Okay, so I did something really stupid.

It's a long story, but my truck (90 22re) blew it's HG 1200 miles from home in the middle of the desert. Someone else ripped it down, but I was left to replace the timing chain (broken guides) and put it all back together. And I had to be home in two days. I should mention that I've never replaced a HG before.

Amazing thing: once I had it all back together, the truck actually started up and ran!

Now the awful thing: It was making a "ticking" noise. I decided to adjust the valves. I noticed that as I turned the crank by hand, the whole timing chain would jerk and audibly "pop" as the engine moved through each compression stroke. I also noticed that the cam gear dimple was no longer lined up with the two bright links, although the dimple still pointed to 11:30 at TDC.

Being completely out of time, I just decided to adjust the valves and give it a go. When I tried to start it:
wrrh-wrrh-wrrh-CLANK!-CLANK!-CLANK! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />

Oops.

Pulling the valve cover off, it was immediately obvious that the timing chain was horribly mangled. Not broken completely, but definitely chundered.

I left the truck down in the southern california. But now I have to figure out what to do. What should I expect to find when I go back?

Bent and broken valves?
Why was it "popping" when I turned the crank?
Is this even worth repairing?


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Possibly a tensioner issue. So long as the cam dimple is still at 11:30 [+ or - a couple of cam teeth] at TDC you shouldn't have to pull the head again for bent valves. But you'll have to pull the timing cover to see what happened. The oil pump on the 22RE is secured with bolts of different lengths, and if you put a long one in the wrong hole you can put the tensioner out of commission.
The bright links on the chain are only for the initial setup. They only return to that position randomly.
Take a new timing chain set with you, and good luck.

I have seen cases before where the bottom gear was put on backwards resulting in a mangled chain like that...

If the timing jumped and the engine ran, there's a good chance you'll have some bent intake valves. I'd pull the head and inspect the valves and pistons, and do another timing job with all new parts.

Check engnbldr for replacements. They sell a steel backed drivers side rail that will fix a rather large vulnerability with the 22RE, and they're just all around good people over there. I'm surprised he hasn't seen this thread and commented. He must be out chopping wood or something...

Oh man... If I put that gear on backwards, I'd never forgive myself. What a stupid thing to do!! But I was in such a rush trying to get everything done there's a good chance I might have... argh.

Since the chain isn't broken, if I turn the crank pulley by hand until it's at TDC and the cam gear timing dimple is still in the right place would that be a good indicator that my valves are still in good shape, or should I pull the head again anyway?

IF I have bent a valve, how difficult is the replacement process? Is is just replacing the valves, or will the pistons also possibly be damaged? This is getting way beyond where I feel comfortable mechanically... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

As a side note, I had previously done a timing chain job on this truck and replaced the guides with EB's kit. The drivers side rail is metal, but the plastic passenger side is the one that broke this time around... after only 20k miles! What's up with that? Damaged chain tensioner? Or hey, maybe the mechanic who pulled the head apart to begin with broke it intentionally just to screw me over. I wouldn't put it past him... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />

Others more knowledgeable than me may tell you otherwise, but here's my suggestion:

Take a new timing chain with you, and maybe even a new set of sprockets and tensioner. Re-time the engine, and double check the sprocket and chain are all lined up properly. Look at the tensioner as well. Now turn the engine over BY HAND, and look for any valves that go down and don't come back up, or come back up sluggishly. This would indicate a valve in a bind (bent). Listen for clunking sounds as you turn it over. Also make sure the tensioner seems to be working right.

Adjust the valves with the engine cold, then do a compression check and look for a piston that reads differently than the others.

If everything looks cool, I would drive it, but that's just me. That's what I did when I broke a timing chain about 6 years ago. Mine has been running ever since with no problems.

I only changed a Timing Chain once before. I had no clue what I was doing or what parts to use. It was for a 22RE, they guy at the local machine shop gave me the chain for the 22RE a couple years before my truck. It has two extra links then the one for my year. I guess the shortened the head or something. Anyway I didn't know how tight the chain was suppose to be because I never saw one on before. Well it didn't take long before the chain messed it self up and I had to pull the whole thing apart again.

I don't know about your situation but maybe the dude gave you the chain with 98 links on it instead of the one with 96.

Good luck.

Well, I finally got back to soCal and ripped my truck apart. Timing chain was one link too long, which caused it to bind. Damn autozone! Put in a new one from engnbldr and the thing fired right up. I can't seem to get my timing perfect -- I don't have a timing light, but eh, it'll have to do. Somehow she developed a hole in the muffler while I've been gone, and damn, the engine is loud now! 1200 miles and I'll be home! Wish me luck!

--Matt

You got a link that was too long? How odd.
Man I'd be going in there giving somebody an earful. That's a very expensive manufacturing mistake.

I learned my lesson years ago about buying parts from Autozone. Now I refuse to buy parts from them because most of the parts are low quality. Is it worth the lower price when you have to redo a job with better quality parts? Autozone can sell them cheap because they get them cheap which translates into the parts are cheap. Just my 2 cents worth.

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