FAST RS

Could a bad timing chain cause my car to idle werid??? Baslicly fluxating and haveing a rough idle??? I hear a clankity clankity from the front of the enigne by where my random coolant leak is. Do you think this sounds liek the timing chain??? Ive had this noise for a while but over the years its gotten louder and luder. The chain has never been replaced the car has 220,000 miles on it still runs strong.I herd that i shouldnt replace my timtring chain becasue it will cause me to have more problems with my car later on possibly blowing my engine and thats not waht i want to happen will getting new gears and a chain cause my enigne to fail or have problems as a result of putting nre gears and a chain on?

Doward

wtf?! 220k miles, and you haven't replaced the chain!?

The chain should be replaced every 50-60k miles. Replace it, rebuild your distributor, and reset your timing. Have fun!

FAST RS

Basicly what i do is pull the timing cover off get the car to TDC and both dots lining up to each other. Remove the top gear on the camthen just pull everything off. After that i get lost how do i get the gears to line up and get the new chain on???

Doward

Once the old timing chain is off, just line up the dots on the new one, and put both gears, and chain all on as one piece. It's a tight fit, but it'll wiggle on. It might need a LITTLE coaxing!

On PMD engines, there's a keyway, as well - you can't mess up the timing, as long as you DO NOT SPIN THE ENGINE after pulling the old one! Pull the old one, and put the new one IMMEDIATELY on!

RBob

iTrader: (1)

One thing I like to do whenever I change a timing chain/gear set is to double check the alignment keys. I've seen mis-marked gear sets and the result was bent valves, a non-running engine, and a car that was sold cheap.

Take the old gears and lay them flat on a bench. Lay the new gears over top of them and check that the keyway/dowel pin and the tooth marks line up: old to new.

If they do then install the new stuff. If they don't go get another set (while taking the old set with you to check them in the store).

RBob.

Y2KFirehawk

how long would you guys estimate this job to take for an amateur who has never replaced it before. My car has 74xxx miles on her and I think this is something I should look into doing this summer. Also what kinda cost am I looking at? Thanks for your help!

FAST RS

AT my work the DynaGear comes with the 2 gears and a chain for 16.00 and the timing cover gasket set is 9 dollars and if you want the sleeve in seal its 15 bucks for the whole set...

What exactly does the sleeve and seal do???

And when i do change mine will experience any mechanical problems with my car since the car is used to haveing a slopy chain i dont want to do this then regret doing it.

Since my coolant is drained im probly gonna take my radiator to a shop by where i live and they will flush it and chekc it for leaks and its 20 bucks to fix the leaks if there are any.,

TomP

The seal is the for the front cover (timing chain cover). You definately have to replace that; you pry it out with a screwdriver, and tap the new one in.

The sleeve is for the harmonic balancer, which the front cover seal "rides over". Over many miles, the front seal can wear a groove into the balancer, and you'll get an oil leak from the front of the motor. The sleeve is something you tap over the harmonic balancer "snout", and it provides a fresh, smooth area for the seal to bite into. I think the sleeve will also come with some kind of glue.

You should have no mechanical problems after changing it. Think about picking up a new tensioner, too. This is a v-shaped piece between the cam gear and crank gear.

DON'T use the center bolt of the crank to pull the new balancer on. I tried doing that, and snapped the bolt off flush with the end of the crank. I had the car towed to my mechanic, and the cheapest option he gave me was if he welded the balancer to the crank for $100. He did that, and the car's been fine ever since- he did that in '98. But, I can never get the balancer off the car, unless I grind the welds away. The bolt was cracked so badly that my mechanic thinks I ruined the threads in the snout of the crank- requiring the old 10.9 grade (very hard steel) bolt to be drilled out, and the front of the crank tapped for a new bolt. Forget that.

Doward

Dang, TomP - that $100 could almost have gotten you a new *remaned* crank!

FAST RS

What is the name of the V shaped thing you are taling about??? Also should i just get a basic chain and gear or a doubble roller??? TomP are you taking about putting the harmonic balancer on dont they make a tool that pulls it into place? Did you need to get a new harmonic balancer? How long does this take to do.

FAST RS

i got a cloyes 3 peace set at my work tongiht and the timing cover gasket set total came to 20 dollars. Gotta love my discount. TomP what is the tensioner your talking about i looked in our computers at work and in our books to try and find a part number and came up empty handed. could it be different from a 3.1 since you have a 2.8?

TomP

Of course it could have... then I would've needed to put the crank in.

Tensioner should be there on a 3.1. It's not spring loaded, like on cars with timing belts. It's just a slab of rubber-coated steel. I didn't have to replace it because my Cloyes double-roller chain can't go in unless the tensioner's removed. (The sprockets are wider, and dig into the tensioner. The cloyes instructions said to remove it, so I did. )

Yes there's an installation tool. You can make one yourself; you screw a long threaded rod into the end of the crank. Then you put the balancer onto the end of the crank. Then you put a washer and nut over the threaded rod, and tighten the nut down so it pulls the balancer onto the engine. This puts the stress onto the nut, and not the crank threads. I thought I was being "slick" by using the center crank bolt.

You got a cloyes true dual roller chain AND gasket set for $20? Or is it the normal chain?? What's the part # on the box?

FAST RS

I got the normal chain not a doubble roller. Im not gonna go fancy on a 220,000 mile engine. the part number is 73075. Also remeber i work at autozone so i get discounts on all parts.