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Usually when people say "IT WON'T CRANK" they mean that the engine will not turn over when they turn the key. Is that what is happening to you? Or does it turn over and spin but not start. Since the mechanic apparently has done a compression check it does crank but it does not start?
Yes, this is the question we need a definitive answer to before going any further.
To the OP - there other relatively minor quirky problems that can develop with the 4.6 that will cause it to die and not start right away. Under those conditions it will still crank, though, just not fire. And these are nowhere near as serious as needing a new engine or new car.
OK, I know that the plural of "anecdote" is not "data", but, a buddy has a 4.6 in a 95 Cougar, has over 400K miles on it, it still runs well and does not use much oil between changes. I have never heard of them just suddenly losing compression to the point that they won't run at all.
Agree that we need to be more precise in our language here. At least to me, "crank" means the starter spins the engine, i.e. the starter works, the battery is not dead, the engine is not seized up some how. "Start" means begin to run, i.e. it has at least some compression, fuel mixture in the flammable range, and a strong enough spark at close enough to the right time to make the engine run. It may run poorly and have little power, but, it "runs".
OK, I know that the plural of "anecdote" is not "data", but, a buddy has a 4.6 in a 95 Cougar, has over 400K miles on it, it still runs well and does not use much oil between changes. I have never heard of them just suddenly losing compression to the point that they won't run at all.
That is exactly what happens when the timing chain fails.
That is exactly what happens when the timing chain fails.
Don in Austin
Well, yeah, I already mentioned that, in my experience, engines that suddenly lost compression and/or quit pumping air, and/or had spark and fuel but still wouldn't run, or would hardly run - it has always been a broken or more frequently "jumped" timing chain - the jumped chain, it got loose enough and for whatever reason jumped "off" by one tooth - would barely start and would run, sort of, at a high idle, but could not drive the truck (old 351M) until the timing chain was replaced.
Should have written "I have not seen a 4.6 suddenly lose compression while the timing chain was still intact and had not jumped."
I was trying to say, that I have never heard of all 8 ring packs on a V-8, for example, all go bad all at once. Trapper says he has seen this, OK, if he has seen it he knows what he's talking about. But I, personally, have not seen it or even heard of it. Crack a ring and have down compression in one cylinder, yes, have seen that. Burnt exhaust valve, yeah, have seen that a few times, but again usually just one cylinder. Engine would still run, idled rough, but would run and drive.
OP's car was running, he turned it off, now it won't start, it has fuel, it has spark. In my experience, although most of that is with older "iron" V-8 engines - most likely culprit is timing chain.
I do learn a lot on here from people who work in the industry and/or run or have run shops. I DIY a lot of stuff that the average Joe would take to a shop, but I don't work on cars in my day job, so I accumulate experience only on weekends, for the most part.
I had a Lincoln Mark VIII (4.6 DOHC) that did something similar, and from what I remember it had a lot to do with the material of the tensioners breaking down and putting slack in the timing chains. Instead of rebuilding it might be more cost effective to get a low mile engine from the junk yard.
2003 Ford Focus - no compression, timing belt intact?!
136,000 miles . The ugliest car I’ve ever had, but suprisiny the most reliable . Until a couple months ago?!
