Did the mechanic put in a new timing damper? Or does it even have one in there at all??? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

If it's missing or was not renewed the last time, it could very well be the reason for the early failure and problems you're experiencing now.

The damper is metal and has rubber 'slippers' bonded to it. It's bolted to the block and resides in the space between the cam gear and crank gear. It serves to stabilize the timing chain and when the bonded rubber parts get old, they break off and fall in the pan. Then the chain rides metal-on-metal until it wears thru the damper, catches on a sharp edge, and instantly snaps.

My LS 2.8 Trooper (now a 3.4) was dead like this when I got it. Replaced the timing set and damper and it was fine.

So, ask the mechanic if he put in a new timing damper and if he goes "Huh?" you know what the problem is!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drunk.gif" alt="" />

Throw a timing light on #1 plug wire and see if the timing is stable. If it jumps around, there's a problem. Wiggle the crankshaft to and fro a few degrees and watch the distributor rotor. If you see more than a degree or so of crank slop before the rotor moves, there's something going on.

The 2.8 in my other old Trooper has almost 170,000 miles and it has around 3 degrees of slop. Due for a R&R sometime in the near future! Still runs OK though, the retarded cam timing gives it real good top end!!!!

HTH & G'luck.......ed