Hey guys, i called a mechanic here, and they quoted me 300 bucks to change my timing chain/gears, and harmonic dampner, if i supply the parts.

sound like a good deal?

 

for the mechanic doing the job it is. figure at 50 dollars an hour thats 6 hours labor. i bet the flat rate is less than half that.

------------------
ICON Motorsports

1st & 3rd

[This message has been edited by ede (edited January 24, 2001).]

 

I think that is a little high, too. My Chilton's 1994 Labor Guide allows 5.2 hrs.
for 1990-92 V-8 timing gear or chain,renew.

 

It does seem a little high, but theres been a couple of times fighting to get the front cover back on, that I would've paid 300 to get it done. I'd keep calling around. Call the smaller corner mechanics they'll be much cheaper.

If it's a good mechanic it shouldn't take him more than 2-3 hours to do that job. Although actual time and paid time are 2 different measurments

 

dude just do it yourself its time consuming but not hard just pull the radiator, water pump, harmonic balancer, and cover and replace the chain. its not real hard and we can help you throgh it ! email me at
burnoutrpm@hotmail.com with anything!

------------------
1989 firebird formula

Mods: converted from T.B.I. to a carburator 305 to a 350. Flowmater exhaust,hedman shortie hedders,202 heads,350 horse cam,bored.40 over, Edlebrock torker2 and a 600 edlebrock manual choke.

Future mods performer rpm air gap intake (polished) comp roller cam, and way better headsa 400 defintely in the works!

 

Please though don't use the center bolt that goes thru the crank pulley, balancer, and crankshaft to re-install the balancer! Either buy the right tool ($30 from Summit) or use the "dangerous" hammer method.

I snapped my center crank bolt- my mechanic fixed my damage, then re-isntalled the balancer with a hammer. Of course, he knew where to tap- don't tap the outer ring of the balancer. The info on "why not" is in any book.


------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!

 

I would love to do it myself, but i don't know anything about cars, havn't you read my posts?

I figure for 300 they will get everythign installed and degreed just right. hope they know how to adjust the timing on a ECU car. i finally do. i know most places say they can't check the timing on a ECU controlled car. even if you know where the ECU check timing connection is.

well, from what i hear, 300 is sort of steep. i asked the guy there how much it would cost to do a camshaft change (summit sells a TPI cam, that they dynoed on my exact car, and got 40 more horses, and shaved a second off the 1/4 mile) but the guy said that he would have to take out the radiator, and the A/C, and it would be too expensive for me to do.

nuts. well, thanks for the input guys!

-c

 

The only way to learn is to do it your self. I have learned so much more by doing the work myself than by reading all the info I have seen!!

 

Christos, Changine the Timing Chain Involves the Following.

Removing all the accesories ( not hard, any knucklehead with a wrench can do it )

Possibly removing the radiator, I havent done it in a 3rdgen Body So im not sure of the clearances. But this is a 10 minutes Job either way

Remove the crank Pulley, and Remove the Harmonic Dampner, this requires a special tool Similar to a Gear puller or steering wheel puller, Summit sells a excelelnt quality Harmonic Dampner Puller/insaller For around 100.00.

Loosen the bolts on the oil pan, This is not incredibly difficult, Just takes some patience. Probraly the most frustrating part of the Job.

Remove the Timing Cover, This is cake, providing the oil pan bolts have been adequately loosend.

Remove the chain itself, by Unbolting the sproket from the Cam and removing the upper sproket and Chain, and then Removig the Lower gear. it is pressed On So you may have to use some tool Like a crowbar to remove it, Im Sure someone else Could suggest a better Method.

Now you have it all apart. Find yourself a new timing chain, new woodruff key for the crank ( the little half circle thing that holds the lower gear on, Infact You will need Two of these ).

Obivously appropriate gaskets.

Insert the woodruff keys and push the lower gear on, its not that Hard, just a little elbow grease and perhaps some BFH persuasion
Line Up the Lower gear and Upper Gear as per the instructions With your Chain, It should be something with Two arrows pointing at each other or something. You may have to Turn the motor over By hand And Turn the crank by hand ( by hand tightening on the Old wheel and prying On it ) to get it to Line up properly, the Cam sproket should have a Hole for the dowl pin on the cam So there is only one way to Put it on. One it is lined up, take the new sproket off, and put the chain around it and the grank gear, then put it On and bolt it up.

Replace the timing Cover with the appropriat gaskets, and Tighten up the Oil Pan, use the Dampner tool to Pull the Dampner on, and Start putting **** Back together.

Peice of cake!

Now, If You Want to Go ahead with the cam swap, now is aexcelelnt time! You are essentially Half way there once you get the Dampner off, So You might as well Go ahead and change it.

You can EASILY install your own cam and timing chain In a Day, even if you have never Done it Before. Hell, I did! and You can Do it for MUCH less than 300$, and You will come out of it with a new cam, lifters and timing chain. Hell, if you have 300$ allocated, You could come Up with a new Cam, Dual idler Gear drive and new lifters For that price. or drop the gear drive, and install some Roller Rip Rockers! Money Spent On labor is, IMO, Money wasted. if some lackey at the Corner jiffy lube can Do something, So can I ( and you )

Go ahead and Email me Christos If you Do decide to tackle this, I did it for the first time as the First invasive Mod ever On My Old motor, I have since done it about 5 times and its cake




------------------
60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Sport Coupe LG4 - Daily Driver

Just another Hot Rod kid, or thats what they all tell me.
Livin' the Stereotype

 

wow! thanks for that lenghtly lesson on chain swapping. awesome.

Well, i hardly even own any tools, i don't tinker with my car much. i am the relay breaking master, so if thats any indication on how good i work with cars... lol

it doesn't sound too complicated, but this is my only car, and even my bum roommates rely on it. plus, if i got stuck, i would have to get it towed to a near car shop, and pay up the *** to repair what i fixed.

ill research it a bit, and think about it, i know the cam change is way past my knowledge, i wouldn't be able to handle taking the valve covers off to push the lifters or whatever else is involved.

thanks for the reply! why can't you all live close to me? haha

 

Well Christos, You Can either learn now, Or Continue to pay out the A S S the rest of your life and never truly take pride in your car as something that YOU created.

And there is Only One way to learn, and that is By doing



------------------
60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Sport Coupe LG4 - Daily Driver

Just another Hot Rod kid, or thats what they all tell me.
Livin' the Stereotype

 

Just get a Cloytes timing set for like $90 and spend a weekend doing it yourself!

------------------
1987 Chevy Camaro IROC-Z
L98 TPI 350 (5.7L)
TH 700R-4 Transmission
Borg Warner 7.75" 9 Bolt Rear End

Current Mods: LT4 Hot Cam, Comp Cams 1.52:1 Roller Rocker Arms, Edelbrock TES 1 5/8" Headers, Hooker 3" Aerochamber Cat-Back System, Gutted Catalytic Converter, Performance Resource Chip, Accel Ignition Coil, Cap, Rotor, 8.8mm Wires, K&N Filters, JET TPI Air Foil, Ported TPI Plenum and Base, All Free Mods, Falken ZIEX Z-Rated Tires.

Best ET (w/o LT4 cam): 14.32 @ 97.7mph
(corrected for elevation)

7.5" 10 Bolt with 3.42s soon to come!