Cost to replace timing chain guides/tensioners on M62 (4.6is in particular?)

[Plattus1000]

All good things!

[Anhelenuk]

What are signs of failing guides?

[bcredliner]

Rattling sound at startup, especially cold start, as time goes on it can get to a point that there is obvious something if very wrong. This is an example of when job is overdue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY57P7WxnYY

The early stage sounds can be confused with other issues. One way to troubleshoot is to pull the lower pan and check for debris.

[Plattus1000]

Open your oil fill cap and look at the chains. They should have a uniform color, if the edge rails of the chain are silver while the rest has a slightly amber tone, you've got issues.

You can have startup rattle if your lower tentioner is toast but you have new guides (less than 20k on new parts and mine does it)

See the silver sections of the chain on the right? Bad news bears.

[Anhelenuk]

I'll take a look. Thanks for the info

[Plattus1000]

Just do it, you'll have to eventually. Do it before it fails and it costs less and you won't have to worry about it.

If a shop does it, $4k easily. On your own, $1.6k in parts plus time and special tools.

[Anhelenuk]

I wish I could do it myself but I neither have the expertise or the garage space or luxury of being without transportation for a week.

[Anhelenuk]

I paid $8k for the truck plus I have $4k in various upkeep into it already over the last 6 months and another $4k is hard to swing at the moment. I'm planning to change all four wheel bearings next weekend which is over $1k by itself.

[X53Jay4.8is]

Originally Posted by Anhelenuk

I paid $8k for the truck plus I have $4k in various upkeep into it already over the last 6 months and another $4k is hard to swing at the moment. I'm planning to change all four wheel bearings next weekend which is over $1k by itself.

On mine when the guides started to go I got a slight whirring sound like a defective alternator or AC compressor bearing. Listen do not neglect doing the timing chain and guides on these 4.6is engines. If you do you will be sorry. This is probably the most important service/maintenance to do on the IS if you want to enjoy having an IS in the future. All that other money that you spent to bring it back will be a waste if you neglect the timing chain and guides. Mine started to make the sound at 99K miles. I am good to well over the 200K miles mark.

[dannyzabolotny]

Originally Posted by Plattus1000

Just do it, you'll have to eventually. Do it before it fails and it costs less and you won't have to worry about it.

If a shop does it, $4k easily. On your own, $1.6k in parts plus time and special tools.

It's less than that if you do it on your own and buy parts wisely, along with renting the special timing tools. For example, you can save a boatload by using Victor Reinz gaskets. The last chain guide job I did ended up only costing like $650, and that's with the Vanos rebuilt parts as well. I do own the timing tools so that makes it cheaper for me, but in general it's not a super expensive job if you're smart about it. It's more time-consuming than anything, I'd say.