Changing my timing chain - does this look like "normal" wear and tear?

[syclone98]

I just pulled off the front timing cover and removed my timing chain to fix the no-start problem I had a couple of weeks back. Here's what my timing gear looked like alongside a brand new one:

My concern is whether this is considered "normal" wear and tear for a worn out timing gear (the car's got 108K miles) or whether it might be indicative of some other problem. I'm just a little afraid to put the engine back together now if there's something else that may have caused it to wear out that bad.

Up until the chain first slipped a few weeks back, the car had been running great. While I tried to troubleshoot the no-start problem (cam sensor, crank sensor, fuel etc) the timing chain continued to rotate the cam and lifters properly and it wasn't until the very end that the chain started slipping really bad and the camshaft stopped spinning.

So is there anything I should be concerned about or should I be able to (theoretically at least) put the new timing set back on and have the car run properly?

Thanks in advance,
Christopher

 

[Steve V]

That happens,I 've seen it before. Hope fully none of the valves got bent. May have to do a leak down to find out. Or just put it back together and see how it runs.

That motor has had the snot run out of it with a gear like that at 108k IMO.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Clean out the oil pan.. Likely lots of trash on the pump screen. That's how they go...Probably pretty normal for that many miles. Time for valve springs, too.

 

[SouthernCal GN]

Clean out the oil pan.. Likely lots of trash on the pump screen. That's how they go...Probably pretty normal for that many miles. Time for valve springs, too.

+1

I'd go with the factory cam gear vice the steel aftermarket- quieter.

How did the leakdown test go?

 

[2QUIK6]

Thats the original plastic gear...probably started with a tooth or 2 breaking off from being 20 years old and getting brittle. then a slip here and there and thats all it takes then to start breaking and wearing off all the teeth.
I'd recommend putting on a new set of stock pressure valve springs, and at that time you can make sure the valves travel up and down the full length indicating they are not bent.

 

[chopped39]

Clean out the oil pan.. Likely lots of trash on the pump screen. That's how they go...Probably pretty normal for that many miles. Time for valve springs, too.

+1 If you dont clean out screen and pan you will be pulling engine sooner than later

 

[GN HEAD]

Changed mine out about 100k and it looked like new....no cracks or missing teeth. Almost disappointed that I had torn the engine down that far, but it's a great piece of mind.