The timing cover on my buddy's 2.5L '98 Dakota just "broke". The timing set had been replaced by the guy he bought it from, probably 10,000 miles ago (total mileage on the truck is only about 110,000). It looks to me like either the cam walked forward, or (hopefully?) the bolt holding the cam sprocket came out and broke the cover.

Anyone ever seen this happen before? He's getting the cover and timing set (sprockets, chain and tensioners) on order but I wonder what we'll find when we pull it all apart...

 

Tore the cover off - bad (!) news. Everything was in place (the chain and tensioners). The problem was that the engine was run out of oil, and there are plenty of loose bits flying around inside (the #1 plug was mashed flat, for example, and there's a lot of debris inside the valve cover). The cam is walking back and forth when the engine is turned over, so that's what broke the cover. DOA!

 

Wow.....did your buddy not check the oil?

 

ouch!

 

Yeah, he's not the best mechanic out there... There was literally NO oil showing on the dipstick at all, though I suppose some was lost when the internals of the motor munched themselves. I didn't even bother tearing down anything else after I pulled out about 1/4 teaspoon of shrapnel with one wipe of the finger inside the oil filler hole (and having seen the smashed #1 plug). It's sad, because it was a low-mileage truck (about 110,000) and I'd just replaced the A/C compressor, dryer, condenser, radiator and both bumpers (all within the last four months). I guess someone will be getting a great deal on some parts from the boneyard...

 

Even though this is in the wrong section....


Why don't you buy it and save it? Put a 5.2 or 5.9 in it with an nv3500?

 

Yeah, don't boneyard it. That truck is easily saved to ride another day. Only reason to boneyard a truck is if the frame is rotted or bent, or every body panel is eaten away. But a blown engine is a weekend repair for someone that needs a truck.

 

I couldn't agree more, but I'm done with this one... it's his truck, and I've already put a boatload of time into helping him get it sorted out. I'm just not going to invest that much more time and effort into resurrecting it. I do hope he can sell it to someone, because it's really in decent shape otherwise - other than the clear coat being burned off (happens to all Dodge trucks in AZ very quickly). It would be a great project truck for someone, and replacement engines should be a dime a dozen... if it was my truck, I'd do an engine swap in a heartbeat.