bending valves on a 3.8

From what I've seen of that model you might stretch the chain but once it breaks it's over for the engine.

Bill

The timing chain on my old 83 mustang with the 3.8 "slipped" one day. Then it ran poorly of course. A new chain and it was good as new. Fred

These engines have a design flaw in that the coolant passages are too close to the cylinder walls, as a result the head gaskets tend to fail early. Ford has paid out a lot in head gasket replacements under warranty claims. You need to be very diligent about checking the coolant level in this engine. As long as coolant level is maintained, your fine. As soon as the vehicle starts losing coolant, though, and there's no obvious leaking, get it in because coolant can contaminate the oil and then it's all over for the main bearings. When they do the head gaskets, they can do the timing chain. It's highly unlikely the timing chain will fail before the head gasket.

If you keep an eye on it, the head gasket replacement will be fine if done quickly. If, however, you let it go for a few months, the engine needs to be torn down and rebuilt.

However, if you have knowledge that the engine was poorly maintained, by a prior owner, for example, then just drive it until the engine blows up and get a rebuilt engine. There's no shortage of engine cores in the wrecking yards for this model engine.

Ted

It's not an "interference engine".

See for yourself here,

Timing chains don't slip. They may break or if the tensioner is weak may skip a tooth. As for the valve question, it depends on if the engine is a non-interference type (piston has cutouts for the valve face to fit into).

It's not an "interference engine".

See for yourself here,

What about a 2004 Ranger with a 4.0 Liter V6 ?

The URL you provided has examples of timing belts not chains. The mess a slack timing chain makes is something I wouldn't want to clean up after.

Bill

Bill , the question was "will the valves get bent?"

The answer is NO.

Others things may happen when a chain slips but that is not what was asked.

The Ford 3.8 is NOT an interference engine.

Google it if you don't believe me.

There were a few timing chain engines mentioned in that list.

There were a number of engines excluded that I know for a fact are valve or pushrod benders. i.e., Chrysler all small blocks, all Buick V-6s

Also; the list seems to be 10 years out of date.

IOWs, I wouldn't trust it a whole lot.

Clean up is easy, it's scraping the gaskets that sucks. ;-)

I was told me 96 2.2 chevy was not a interference engine. (chain, not belt) Tensioner went south, chain slipped.

Threw on new chain and still had no compression.

Bob

Got me licked. Unlikely that all cylinders will lose compression at once. Eighth wonder of the world.