If my timing chain stretched and jumped a tooth or two would this also for sure bend pushrods or valves hit the piston tops?

Also I have searched high and low about the alignment marks and when I pulled the cover and started to install the new chain set ( piston on #1, rotor near #1 positon) the dots on the gears were not what the book stated they should be. Cam gear dot was up top while crank gear was too, not opposing one another.

Read a few things I found on the internet and one thread stated to turn engine over 2 times after and the dots did line up but rotor points at #6 Cyl? This thread with pictures on another site said that was okay?

http://www.pavementsucks.com/tech/timingchain.php?p=3



I cannot find any other definitive instructions on the internet.

No matter how I tried to turn the cam before the chain was on I could not get the dot to be pointing down and the rotor to point to #1 firing position. Crank for sure TDC piston up.

* distributor has never been out or turned dramatically. I am the original owner and this truck is HIGH MILEAGE. Chain was sloppy as HELL.

I am not the best wrench on old V8's so I am wondering what I am missing

I'd appreciate any guidance given.

Keith in TX

 

Align the timimg marks toward each other. Don't pay any attention to the rotor if the distributor hasn't been moved.

 

Nice link i love pictures that walk you thru... first relax we can do this...
you are origional owner great. reread the second page second paragraph they also were confronted with a cylinder #6 timing issue.

hopefully the chain and gears were a set and not pieced together.

you will set crank dot to 12oclock position -no playing with adv or retard-then set timing gear dot to 6oclock-

the heads are still on your eng? then rotate to observe the #1 intake valve...it will open then close as you realign the dots as we decided above, if this is how it plays out all is good...

replace all components - balancer should be 0* @ tdc -setdist to fire #1 wire -

 

Thanks for the quick responses guys. I am comfortable that it is indeed correct after a chat with a local engine machine shop owner.

He told me that since the chain only jumped one or maybe two teeth and it quit running that it likely did not do any pushrod or valve damage. And that often the marks are both 12 high on crank and cam gear on #1 and if I rotated it till they were opposing and it was facing #6 it was right ( since it's the original engine, not installing a new cam, distributor never turned etc) Which is pretty much in line with that pictorial thread I found.

I was just being my usual cautious self and trying to verify before putting back together. I am used to finding #1 and lining all the marks up easier that's all.

BTW the engine is all in the truck nothing else apart not even valve covers off to check so I am just going to go with it.

This old dog owe's me nothing... bought it new in July of 90 my first and only NEW vehicle in my life. It' problaby has near 300K on it. Odo stopped at 109,00 in 97 LOL

I am just hoping to get it running again as I need it for some hauling and work and I miss having it on the road.

I'm sure I'll be posting some more now that I found a decent forum.

Keith in TX

 

Once it is back together a compression check will verify if there was any valve or piston damage.

 

Hey, great forum.

I have a 80' B200 van w/318 and I'll be doing a timing chain next week. I would really like to know how yours turns out so I can avoid any pit falls.

I found that pictorial instruction thread as well, and it lost me on the 4* timing advance thing. What's up with that?

 

ignore it for street driven applications...

Visit one of the cam manufactures web sites they wil llkely detail it.

 

If your engine did not sound like a "Diesel" then the valves were not hitting the pistons. It takes more than "a couple of tooth" jumps for them to hit, and it will still run (very noisily at that).

Be sure to use the double roller chain that is pictured in that guy's Pg. #2. They are "stock" on cop cars, E-58's, and Lil Red's etc. and are much better. Acceptable chain dead motion is 1/8". That is, with the crankshaft locked, the camshaft gear should move no more than 1/8" (measured at top of camgear with a ruler). We all know this is ideal (fantasy) as most out there move a lot!

Also, be sure to seal that timing cover really well where it meets the block. Remember, every time you loosen things to adjust the alt, air pump belt or whatever, you release the pressure on that gasket and they do leak there (weep)

When you install your new chain the gear marks should be on the centerline through the shafts, camshaft "6 O'clock", crankshaft "Noon" and your distributor rotor should be pointing to No 1 cyl. If not move (rotate) your wires to that position. If you did not remove your distributor, it should already be there. If you need to move your wires, install clothes pegs numbered 1 through 8 and do it systematically.

Just a note to anyone contemplating purchasing a manual. If your truck is for the long term get the factory manual. Chilton's and those others are OK, but when the going gets tough they will leave you stranded.

 

I absolutely agree about the Chilton/Haynes manual thing. But I don't know where to get the "factory" manual. Lil help?

My van has been in the family since it was purchased from the dealership in Puyallup WA, in 1981, it's an 80'. It was the parts delivery vehicle for the dealership itself, so technically, though it was used, it has only had two owners, grandpa and me.

I got it in about 2000 and it had 176K on it then. The speedo broke almost immediately thereafter and I replaced it with one from a later model that indicated 53K and put another 30K or so on it before the tranny/speedo cable broke and I KNOW that I have put at least another 40 to 50 on it since then. It burns little to no oil though it leaks like a sieve from god knows where. I am trying to track down all the possible locations and hope that the timing chain cover is one of the sources so that I will be killing two birds (leak plus slack).

Yeah, I think I'll be keeping my van for awhile. I am doing a Eastwood (poormans) restore on it (ask me what that means, I would love to tell you if you don't get it) and any help you guys have regarding parts or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. And, yes, I know I should do that in another thread.

Fifty

 

I only bought the single gear chain. This is what lasted on the truck for 18 years and well over 250K. This truck will not be seeing but occasional work/hauling trailers of junk/fishing trips or such and or I may even sell it right after I get it running.

The original gear was not plastic coated anything, the chain just stretched so bad it jumped a tooth.

The funny thing is unless I pull the distributor and re index it the only time the gears line up with the two dot's inward the rotor is pointing to #6. Several now have told me that's fine since I am postitive the cam has never been out nor the distributor. I had thought all along the dots would be close when I pulled it apart and had it set at TDC pointing at #1. BUT the dots were Noon on cam and crank. Turning the engine over to get the dots at 6 cam, noon crank lined up makes the rotor point to #6 cyl.

I am about to put the timing cover back on this week and find out. I had to replace the motor mounts and a power steering hose and some other incidental stuff while I had it apart... easiser access.