The gauges went crazy?! And car stalled.tool it to shop where they said I had run out of gas. But I was positive I had almost 1/2 tank?! Talked me into getting a new fuel pump. Gas Gauge continued to go haywire . Saying I had a lot of gas,then jumping down ( began to see how this could have been the prob in the first place since I knew gauge said I had gas!) took it back in and they put another fuel pump in - said the previous one was faulty( I had already decided to go somewhere else due to steep prices $700?? ) then it ran ok for a few months.Then all gauges went berserk . ) I was going to take it back to them, when car shut off. Seemed electric to me ,(Like it tripped a safety lock was one guess because I had a tow recently?) Was talked into buying a new battery even though I knew that wasn’t it (because friend tested battery-was extremely low-even though we charged it all night) Put new one in. Nothing . Took it into a friends recommended shop ,where he doagnosed it as something electrical and referred me to another shop that specializes in wiring /electrical issues. They got it running $500 later. Then gauges immediately up down fuel and rpms ?! So was going to take it back to that shop, when car just cut off -after starting it , abd driving 2 blocks. smelled rubber. Coasted into a gas station. A belt had burned. Water was extremely low! Put water in, wouldn’t start. Stopped immediately and had towed home. Took to shop that specializes in electrical/wiring , where they said it was a belt and one of the pulleys , and wanted to fix all of them fir $1200 . Had towed to shop recommend by friend again for second opinion, he said it was the air compressor and pulley and $900 to fix ?! Or could bypass something or other but I wouldn’t have cold air and he could do that repair $250. (My ac needed charging -I have been having to do that once per year since I bought the car 10 years ago-so it wasn’t blowing cold air at moment for me to notice change in cold air coming out) but if that was done, I’d have no AC-it’s Florida in hot sun so .. thought about it, asked if everything else looked good on car , so if I invested $900.00, did he think I’d be good? Yes. As soon as I drove it home and pulled up in the driveway, gauges started, engine cut off., water leaked out?! .( 5 miles) I drove it immediately back to him and it drove fine the entire way there and started for him and ran fine while I was there of course. He looked at it and said , no reason anything should be wrong with it , abd he’d be comfortable driving it across country ?! I asked if I should take it home over weekend( since was Friday) and see what happened. If it would be ok and it wouldn’t mess anything up? He said no. Well, I drove it for a couple quick runs to the store ,was fine. and then I drove it a couple miles up road, when cold air from newly charged air (with new new compressor) went out And then water was boiling out of the water resovior?? Causing the car to smoke when water hit hot engine . I drove it immediately home. Took it back to him , and this time , he said i needed a new hose and would have to pay to recharge the Freon because it leaked out Of the hose! I asked wouldn’t that have been part of the air compressor repair and new Freon put in ? He replied, no. It’s common that when you put in a new air compressor, old hoses will crack /break?! and and A cracked plastic water resovior. That was the cause of the water splashing out,!? Another $400 ?!? I was pissed at this point because it was non stop fir weeks now?! And once I put in $500, then felt should do the $900, then after all that money, i had to invest$400 more to see if I can’t get this car working ?!? Very soon after that , all the gauges including the speedometer, tachometer, gas gauges , would all cut off. Stay off a while,then come back on. So was going to take back to somebody?! ?! But pulled out of driveway, and car shut off and I coasted it off to side of road, and now seemed to be fuel issue- took back to the fuel pump place. They said thre was no compression in engine -prob broken timing belt ?!? Towed acreoss street to have that diagnosed, no., timing belt in tact?!? Need new engine?!? Now I’m sorry ,,... but I am thinking that all these things are not seperate issues, and the mechanic who fixed the air compressor/ pulley / belt /hose /and water resovior , let me drive my engine into the ground by not diagnosing it properly and by letting me keep driving off with the car, every time he “fixed” it. Opinions? I’d LIVE TO HEAR THEM?! I truly want to call him and let him know what the hell happened now? But I want to know what I’m talking about when I do ?! Over $2000between him and mechanic who did electric ( I’m not counting the $700 for the fuel pump from the first pricey place? I’m really frustrated,what can I do? Any ideas? I want to sue him, fir all my money abd stress and time , but not sure how to prove he didn’t fix my car , and in fact caused it to die , by telling me it was fixed over and over again, and letting me drive it away?! No way the original burned belt/water boiling out of the car, is not related to the next time after the air compressor was replaced when water was boiling out of plastic resovior abd he replaced the hose-recharged it with Freon , abd replaced a cracked resovior, abd is not related tobengine cutting out abd now having no compression?! No way! ? Am I wrong ? How do I handle this?! I am on disability and live on $771 a month?! This is financially devastating to me to have done all of this work abd paid all of this money , and now have nothing. Any suggestions, opinions, advice ? Thank you for taking the time to read this and reply.
Last edited by Ham73; 01-21-2019 at 11:28 PM..
Reason: Clarified a couple of things.
I don't think this is ring or valve wear. I think more likely your timing chain has jumped or broken, if it jumps it puts the cam(s) out of phase with the crank and the engine won't run, or will hardly run. If the chain breaks outright, the cams don't turn at all.
I have seen this with other Ford V-8 engines, but have not seen it on a 4.6. But I don't see why the 4.6 would be immune.
i agree with mitch here, i have seen to many engines of all kinds break timing chains/belts and crank over but wont start. and i have had it happen to me a few times over the years. i have also had an engine break a camshaft.
Quote:
Originally Posted by johngolf
Ham
Learn to use paragraphs. No one is going to read your post.
yes ham please learn to use paragraphs, they are your friend.
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2003 Ford Focus - no compression, timing belt intact?!
