Hey folks.

I have detected a cooling leak in my 3.1 (lower hose) and am getting ready to just overhaul the entire cooling system while at it (why not while the coolant is out right?). New upper and Lower hoses, thermostat, and waterpump.

My question is this, while the water pump is off, is it a good idea to replace the timing chain and cam sprocket? Should the Timing cover be replaced (I am assuming that it is in good shape).

If so, how big of a deal is this. The Haynes manual makes it sound like a 5 minute job, however they mention little about the tensioner, etc.

Also, if anyone has any pics of the chain,sprocket and tensioners (etc.) it would be much appreciated.

I'm not a huge wrench, however enjoy working on the car when time allows.

Car has 170k on it. I would think that the timing chain would like a replacement at this point.

 

it won't hurt change the chain while you're that far into it anyways. it will take a little more than 5 minutes but it's not too hard. the belt tensioner is no big deal, its got two bolts holding it on, it's all self-contained. pulling the timing cover if you already have the water pump off is no problem. if the original timing cover is not damaged, there's no need to replace it. good luck, let us know if you have any other questions.

 

See my thread PUMP you UP about changing waterpumps & such.
T chain cover
I replaced mine for a simple reaon
I DID NOT USE ANTIFREEZE and the chain cover corroded from within and sprung a leak.
OTHER BAD SPOT IS the lower hose.
That lower hose exit fitting can also corrode.
When I did 3.4 swap into my Firebird, I found me a better TChain cover for the reasons I mentioned.
Lower gear is FUN to remove
Get a chisel. Hit the gear ONE QUICK SOLID HIT and the gear splits into two. Do this at weakest point the key way on crank.
IF ya got the chance, let car sit 24 hours (or overnight) after the final bolt is tightened. Allows gasket to seal better.
Make sure you use Gas-A-Cinch sealant AND telfon sealant on bolts for waterpump.
ON BALANCER make SURE you get a balancer repair sleeve. $4 investment. Eliminates the grove in the balancer snout, which allows oil leak.

 

thanks for the reply guys.


KED, do you have a part number for the exit fitting on the lower hose? (and, yes I did read your post prior to posting this one)

Can't seem to find it quickly on my own.

 

As shown in this pic, what I believe you are asking is....
The T-chain cover is one piece. Including the rad lower hose exit point.
Help you better?

 

60*V6 timing chain and tensioner

 

vsixtoy....

:yourock:

Absolutely what I was looking for in a picture.

 

hmmm. maybe i should do this aswell

 

IF ya gonna do a 3.4 swap wait until you do that engine work.
IF NOT then the call for action is up to you!

 

engine swaps not gonna be for a while due to lack of funds during the downtime, i'm thinking for something that'll help my little 2.8 for a while until i'm ready to go all out and get that swap done

 

PS the new chain plus freshly rebuilt distribtor will really help wake up what life is left in the 2.8!
Add killer ignition system & you're done on that part of project!
I LOVE ACCEL COILS & ACCEL 8.8 plug wires! I use Borg Warner Power Parts cap & rotor (brass contacts, less expensive than Accel stuff).
Newer ignition stuff will help your engine idle smoother, pass out lower emissions, better milage & cooler running engine.

Again all that "stuff" will swap into the 3.4, too!
WIN-WIN!

 

thats exactly what i'm thinking

whats a good distributor to use? mines rusted pretty bad so i'm just gonna replace it with a new one

 

PARTS COUNTER ONE!!!
Or hit the yard for the sample to rebuild.
Glad all these tips will work for ya with your future plans, too!
Phone around for several price quotes or even ebay The beauty of the swap boogie is the retention of your parts already scored, for future swapping!

 

I got a rebuilt one made by Cardone from Lordco. I have heard of others using the same brand. Not sure what brand the ICM is though. The distributor has a slightly different design too.

 

hey Ked,

Is this coolant exit part of the timing cover or is it a separate part?

Like I said, while its out, Im gonna go aead and put all new components in it.

Also, this is close to where my coolant leak is. I just assumed it was the hose, however I don't want to take any chances.

 

It is part of the timing chain cover.

 

Reread one of my earliest replies.
As I stated (I discovered this on side of freeway in Downtown LA oh joy!) IF cooling system is NOT maintained by previous owners, you MAY develope a leak from within the Tchain cover, NOT the hose exit pipe. My leak that stranded me on side of LA freeway, was CLOSE BY that lower rad hose exit pipe.
IF it's the original Tchain cover you do now have with a leak, see another reply DON'T CRUSH TIGHTEN THE LOWER HOSE you can CRACK that exit pipe.
This cover is one piece. I was lucky to score a very good used one for my 3.4 in my Blazer swap boogie.
The one I had installed after I was stranded on LA freeway, that replacemnt was done in 1992. In 2003, I needed a better Tchain cover.
I now only use aluminum compatible antifreeze.
I initially do run water, tho just to check (pressurize system) after I do a water system job, to be sure before I do not waste the antiFreeze.

Age, old parts (I'll bet your car is, jeeze, only TWENTY YEARS OLD!!!), previous owners are NOT kind to the current owner.
It's called POS
Previous
Owners
Syndrome.
Guess who gets the disease!
Be aware you can cause more trouble than ya want. Been there, know better now! Best thoughts!

Another Tchain pic for ya to examine.
That's a 60* aluminum head for comparison showing why it's not truly fesible to run FWD alum. heads.

 

Anyone have a good place to get a new timing cover? GM wnats over $200. Other than a junk yard.

 

Be thankful they are still available new.
One day $200 will be a bargin for this part.
You can try searching for a place called House of Camaro, Canoga Park, CA
or try engine rebuilders locally for ya.
Or take your old one & tig weld around the lower hose exit area.

 

Yeah, if you're into fabricating stuff yourself, it's definitely doable.

 

Well... what's rusted? If it's the pole pieces (6 vertical spokes pointing upward), they can be rusted! Their purpose is to be magnetic; so the reluctor (disc on top of the dist shaft with 6 protrusions) magnet has something to pull against. Rust doesn't affect magnetism.

Now if the pole pieces have flexed "away" from the reluctor magnet, then the magnetic "pulse" isn't as strong. The pickup coil is what senses the magnetic pulse and tells the ignition when to fire a spark. That's why I say in my dist rebuild messages to bend all those pole pieces to be an even distance away from the reluctor protrusions- using a valve feeler gauge. That makes the magnetic pulse stronger, which counts at higher RPM's.

Also, what might aid in the "rusted pretty bad" look is the pick-up coil- I'll bet it's probably turned yellow and has started to fall apart.

Now if the distributor was left out in the rain without a distributor cap for a long time, then I could see it being too rusted to rebuild. But if you've had a dist cap on it, and there's been a hood over the engine, all that rust is just cosmetic and won't affect the distributor.

 

One thing that I noticed with an old pick-up coil is that the little band of fabric around the coil wires turns brittle and orange and looks like rust, although that in itself doesn't affect anything and of course, it's not rust.

Another thing that can rust is the pick-up coil connection to the ICM. This actually caused a no-start problem on my car and really had me stumped. I kind of stumbled across the problem by accident.