Diy timing chain

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ktm525

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Awesome. It is like working on my rig without being in the cold garage. It's nice when you can can take your time and get things done right with no compromises.
 

djkaosone

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It's nice when you can can take your time and get things done right with no compromises.
I couldn't agree more, but it's sad that I'm missing a lot of snow days in the mountains. I'll get it back up and running by next weekend to go snowboarding with the family.
 

ryanjl

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Wondering what OP and others think about this "easy" method to replace tensioners and guides:


When the dealer did mine in December, my old timing chain guides looked worn about the exact same as the ones in this video. However, the dealer told me that my chain had also stretched over factory specs, so it needed to be replaced as well. The problem with this shortcut method is that it's impossible to check chain stretch (much less replace the chain).
 

ktm525

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The chain may or may not have stretched. Could have been dealer padding the bill?
 

djkaosone

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Wondering what OP and others think about this "easy" method to replace tensioners and guides:
That's where I saw the shortcut way.

This has been going on way too long and I've been getting parts along the way to drag it out some more. Anyhow, update time.

Back tracking just a bit, I thought I turned the crankshaft where the cam markers were pointing directly up before getting started, but that wasn't the case. There are no markers on the crankshaft pulley indicating the crank key was pointing directly at the 6 o'clock position (down), which indicates cylinder 1 TDC. Just looking at the cylinder 1 intake camshaft pointing up was close, I should have looked at the camshaft pointing at an angle or perpendicular to the head. Well that threw the timing markers off just a little, but fixable. As you may know I had the 12.9 crank bolt and turn it clockwise to remove it. Once it was removed you can verify the position of the key, obviously I didn't notice and took the long route, I'll continue with the fix later. You may also notice that the chain markers and cam markers didn't match up in the last few pictures. Yeah, mine was that bad, but was still running fine. Pure luck I guess, and I will gladly take it.

Start with the RH side first. There are 2x T30 bolts holding the tensioner on each LH and RH side. Once the tensioner is off, the chains are loose enough to remove the T45 pivot bolt for the timing guide. Then remove the 3x 10mm bolts holding the other plastic guide. There's enough room to remove your timing chain without removing your cam sprockets. There's really no point in removing the cam sprockets or locking down your cam shaft IF you messed up like me (not setting TDC properly prior to teardown). The fix will come later, I promise. This is the point where I compared the old timing chain verses the new timing chain, where link for link and diameter was EXACTLY the same with zero stretch. The guides barely worn away, still looks like new, except for the tensioner and the side where the tensioner meets the guide. Just one of mine was loose, but did both anyways. Since, everything looks great with no wear anywhere, I didn't bother doing anything else except for the guides and tensioner. Putting things back was interesting and here's the fix.

Now that chain and guides are completely off on both sides, start with the LH side (looking from inside) first. Here's where it was interesting, I was originally close but not close enough. The crank key was at the 7 o'clock position which meant that everything got shifted that much of a degree off on both LH and RH timing. No big deal. I put the crank pulley back on with the crank bolt, turning counter clockwise with the starter locking plate still in place and the truck still in Park, and just kept torquing the bolt down. Once the crank bolt is in place, I removed the starter locking plate, wheels chocked, put the truck in Neutral (remove the cup holder, just under the shifter there's a white plastic piece, push up towards the shifter, and at the same time shift it into Neutral), and I turned it counter clockwise. Everything says don't turn it counter clockwise, but the timing chain is off and I just need to turn it roughly 25* and it would be worst to turn it past 180* to get to 335*. Just saying it's ok to counter clockwise just a little as long as you do it to the camshafts as well. Once it's in TDC, cylinder 1 intake cam lobes are at the right angle (pun for 45* from the head), starter lock plate secured, put back into Park, and removing the crank pulley once again. I forgot to mention that earlier, to remove the crank pulley, I used a rented from Autozone GM crank pulley remover tool set for free. Again, start with the LH side first, install the fixed guide with the 3x 10mm bolts first, place the chain marker on the second marker (going clockwise) on the exhaust cam, loosely place the other marker near the intake cam, slide the chain through to the bottom, and match up the marker on the chain with the marker on the fixed chain guide near the bottom bolt. Once you have that all in there, I used a special tool made out of a piece of 1"x2" wood and 1 5/8" deck screws to spin the camshafts counter clockwise to position. This is another interesting part where it took me a million tries to line it up. Assuming you have the exhaust cam and fixed guide markers lined up, the chain is pretty loose at this point, use the special tool on the exhaust camshaft to turn it into position (mine was 25* counter clockwise), with the other hand position the chain onto the intake camshaft (it doesn't have to hit the marker yet), and then slowly remove the special tool. To line up the intake camshaft marker, just use the special tool and do the same thing. Eventually it'll line up, then slide your tensioner guide and bolt back into place. Then put your tensioner in place, but don't remove the pin. This will give just enough tension that your chain won't jump. Do the same for the other side.

This is where I stopped, I've spent hours getting the hang of it and I finally got the timing stuff done. I am 100% sure that it's done correctly and 100% sure that it's all lined up. There is zero play in the chain. Meaning that it slides easily and doesn't have a gap of any type. I'm just waiting on a new tensioner to put the rest back together before doing the walnut blasting, cleaning out the oil in the intake manifold, running new oil catch cans, etc... I'll upload pics in a bit.
 

djkaosone

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Here's the special tool I made.

20190123_205306-800x600.jpg


It does the job and here it is in action.

20190123_205324-800x600.jpg


With the final results of everything lining up perfectly.

20190123_193452-800x600.jpg


I also forgot to mention that I never forced the crank or crank shafts in any direction. Meaning, don't do it or else you'll bend or break something
 

wthammett

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Awesome job you tackled, I'd be curled up in the fetal position if I tried this in my garage
 

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