Some slack is ok. You can measure the slack but as long as it's not too lose you will be fine. You can get a cheap one just make sure there is no paint on the inside of the pan. If there is grind it off

 

Hey guys!
Needed some advice. I got a bunch of stuff installed over the weekend. I am getting ready to install my timing cover. While I was torquing down the bolt, despite having a long screw driver holding the crank from moving the dots moved on me. I attached a picture. Also oddly when I torqued the bolt down the left side of the chain stiffened up. Before torque both sides had the same slack. The right side still has slack, I have also attached a picture of that showing how much there is. Do I need to move the dots back to 12 and 6 before I put the timing cover back on? Is it okay that they move when I re-attach the damper and pulley?

 

As long as the gears didn't move relative to one another, it'll be fine. Unless the chain is VERY sloppy, the valve timing won't change.

 

It appears the top gear moved to the left while the bottom one moved to the right a little. I take it thats bad?

 

I kinda doubt that happened. It might be off by a degree or so because of chain slack, but it can only shift a whole tooth at a time, unless it's a racing engine with a cam timing wheel (it's not.) Do they even make those anymore? It's been a very long time since I've messed with racing engines.

 

Y'all know if there is a way I can test timing before I put it all back together?

 

Sure. Pull the spark plugs, and slowly crank the engine with a ratchet and socket a few times. See how the marks line up after a few full rotations of the cam gear. If it hits a hard stop (it won't, looking at the picture) then stop and reinstall the timing chain set.

 

So... today was the day.. I buttoned everything up double checked everything. Probably more excited than a pig in the mud. Installed a new K&N oil filter. Filled 5 quarts of oil. Coolant. New battery.

some hesitation but the truck fired up. Got to about 1K RPM felt like it was going to stall out but didn’t. Everything kinda happened so fast. Oil pressure was about 1/4 looked low but it’s a new oil pump so.. got out of the truck looked into the engine bay. Small amount of white smoke, didn’t look right. Heared a leak.. I frantically looked around and realized I made a gigantic rookie mistake. I didn’t tighten the oil filter all the way. Even though it felt tight it wasn’t wrench right. I watched as my new oil spilled out in a stream. I guess I must have lost more than I thought because after I tightened everything down I put the remaining 2 quarts into the engine and it’s not even near the full line. About 1/4 up the add line on the dip stick. As soon as I noticed oil spilling I shut the engine off. I don’t know if I was just angry, concerned and upset all at the same time but as soon as I turned the engine off I heared a weird noise. Can’t really describe it wasn’t a knock but.. Sounded like a starved engine.

Worth noting maybe the truck wasnt on for on for more then a minute. The check gauges light came on as well.

I really messed up didn’t I? Probably just blew the engine. I have not started it back up. Honestly made me sick.

 

Nope. My engine takes 6 quarts btw, and it didn’t blow because of the oil leak, and is probably fine. Fill it up with oil, and start it again.

 

Agreed fill it up and start it up. Mine takes close to 7