Sorry for a long post but I'm new to 2.6 land (but not Mitsu world) and have a bunch of questions.

In my life I've owned 3 Mitsu cars, a diesel Pajero and now I own 2 Raiders.

1 is mint body wise, with only 150,000 original KMs, the other is a parts donor.

The problem: the mint one is broken.

After doing some quick diagnostic work (a.k.a. taking off the timing cover) I've learned that the tensioner for the balance shaft chain broke which has taken the BS chain and some gears with it.

At this point I just want to say that compared to a second Gen truck this one is magically simple, one of the reasons I wanted it. We used three wrenches and three sockets to get this thing apart (and my beloved pry bar). Anyway...

This is my first 2.6 and I don't know much about the gassers. I'm obviously going to be pulling the cam to check the bearings. From there I need to get it running so I can check compression and for rod knock. Yes, I know the proper way would to start by pulling the motor but this is a budget project (actually it is budgetless) and I don't have the time or space to yank the motor out. To get it running the easiest way seems to be the BS removal kit.

I've checked the faq and run a few searches (I like the wire but man the search function is useless). I haven't found out much about these kits. Where do you get them? Does anyone have one for sale? The cheapest one I've seen was $50 but I don't know if I trust this site or if it's even a complete kit.

I have a few other questions too.

(1) The gear that sits on the crank has allot of play in it (forward and backward) should I replace the gear too?

(2) Should I still run the oil pump balance shaft? It appears to be in-tacked so why mess with it? Being that the oil pump is also tensioning the main chain pulling the oil pump seems like it may create a potential of me screwing something else up. Is one shaft better than none?

(3) Lets assume that the engine was run for a limited amount of time with the chain broken, meaning no oil pressure. What would go first? The top or bottom end of the motor? When I hooped my 2.0L the cam seized first, is this the order that 4G54B(s) die too? If I check the top end (because it's easy) and it is OK is it relatively safe to assume the bottom end is OK? I'm not asking for a guarantee, but a best guess would be good.

Thanks for any help (and remember, at least my first Gen I questions wasn't about tires or wheel offset).


Not that it matters but it is an 88 with the offraod package (headlight washers). It has the 4.62 difs with the LSD. 5 spd and obviously the 2.6. It's budget so it's getting shackles, a T-bar crank, 33 x 12.50s and a Don bumper with winch (all of which I already have in my friends shed, left over from Gen II world).

Thanks for any help

Maurie

If you lost the chain, as you know , you also lost oil pressure. The balance shaft bearing on the oil pump and the rods bearings are likely to be damaged from oil starvation. The cam may have gotten trashed from debris. Usually the head takes the cam out. Particles embed into the head and turn the cam down. Most times the head will clean up with some emery.

Pull the oil filter and cut it apart to check for debris.

If you do a balance shaft elimination you want to remove the shaft on the oil pump.

Sorry to hear about your motor. For 2.6 engine owners that have the balance shafts, make sure you keep the chain adjusted.

How long did the motor run after the chain went? Did it make noise and or seize or get shut off when it rattled?

Kevin

I'm not sure how long it ran after the sound was hear. From what I can tell the truck has been sitting since 2005. If it wasn't for the noise this truck would be in near showroom condition.

Since it was just the balance shaft chain that broke the balance shafts stopped spinning and those bearings are still good. The engine runs, but as soon as we heard the noise we shut her down.
The main chain remained intacked, and the engine remained "timed". Based on the five or so seconds we had it running I'd say the valves are intacked.
You can also turn it by hand with the pully, but there are... noises. Since the engine runs I'm assuming that I didn't seaze any bearings. Since the oil pump went right away I don't thing there would be any metal in the motor (other than the oil pan).

I like the idea of cutting open the filter, that should give me some ideas of what might be wrong.

The balance shaft kits I've seen online have a single plug, a bearing and a chain. Do I simply leave the upper balance shaft in? How screwed is this motor?

I Have seen the chain go a couple of ways. One is it starts skipping over the pumps drive teeth. The pump turns but not very well, that seems to put a lot of trash in the motor. The other is the upper pivot fails and everything comes undone.

