stupid question timing chain help
 

so iam doing my head gasket and timing chain and to my surprise the dam engine has been through before it has 30.thou bigger pistons in it but what I was wondering , well my truck is a 1982 production date jul -- the dam thing has a single roller timing chain in it ???? shouldn't that have a double so now iam thinking the engines more like an 83-84 dose that sound correct. if anyone knows that would be great thanks..

Double row kind of fizzled, it didn't just end...

So I'd say most 82s had single, but not all. I haven't heard anyone come up with a definite answer for this. During the 81-83 years, you just never know what they might have.

Just for your info, my 1981 has a double row, production date is june 1980. I was pretty happy when I pulled the valve cover off, but I honestly wonder what difference does it make? Do they only last longer? If so what difference does it make unless we want to use our trucks for another 150k?

Yes, they last longer. That's it. And that's awesome, in my mind. Replace the head gasket around 100,000 or so, and then do it again, with the timing chain, around 200,000. I wouldn't want to run a single row timing chain much past 100,000, even though people do it. Head gasket it a much easier job than head gasket and timing chain.

When they went to single, they got a little more power out of the engine, at the expense of longevity.

ok so Iam gonna put a single row timing chain back in since that's what came out I was told its probably a 22r from like 83to84 it don't really matter to me as long as the guides have the steel backing.

anyone know how to tell what engine it is from looking at the block like serial #?

since my dam truck is an 82 which should have been a double roller.. so what I found was 81-82 was a double roller and 83-84 was a single

You can always put a double in if it matters that much. LCE makes a kit for your exact needs.

I view the HG as a 100K part, as well as the timing chain. A single row works just fine and gives you better power. The 22r is such a simple motor, both can be done in a day. So I don't sweat it much...

I have a double in my 83. The timing chain mystery has yet to be figured out. The reason the double row lasts longer is because it resists "stretching" and is inherently stronger, but the strength isn't of much importance with these lower powered engines. A single isn't likely to suddenly break, but it will stretch and become sloppy after 100k or so

Yeah whatever you found that told you your 82 should definitely have a double row is BS. I guess you could use those dates as general guidelines, but not rules.

Production on mine is October 82 with double roller

I was more interested since this engine has been built inside if someone changed it over to a single chain for more power ... it says 22r on the side and the only other reason is I cant seem to find the steel backed guides for the single row timing chain I just hate the full plastic guides since mine broke probably from prev owner who probably over tightend them.

When you guys say less power for the double row, are you only talking about the friction losses from the second chain and the weight of the sprockets? If so I can't even imagine it being more than 1hp, no? And can the double row chains make the mecanical timing more stable at high rpm?

The single chain has more stretch to it...it's been explained to me before but I can't claim to understand it. The rigidness of the double row kind of holds back the engine power a bit, or something...

Honestly don't worry about it. The reason for going double chain (which a lot of people convert to) is because there's less chance of it breaking. I doubt any normal person would notice a power difference.

I doubt yours was double, converted to single. Someone very well could have put a different engine in there, which had a single row. Or your truck came with a single row. It's not likely that someone took a double and made it a single for any reason.

But my question at this point is...why do you care?

Honestly. It makes absolutely no difference how your truck became single chain. Factory or swap, it's all the same now. You have a single chain.

If your real question is "what are the pros and cons of single and double row timing chains?", let's have that discussion. But it's completely pointless to ponder what somebody did in the past.

These engines have low end torque. They don't have power. Chasing 1 or 2 horsepower is expensive and pointless. If the extra tens of thousands of miles you get out of a double row chain is worth it to you, get the double chain set up. If you just want to do a head gasket and chain job on the truck and move on, just replace what's there.

My guess is that more than half of the 82s out there came from Toyota with single chains.

the only reason I was asking is well I cant seem to find steel backed guides for the single row timing chain but for the double there endless .. everywhere unless anyone knows where I could find the steel backed guides for an early 22r with the single row chain thanks

The other reason for the double chain is that it doesn't jump as easily if the tensioner is not snug. A single chain may not break, but may jump a cog and lose timing if it stretches and gets loose sooner... If it keeps jumping, valves will get bent eventually. I have not yet been into mine, but I'll go with a double chain. LCE puts the double in their high performance models, so I doubt there's any performance hit.

I won't be using my truck during winter. not because it won't run, but because they use way too much salt around here. I did use it today 5 degrees F this morning...damn COLD. It started.:bigok:

It was -16 here last night :)

engnbldr.com has steel backed guides for single row. Otherwise you are correct; they aren't out there. They really only made them for the double row. The single row is meant to be serviced more often.

This stuff is arguable and comes down to which "expert" you trust. If your chain has been on the truck so long that it has stretched enough to have worn through the plastic and be rubbing against the metal...you're asking for trouble. On a single row you should change the chain before it breaks through the plastic guide. It means either your chain has stretched enough to get to a dangerous point, or the tensioner isn't working any more, which means the same exact thing.

It's best to replace the chain before that happens.

There is nothing wrong with a single chain and plastic guides.

Headgasket and timing chain service every 100,000 miles is perfectly reasonable. And that's what you're looking at with a single row chain.

If that doesn't sit well with you...go with a double chain.

so figured out the 81-84 22r will support the double roller chain just by changing the oil pump drive gear which lc eng sells for like 30 bucks. plus if I can make something better being a mechanic I always feel the need to and yes the single roller is just fine and I just found out the steel backed guides from doa racing will work with the single chain but iam still changing it over just because I can ...

Great.