Thank you for your help.

I tried a few different positions for the tensioner. I can get rid of the initial noise, but not the vibraton.

I've been planning on doing a timing chain replacement, so maybe now is a good time.

I'd say so, and soon. If you lose the oil pump drive chain, you can eat up the motor quick, it's worse than losing the timing chain itself.

Either loosen the head bolts or drop the pan a little (and make sure you get the two head bolts and a bunch of pan bolts that go into the timing cover) probably both, to get the timing cover off with the least gasket damage.

I was thinking of dropping the pan since I want to replace that gasket (leaks) and will be replacing the timing cover gasket as well. Really, I'd love to just pull it and rebuild, but need to be able to drive it for another month.

I'm looking at some kits and reading up here as much as I can find. Considering kits with as much included as possible, but there are big differences in price. Does this translate heavily into quality? Example:

ebay timing kit

Napa timing kit

I'd appreciate any suggestions and/or additions. I'll get some gaskets and a water pump too, but would like to get as much done as I can.

I got my chain and gaskets from rockauto, got a good deal on one of the better brands(it escapes me at the moment...), so I went double on everythhing.

I'd do all the guides, the chain, the tensioner, AND the oil pump. My pump died the second I pulled it, it refused to prime on reinstall.

On the tensioner, do NOT fforget the oring, it is vital to keeping the chain guides from being slapped to death.

Get a tube of black RTV to deal with the top gasket issues, and be careful not to drop the 2 head bolts for the timing cover down into the pan.

It;s not that hard to do <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

**Disclaimer: This is my first dealing with a timing chain and I only need three more weeks out of this engine. (I leave in three weeks and come back this summer, hopefully a rebuild at that time.)

I needed to do the job this weekend, or not at all. So I was limited to the parts that were available locally. Got a full camshaft set and three piece BS elimination set. Opted to not replace the oil pump as pressure was around 60.

No real issues installing, oil pump looked good. All the old guides were worn to metal, teeth on the oil pump sprocket were considerably worn. I replaced it with the one that had been on the upper balance shaft. The BS elimination set did not come with any guides, chain was tight so I didn't think to install the old one. Is this a major mistake?

Engine runs OK, made it to work today. There is a high pitched sound that wasn't there before this issue started. It increases/decreases with rpm increase/decrease Is it the timing chain rubbing against the new guides? It doesn't bother me other than if it's a sign that I need to fix/refix something.

Guide for the bottom of the the oil pump chain...

You NEED the lower guide, the BSEK doesn't have one because you use the old one.

...AWESOME.

At least the job should go faster this time around.


And yes, I feel like a moron, but it made sense at 2 am New Year's Day. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
(sucks to be a noob.)