I have a broken valve spring and low compression on every cylinder (see attachment). The spring caused the follower to fall off (at least I think that's how it happened, I suppose interference could be the culprit)

Detailed in:
https://www.crownvic.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB23&Number=706455&page=2&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

Tonight I got the front cover off and inspected the chain. The left side seems OK even though my compression is low. The right side has two cylinders with 0 compression, the one with the broken spring and one more without a broken spring.

I am having a hard time seeing all of the timing marks. Haynes references "bright links" in the chain; I'm not seeing any. I can easily spot the dimples on the camshaft but the marks on the crankshaft sprocket also are not clear and Haynes does not provide good close-ups of anything except the camshaft sprocket.

The right side chain does have too much slack in it and I think it is likely it did jump time. The tensioner on both sides pops in and out as the crank is rotated but near the middle of the right side chain, there is only a gap of less than 1/2". The left side is much tighter and probably OK. Should the chain have equal tension at all times when I am rotating it manually? As I said, the tensioners pop in and out instead of maintaining a constant tension. Is this how they should operate?

Can someone help me out with the timing marks? Are the "bright links" there but just need to be cleaned? In my Haynes (fig 7.22) it shows what looks like another dimple on the crankshaft in the 6 o'clock position. I am not seeing a dimple.

Any help here is much appreciated.

The tensioners use oil pressure to push them out.

They are supposed to have a rachet to keep them out. The Haynes manual explains how to retract them and put a paper clip in them to hold them.

It sounds like there must be a problem with the one that has all the slack.

I haven't taken the front off so I don't know how to identify the "bright links" Haynes talks about.

There must be others who have worked on this part of the engine.

the "bright links" are on a new chain, once a motor has gotten warm, and dirty, all the links look the same...

Do you Have the Cam alignment tools? If you have the cam alingment tools you dont need the "pretty" polished links

Robert

By alignment tools you mean the positioning tool that locks the camshaft? I do not have that but isn't it only used to keep from upsetting the timing during chain removal? If my chain is already out of time, will that help?

I might be a little lost here. Makes sense about the links though. If you don't mean that positioning tool, I'm not sure what alignment tools you're referring to.

It seems like it should maintain constant tension on the chain but both appear to be "racheting". Based on what you've said and how Haynes describes it, the operation I am seeing seems correct. Although the right hand tensioner definitely it not up to the task.