Timing Chain .... Any Hints, Tricks Or While Yer There.?

[ride172]

So I had a small coolant leak and a power steering leak and decided to tear into it. I pulled the header panel, radiator, water pump, power steering pump and bracket, AC/pulley bracket, thermostat housing, and the crank pulley. I figured I would check the timing chain since I was in dismantle mode. It had about 3/4 of an inch movement of the chain on the bottom side. I got a cloyes timing set and a felpro gasket set with the crank seal included and plan on doing the chain today. I read up on the process and know the basic steps of lining the dots on the sprockets and counting the pins when done. Is there anything I need to know before I start? Any tricks to save me time and hassle? Anything else I should replace/check while it is torn down?

This is on my 88 mj 4.0, aw4, np231.

[ride172]

Also one more question. When I picked up my timing set the sprockets and chain were just in a box together. They were not packaged in plastic and were just all three loose in the box. Is this how they normally come? I asked the counter guy and he said that all cloyes sets come like this. The sprockets don't look used.

[Bornindesert]

Just received a Cloyes timing set, the little sprocket is packaged, the chain and large sprocket came loose in the box.

[ride172]

It makes me feel better knowing your set was packaged similar. Thanks. I just didn't want to install something that was returned or mismatched

[Keyav8r]

You will (or did) line up the dots before pulling the old sprockets and chain off, right?

[ride172]

Yep, I lined em up and slid the new one on. Just moved cam gear to 3 o'clock counted 15 pins. Think I'm good. Sadly this new chain has just over 3/8 inch movement. I'm going to leave it as it is better than the old ..

[Tactical Bacon]

A little slop is normal. My LT1's timing chain had something like an inch of travel at 167k miles when I pulled the timing cover to replace the gasket which was about where the travel was on a new one.

[Jeep Driver]

http://forums.corral.net/forums/5-0-5-8-engine-tech/1203579-slack-new-timing-chain-2.html

 

You may find that an interesting read.

[ride172]

Thanks for the link. I read it and am now thinking of taking the chain off and trying a new one. The weird thing is the chain had no numbers or marks on it. I'm going to have oriellys get another set in and see if it is what I got the first time. If it has that much slack now I'm thinking after it runs for a week it will stretch the new chain and make it the same as the one I pulled out.

[ride172]

Also thinking of trying Napa brand instead if cloyes....

[87Warrior]

The double roller Cloyes that came with my Mopar cam fit real tight. Very little slack in the chain.

[ride172]

From what I've been reading it should be tighter than it is. Also I may have an engine that has had some machine work done to it. If the other set I get today looks the same I'm going to try a Napa set and if it isn't tight I don't know what to do.

I'm mad I wasted the $11 gasket set plus all the gas in my Ford running around. I should have just left it alone. It ran good but had a hard cold start problem and 15-16 MPG. I was hoping the new set would help a little. I'll go get the other cloyes set after the Broncos game.

[ride172]

I went and looked at the other cloyes set and it was packaged the same and had the same chain. I drove accross the street to advanced auto and got a sa gear set. I'm going to try it and see what happens.

[ride172]

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas.

 

So I ended up using the SA Gear set. It had right at 1/8" of deflection. My next question is this. Can I start and run the engine for 10-15 seconds without a water pump and no coolant in the block? I want to make sure everything is right before I start reassembling but I don't want to crack something from heat.

[gogmorgo]

Shouldn't be a problem. There's an engine building race at a local car show, and they fire up the engines with on fluids at all, and run them for ten seconds. They've been using the same engines for years. You might get oil everywhere, though.

[ride172]

I have the cover on and will put the crank pulley on too. I am hoping I don't see any oil.

[Jeep Driver]

You won't generate enough heat in 15-20 seconds of run time to do any damage.

[ride172]

I found out the AW4 pumps fluid while in park and the mj ran smooth. It wasn't all sunshine and roses though. I went to put on the crank pulley and couldn't find the longer bolt that I had bought 2 years ago to install it. Went and got a new one and started the pulley on and it only went halfway and stopped. Thankful that I bought the puller instead of renting one, I removed it and noticed the key came unseated and was pretty thrashed. I had to trash my new seal to get the key out and then file the key down because I couldn't find the new one I know I have. I did have a new seal in my second gasket kit though. The pulley went on smooth the second time. Of course I skinned some knuckles and threw stuff. I actually got blood on the crank. Just left it there.

[carnuck]

Keep in mind early Renix rigs take Napa 10-3085 timing set and HO takes 10-3041 but the difference is there is a 5-7 degree retard built into the HO set to reduce VE and NOx so they could get rid of the EGR valve. It incidentally increased HP and moved the power curve higher up the RPM range. The cam itself is the same till '96 or so.

[Jeep Driver]

I found out the AW4 pumps fluid while in park and the mj ran smooth. It wasn't all sunshine and roses though. I went to put on the crank pulley and couldn't find the longer bolt that I had bought 2 years ago to install it. Went and got a new one and started the pulley on and it only went halfway and stopped. Thankful that I bought the puller instead of renting one, I removed it and noticed the key came unseated and was pretty thrashed. I had to trash my new seal to get the key out and then file the key down because I couldn't find the new one I know I have. I did have a new seal in my second gasket kit though. The pulley went on smooth the second time. Of course I skinned some knuckles and threw stuff. I actually got blood on the crank. Just left it there.

 

If I don't spring a leak while working on a car........something ain't right. :)