Timing Chain Inspection and Replacement

[Tynan918]

Is the fan, water pump, and harmonic balancer the only things I remove to get to the timing chain cover ?

 

[scoti]

There was a 3/8 gap between the timing cover and the old balancer...

Just measure the clean part of the shaft to where the oil begins to sit towards the timing cover...

If re-installing the same balancer that's what I'd prob do.
I would use the measurement I initially took in comparison to the witness marks if using a different balancer.

 

[Tynan918]

If re-installing the same balancer that's what I'd prob do.
I would use the measurement I initially took in comparison to the witness marks if using a different balancer.

Watched a video of a guy building an engine and installing a harmonic balancer.

He said to continue to turn until it bottoms out, causing the balancer to rotate as you attempt to tighten it more...that's what I did...

 

[g0thiac]

Watched a video of a guy building an engine and installing a harmonic balancer.

He said to continue to turn until it bottoms out, causing the balancer to rotate as you attempt to tighten it more...that's what I did...

So can you start it safely now?

 

[Tynan918]

So can you start it safely now?

Well it depends, because some say I shouldn't run it without the rest of everything else attached (water pump, pulleys, belt) and 4-6 minutes isn't long enough to see a leak,

...and some say I can but only for 4-6 minutes...

Deciding whether I should just attach everything to run it or not... I kind of want to...but I don't want to ruin my engine...

 

[Tynan918]

Balancer installed all the way 👍🏾

 

[565bbchevy]

Unless you plan on installing the timing tape in the correct orientation you are going to need a timing light that can read advance either a dial back or digital one otherwise you are going to have only 10 degrees visible and be guessing beyond that.

 

[Tynan918]

Unless you plan on installing the timing tape in the correct orientation you are going to need a timing light that can read advance either a dial back or digital one otherwise you are going to have only 10 degrees visible and be guessing beyond that.

I have a dial back timing light.

 

[565bbchevy]

I have a dial back timing light.

Or you could put a new timing tape on, I think they are pretty budget friendly.

 

[scoti]

You can crank & run an engine for several mins w/o hurting things but it's not a big window of opportunity. Need to keep your hand on the block/heads & shut it off when they start warming up. But like mentioned, it may not be long enough run time to know if the repair will hold.

The joy of DIYing something. Sometimes it works right away; sometimes you get to do it over.

 

[565bbchevy]

I would just put it back together and get it running then idle it for a while and see if it leaks and if not then drive it around, it could leak right away or take a couple times driving it for it to show or might not leak at all and then you are done.