Aquaintance has trouble getting engine fixed ... This is sad

3.5 ecoboost is a interference engine so his is probably not worth fixing and that could be why no one wants to touch it. The 2011 and 2012 are a bit different then the later ones (Vacuum pump). I'd try and find a running engine out of a 2011-2012 F150 and having it installed.
 
I live in the Charleston SC area and there is one shop here that would touch a timing chain job that I know of - and they wouldn't touch one that the chain snapped - as mentioned - too many risks, too much money just to find out what actually all is broken.

Lots of Indy places here that will pretend to fix your car - but simply throw parts at it until the problem goes away. Seen lots of "you need all 4 oxygen sensors for $1500.00 repairs" when it was the cat or an exhaust leak to begin with.

Not sure how the dealers stay in business, there the worst of the bunch with higher prices.

If the truck is not rotted out its worth an engine swap. My guess is $10K +/-
 
I'm surprised LI would be that way...how about Queens?

But here in Phila., I could not find a Japanese specialist, crazy, right? Seems the scenario is the same in this case. I have to go 60 miles away into NJ, but it's worth it. An $1,800 job like timing belt on a toyota V8 is $900. And they do a better job than the dealer. German and American indie shops are local to me, but not Japanese. Need a shop who installs customer parts too is key for me.
 
I wonder if the problem isn't so much a shop situation, as it is the complexity of this particular engine?

Would these same shops turn down major Chevy 5.3 work, hemi lifter work or pentastar V6 work you figure?
 
I'm probably the closest to you (Staten Island)
But I, nor any shop off the top of my head is ready/willing/able to do a timing job on a Ford

What about shipping it out to fordtechmakuloco?

Rest in Peace Ecoboost 3.5, I'll play a Billy Joel song on the way out 🫡
 
I had a friend that replaced a broken chain on an interference engine and left the bent valves and the rest alone after clearing out the oil pan.

Sounded like a lawnmower with some hammering but it ran that way missing the whole way many years.

Gotta wonder why buildables exist if the things aren’t worth opening?

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Longblock is $6,399 plus all of the gaskets, seals, chemicals, and hardware required to do the job correctly. Depending on the mileage they will also probably want to do the turbos since they tend to have the bypass flappers break at higher mileage. That also is not including labor to do that job which is around 20-25 hours and we are $180/hr. So the dealers probably don't want to break it to the customer that they are looking at $10-12K for an 11 year old truck.
 
My sis lives in Floral Park and has recently started complaining about the quality and availability of repair places.
I'm in the Buffalo NY area and are super fortunate to have some great local shops, but I still think even pre ~2019 you wouldn't find a shop that would want to handle this job. Or at a minimum they'd quote you the I don't want the job price.
 
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