If the balance shafts are still good you may be able and want to keep them. With a fresh chain and guides they will last a long time.

It sounds like your motor may be OK. AS I Thought about things I realized that the filter would not have any trash in it if the pump stopped. If it was a skipping failure it should. I would also drain the oil and see what you get.

When you get it running the filter test would let you know if the motor is eating itself.

Kevin

Thanks for all the help Kevin.

Bolt holding the tensioner into the block sheered off so maybe it broke first... then again, the gear on the upper BS fell off becasue the bolt backed out. It was obvious that the shaft was not turning for a bit of time as it was smooth on one side and rough on the other, making me think it was sitting still while the engine was vibrating.

Here is my new plan:

Check the cam and make sure it is OK. Signs of damage up to may mean there is damage below.

Cut open the filter. This will tell me what order everything broke in and give me an idea of how long it ran without oil.

Drain the pan (duh) and rince it out somehome (brake clean?). I wonder if I put a magnet in the pan if I could use it to collect debri?

Install balance shaft eliminator (I'm installing the kit as opposed to re-assembling. This is becasue I think there is a high probabablility of damage to the BS shaft bearings and I don't want to have them pakcing it in in the future.

Re-assemble and run it. Assuming there is no major noise (knocking etc,) it is probably OK. After I run it for a while I'll pull the filter and cut it open again.

If there is knocking or it's pushing metal through the oil I'll re-asses my plan at that point.

Does my plan make sense?

Maurie

A proper balance shaft elim kit will have a short chain, a short spud shaft to replace the exhaust side BS, and a blank ring bearing to block the oil hole in the intake side BS front bearing hole and a new oil pump sprocket. The crank sprocket is usually a little loose on the crank. There is one guide used for the short chain, the bottom one, and you should oval out the more central bolt hole a little so you can adjust the tension of the short chain.

I would pull the rocker shafts to check the cam bearing bores for scoring and metal, as that's the quickest way to check for migrating metal in the motor. Since you are already in so deep, I'd also pull a couple of main bearing caps and check there, too, which means you have to pull the pan, which is not a bad idea, as you probably tore the pan gasket when you pulled the timing cover. You can drop the front diff supports at one end to rotate it down to get clearance to pull the pan, and may have to pull the front crossmember.

If all that is good, I'd do the bse and let it fly.

I find it easier to pull up on the engine with a hoist if you have one with the engine mounts undone. I had no problem pulling the pan. when i did this. I am going through a very similar thing except my timing did go out so there's that but if you have a hoist i feel its easier to lift the engine then drop the cross member. but either way works

It needs a rear main so pulling the motor is logical. I'm just low on space to work, time and money. I'll check out the top end Monday and stick in an eliminator kit (their only $25 online). Once I get it running I'll do a compression check to see if the motor is worth the time and effort. Once it passes that test I'll pull it out, check the caps, change the oil pan gasket and rear main. Since I have it out I might as well install the clutch that has been sitting my closet for the past month.
Can anyone recommend a good "brand" of balance shaft elim kit? There are a couple online. Do you get what you pay for?
Maurie

melling BSE kit is a good one

The cam's are hooped... New engine time. Lucky for me I have two trucks to pick from. One running, one not.

Questions: If I pull the "not running" motor out of my parts truck (assuming that the timing chain is in-tacked), other than checking compression and the mains, what else should I look at? If possible I want to keep the running truck running so that I can curb it or donate it to a worthy cause, (like a budget truck challenge he he he)

Keeping in mind that I'm on a tight budget with this project and can't afford a full engine re-build:
Is it worth replacing the rod and main bearings before putting the motor in the truck?
Is it worth doing the rings and a simple hone of the cylinder walls?
If it has compression and there is no bearing damage should I just leave it together?

Sorry for so many noob questions but all my Mitsu cars held together and there was no such thing as a donor 4D56 for my other truck, so this is my first real shot at major engine work on a 2.6 and I don't know what is best for the motor or how much it can take millage wise.

Thanks for any help;

Maurie