chris2523 said:
sounds like the motor jumped time and pistons have become very well acquainted with the valves.
i'd just get another 2 valve long block and drop it in there. the 2 valve sohc motor is plentiful on swap pages and in junkyards.
Click to expand...
.
.
.
Thanks for the response. Can I change out the head and fix the timing issues and avoid swapping engines?
 
C

chris2523

New member
you can, but then it depends on how bad the pistons look.
and once you get the heads off a modular, its almost always cheaper to just buy a used running engine.
 
Lvnmarks

Lvnmarks

quandoomniflunkusmoritati
I blew a plug out of my town car and it would have cost $200 to fix the head, ended up getting a new engine for $175.

It's more work but can be done allot quicker in the end. Check out www.car-part.com to help locate one if you do go that route.
 
M

MattMark8

New member
chris2523 said:
you can, but then it depends on how bad the pistons look.
and once you get the heads off a modular, its almost always cheaper to just buy a used running engine.
Click to expand...
.
.
.
Thanks that gives me hope. I'll pull the head off tomorrow and see exactly where it's at. I just read a thread and everyone said they were able to reuse the shortblock even with dented pistons. I will post the findings.
 
M

MattMark8

New member
Lvnmarks said:
I blew a plug out of my town car and it would have cost $200 to fix the head, ended up getting a new engine for $175.

It's more work but can be done allot quicker in the end. Check out [/url] to help locate one if you do go that route.
Click to expand...
.
.
.
Ironic you mention that. I thought the blown out plug I just fixed was the only problem it had. Fixed it and when there was only slight improvement went searching for more and boy did I find it. I can't do an engine swap for other reasons so even if it costs a couple hundred more this way hopefully I can still get it handled. I sure do love the car and want it back on the road. Thank you
 
tixer

tixer

Lincoln Evangelist
Welcome, Matt!

I'm pleased to see two of our foremost Town Car experts have already reported in for you. I personally witnessed Eric's engine swap madness, and can confirm that it was a success. I'm sure you'll run into some "hidden costs" regardless, (fluids, gaskets.) but he's right that these engines are plentiful.

Which leads me to ask. Where are you located? I'm actually in the midst of performing a cost/benefit analysis of my own (99) Town Car. The engine is high-miles, but runs fine. The transmission on the other hand, isn't so hot. Combined with body issues, and the need to tires, it has me thinking hard..
 
M

MattMark8

New member
tixer said:
Welcome, Matt!

I'm pleased to see two of our foremost Town Car experts have already reported in for you. I personally witnessed Eric's engine swap madness, and can confirm that it was a success. I'm sure you'll run into some "hidden costs" regardless, (fluids, gaskets.) but he's right that these engines are plentiful.

Which leads me to ask. Where are you located? I'm actually in the midst of performing a cost/benefit analysis of my own (99) Town Car. The engine is high-miles, but runs fine. The transmission on the other hand, isn't so hot. Combined with body issues, and the need to tires, it has me thinking hard..
Click to expand...
.
.
.
Thank God for experts. I know just enough to be dangerous but an expert I am not. After a lot of thinking I decided to go the engine swap route and I am so happy I did. Found a 06 4.6 with 79K for a whopping $250 or $150 after I sell my long block to someone else. I didn't feel comfortable fixing this engine. It's already given me so many damn surprises I can't take any more. I'll be doing this in a DIY shop fully stocked with tools and a lift. I saw a YouTube vid of a guy lift his TC body completely off the frame and was very inspired by it. Would this be a good idea or make for unnec. work?
 
Lvnmarks

Lvnmarks

quandoomniflunkusmoritati
Just remove the hood and go out the top, just remember you have to put the throttle body, exhaust manifolds, oil pan, motor mounts from you old one to your new long block.

Good time for new oil pan, oil filter adapter gasket and valve cover gaskets too.
 
M

MattMark8

New member
Well the engine deal fell thru. I decided to tear into this and see if this one can't be salvaged. Once I got the cam cover off (Holy Mother of God what is that evap doing there?!?) I found the 4th follower. It was also cracked very badly. The cam looks good and all the valves seem intact, at least from here. The busted followers are all on the same valves for each Cyl. I pulled a lash out to look it over and it's stuck solid. I couldn't get any of the ones I tested to move at all even squeezed full force with Channel Locks. No movement whatsoever. This didn't seem right so I'm back here to pick the minds of the pros. I know it should be solid being filled with oil but shouldn't it collapse some...slowly? This has me wondering if maybe I could put 4 new rockers in with new lash adjusters and be running again. Is there a great way to check the Pistons and valves without pulling the head up? That's $100 for bolts and a gasket to find out it's all ok in there. Thanks everyone for he help. I'm thinking about getting the other cam cover off to visually inspect that side also.
 
Last edited:
M

MattMark8

New member
Some more info I didn't put in the last post. The timing "seems" to be on or at least very close. I have all the plugs out and when I spin the motor with a socket it spins fully freely, fighting only the valve springs. The mark on the damper is set to the mark on the timing cover and the marks on the gear that I can see appears to be in the right location based on all the pics I've seen of timing marks. image.jpg
 
M

MattMark8

New member
Damper position. image.jpg

- - - Updated - - -

Cam lobe position on #1. First follower was off when the cover came up and I removed the second myself. image.jpg
 
Last edited:
driller

driller

El Presidente
Unless you plan on just popping new followers in, I wouldn't waste any further time. Much further investigation will require parts and special tools to reassemble. If you pull the head and/or mess with the timing components, you best be prepared to go all in.
 
M

MattMark8

New member
driller said:
Unless you plan on just popping new followers in, I wouldn't waste any further time. Much further investigation will require parts and special tools to reassemble. If you pull the head and/or mess with the timing components, you best be prepared to go all in.
Click to expand...
.
.
.
Can we think of a way to verify these valves and pistons before I reassemble the valve train? I want to avoid pulling that head if I can. I was going to pull the other timing cover to see what the guides are looking like and I won't be surprised if they are worn. Thankfully they're cheap and it still appears to be on time. What has me confused is the broken followers and that they are broken where they connect with the lash adjusters that seem to be seized. I'm still needing to know if those adjusters are behaving normally or... I don't want to get 4 new followers snapped in there and break them also because of locked lash adjusters. Seriously hoping for the best on this. The car needs to be back on the road.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top