I got a 22re pickup that I just and the guy over heated the engine. Before he over heated it only had about 5k miles on the rebuilt engine. He showed me the receipt for the engine. Anyway, I had the head redone and put all new head gaskets set on it. When I turn the engine back a forth with a socket on the crank and look at the timing chain/cam gear it looks like there is a little bit of slop. Should there be any at all or is it a very tight fit?

If I do have to replace the timing chain do I need the take the head back off or can I do it without doing that. All the timing kits say they come with all the gackets but I don't see the head gasket and stuff in the kit.

Thanks

What do you mean by "slop"? Does the crank move sideways??? If he overheated it he may have got water in the oil and if it was run like that it would kill the bearings in the bottom end. Did you open it up and look at the bearings?

No, he is rocking the engine back and forth... NOT A GOOD IDEA!!!!!

Only rotate it in the direction of travel. When rotating backwards, you are compressing the tensioner with the sudden tension on the slack side of the chain, and it looks like slop in the chain.

Button it up, fire it up, and listen for a funny ratling sound at 2,000 rpm. If none, shut it off, wait 30 minutes, then start it again. If no rattle at idle, you are good. If it rattles for about 2 seconds after startup, change the oil filter to one with a better anti-drainback valve, start, run, shut off, wait 30 minutes, then start. If no rattle, you are good... If it rattles at startup, replace the timing set.