Almost finsihed timing chain swap

[BJM]

The GNTTYPE instructions say 4 hours. How is that possible. Its my first time working on this engine but man I am at 12 hours and counting. A couple more to go.

It all started because I wanted to fix my leaky front seal. It had a 1/4" gap in it where the rope came together, I guess that's my leak. My timing chain looked perfect but I changed it anyway.

Is there a trick to getting the cam sensor back in? It must have taken me 20 tries or more to get the oil pump to engage.

I had to use the bolts to pull the front cover down onto the alignment pins, is that normal? And boy the gaskets were really stuck to the aluminum cover.

How fast are the experts? Am I just slow?

 

[salvageV6]

Perfectly normal first times, why rush the job? 4 hours are for the guys that like to have parts left over.

Not sure about that cover? Did you drop the oil pan? If not you will wish you did.

Hope you didn't distort or bend that front cover using the bolts to pull it on straight.

You put the oil slinger back on right?

 

[BJM]

I was carfeul not to tighten to much. I made sure it slid down on to the pins by working it down evenly. I never had to touch the oil pan. The original gasket was in perfect shape and I used dental floss to keep it from pushing into the pan while I worked.

 

[2QUIK6]

Very lucky on the pan gasket, used dental floss huh?? Anyway, hope you used a little bit of sealer on it, such as UltraBlack, that stuff is wonderful. It took me about 10-12 hours the first time I did it, got it all back together, discovered I left the oil slinger on the jack when I lowered it. Took me about 4-5 hours the next time around to put the slinger back in...
And yes, my cover did fit fairly tightly to the studs, had to tap it back on the studs.
As far as the cam sensor, I just marked exactly where it was at TDC, then placed it back exactly how it was when I took it out using the position of the "window" after removing the top cap of the cam sensor.

 

[NC87GN]

I just finished doing a fifth timing chain and it seems most of the time is spent cleaning old gaskets from hard parts. Also removing all the caked on grease from the OEM cover is time consuming. I can see 6 hours, without cleaning anything, to complete the job... However 4 hours is pretty hard to believe. Take your time if your not in a hurry and be sure to use the roller cam button.

Mike Banas
87GN

 

[turbojimmy]

Originally posted by 2QUIK6
got it all back together, discovered I left the oil slinger on the jack when I lowered it. Took me about 4-5 hours the next time around to put the slinger back in...

I'd have pushed it out into the driveway and set it afire. I would've regretted it later, but it would have felt good at the time.

As far as the cam sensor goes, I found that if you turn the oil pump shaft so that the slot is aligned front-to-back the cam sensor will drop right into place (assuming everything is at TDC).

Jim

 

[BJM]

Thank God I didn't forget any parts like the slinger, I would have died.

I kept fiddling with the cam sensor and the oil pump, each time it hung up about 3/16" above being seated. All of a sudden it went right in.

On Chev small blocks with HEI I would sit the distributor in and crank it. Its own weight would make it go in. The cam sensor weighs nothing and without a helper I couldn't do it that way.

 

[2QUIK6]

And in case for some reason you put a double roller chain on there make sure you did NOT use the tensioner. A double roller is not necessary for most applications on these engines so never use one unless your planning to tear down the engine after every couple of runs and you have high pressure valve springs.

 

[opzWE4]

Originally posted by turbojimmy


I'd have pushed it out into the driveway and set it afire. I would've regretted it later, but it would have felt good at the time.



Jim

ROFLMAO

 

[BJM]

I finished it up and it started right away without the MAF on it. Then I put the rest of the stuff in and it ran great. So far no leaks on the engine.

How tight do you have to tighten the oil cooler lines into the radiator. I seem to have to tighten them an awful lot to get them to stop drooling oil.

 

[salvageV6]

16 ft. lb.s for the TRANNY oil cooler lines was all I could find.

Prolly be safe up to 25 ft. lb.s on the larger oil cooler lines.

Just guessing of course.

 

[BJM]

I had to do them up tight with a wrench. I am guessing they are at 30 ft.lb now. I hate flare fittings. The other end uses o rings, why could they do that at the other end.

I can't believe how old fashioned the overall front cover design seems. An engineer today would be shot if they used to different fasteners on the water pump.

 

[kevans]

I forgot the cam button when I did mine!! Luckily it was about 2 seconds after I bolted up the front cover.

I think it is a 4 hour job if you do not clean ANYTHING. Cleaning and detailing took me a couple of days alone.

Kev

 

[BJM]

I took about 1.5 hours to clean off all the slime from the front cover once it was off. The front seal which was the whole point of the job took 10 minutes to re and re.

I put the new water pump on the cover before replacing the cover. Is that what you guys do? It made life just a touch more difficult reaching aroung the water pump while putting the cover back on.

I make checklists as thing come off and check them off to make sure they get put back on. I place everything on a dedicated table so I can see everything at once and nothing gets left out. So far so good.

If I started in on it all again I think I could do it in 10 hours at best.