Well it's been clattering, and with all the oil seeping out of the valve cover, figured i go ahead and do my valve cover gasket etc....and while i was in there check to see if the timing guides were broken. They are intact, but there seems to bee way too much slack in my chain...

This might sound stupid, but is it only tight at TDC, cause i have not set it to TDC.

With that dumb question out of the way, here comes dumb question number two...HOW CAN I TAKE THE SLACK OUT

I am really hoping there is a simple solution that does not involve pulling the timing chain cover etc....please help!

guides intact, cover off pic...


chain slack pic...this is too much slack, right?

 

What pics ?

How many miles are on the chain ?

If around 100K you need a new chain.
If chain is fairly new, could be the tensioner is bad.

Either way, the TC cover is coming off.

 

To take out the slack as shown in your second pic...just turn the crankshaft (looking at the front of the engine) clockwise. When the engine is running, the right side of the timing chain will be under tension from the crank pulling the cam along with it. Once you do this there may be a small amount of slack on the left side (tensioner side), but i think a little may be normal.

 

248ish on motor, motor was said to be rebuilt about 50.000 ago, i think the chain/gears/guides appearance attest to the fact they are new-ish, and i would guess these were done at that time. how much "rebuilding" actually went in to the rebuild, i don't know/can't verify.

therefore if the head was milled down, reducing the distance between the two gears, and creating the slack....well, i can't say yes or no.

how does this work, and how much do you turn it? is this just a matter of more evenly distributing slack on both sides, by repositioning where the crank-driven gear's teeth are?

i'm beginning to think maybe it's a matter of poor oil pressure...thus not pushing the tensioner properly? would changing oil help? i run 10w30 with lucas added, pirates are tellin me to run 20w50

 

For some reason I can't see your pics, or a link to them

Either the tensioner is bad (or lack of oil press possibly) and not taking up the normal slack or the chain is stretched.

 

all looks fine, that side has some slack when the motor is not running. if you do what 4rocker suggests then the chain will tighten up

 

looks normal to me. my chain has the same amount of "slack".

 

cool...yeh i'm starting to think i was being a bit paranoid...i will be switching from 10w30 to rotella t 15w40, adjusting my valves to see if that takes care of some of the clatter, and i will go from there. thanks everyone!

 

I'd go with castrolGTX 20w-50 it's always worked really well for me on my high mileage 22r's. just my 2 cents

 

If it's clattering and making noise like you said it is, I wouldnt let it go. At least try what other people are suggesting before it slips.

 

Is it possible to take the valve cover off and place the crankshaft at TDC, loosen the camshaft bolt a little and make sure the dot on the cam gear is still straight up and down and jump the chain over one link to the passenger side, just on the cam gear while keeping the gear in place? Can someone lead me to the bolt torque specs for the 22re? Especially the valve cover


Thanks
Bryan

 

the valve cover u just snug up doesnt have to be that tight. might wanna buy a book at ur local auto part store for torque or if u have specific specs u want ill check my book and post em