Name this part!

[Flade]

Just finished swapping a pair of Windsor Heads onto my wife’s 98GT.

Had this washer and bolt left over.



I’m thinking it looks like one used for the oem style cam chain guides. But I swapped those out for an aftermarket style a few years back. Anyone recognize it and have an idea where it goes?

 

[RAU03MACH]

looks like some kind of fender washer or spacer

 

[Flade]

The bolt looks like the same type used for the timing guides which is what originally made me think of that as the source.

 

[lwarrior1016]

Yep, timing chain guide and insert.

 

[Flade]

Yep, timing chain guide and insert.

Thanks for confirming it. Weird though. I didn’t remove the guides , just then tensioners. I replaced all of that a couple years ago and they were still in great condition. You can see that this style doesn’t use that washer. I must have had it lying around.

 

[RAU03MACH]

i dont recall seeing that washer on any of my 4.6 chain guides

 

[lwarrior1016]

i dont recall seeing that washer on any of my 4.6 chain guides

It’s on the all plastic guides.

 

[RAU03MACH]

ok mine were aluminum

 

[RAU03MACH]

ok mine were aluminum

i have not ran into any plastic ones at all

 

[96blak54]

Hold up!

Wait!

You need to swap out them plastic tensioners for cast iron ones. Its not a matter IF they fail, its a matter of WHEN they fail because they will fail....aaaand thatll be the end of your engine.

 

[lwarrior1016]

Oh man, I was caught up in the moment and didn’t even see those.

 

[lwarrior1016]

There are guys on the 3v forum that swear by the plastic tensioners. They believe it is superior. I know first hand they are wrong.

 

[RAU03MACH]

ill take metal over plastic any day for suer when it a chain guide

 

[Flade]

Here you can see them on the stock Ford plastic chain guide.



This is the style I put in

 

[Flade]

Ok, I think I figured out what happened. I saw kits on summit with both style guides. According to the kit, it contains:
2 Guide Rails (plastic - Windsor engines only)
2 Guide Rails (half metal and plastic - Romeo engines only)

So the extra washer is for a Windsor engine. Not my Romeo. It must have been with the other hardware I got with the Windsor heads. I think I can call this one solved and don’t need to pull the timing cover!

 

[96blak54]

These circled are plastic chain tensioners and you NEED to swap these POS out for cast iron. The plastic tensioners will fail! And so will your engine. The plastic chain guides are ok, but you will fare better with steel or aluminum backed versions. Hope this clears up the confusion

 

[Flade]

View attachment 41719

These circled are plastic chain tensioners and you NEED to swap these POS out for cast iron. The plastic tensioners will fail! And so will your engine. The plastic chain guides are ok, but you will fare better with steel or aluminum backed versions. Hope this clears up the confusion

Thanks. Already done at the recommendation of others here! That pic was as I was tearing it down for the head swap.

 

[96blak54]

Excellent!

I thought to myself, what kind of person am I to not stress about them plastic tensioners! So I stressed! Im glad you swapped them out and sorry to sound like a pain

 

[Flade]

Excellent!

I thought to myself, what kind of person am I to not stress about them plastic tensioners! So I stressed! Im glad you swapped them out and sorry to sound like a pain

Not at all! I am very happy to learn from everyone else and avoid easy mistake…I make enough of them ones already! I have a long history with SBF engines, but the Modular’s are still new to me.