I just bought a 1990 pickup with 165k miles on it. It has a 22RE and as far as I know, it's on its original timing chain.

I know that 22RE's have had issues with their timing chains.

If I'm not hearing anything out of the ordinary when the engine starts or is running, and I take the valve cover off and the chain is still tight and the guides still good, should I still replace it with this many miles on it?

 

i would...just for the piece of mind, well more or less because i just bought one where the guy didnt replace the chain and the guides and it wore through the case, which in turn screwed the bearings up because of the coolant leaking into the oil...

 

If the chain is still tight and the guide on the driver side is not broken then leave it alone.
If its not broke don't fix it.

 

x2...^

 

198K on my stock chain

X3 on if it aint broke, don't fix it

 

if you have the money, id rather do it on a day off of work and know i wont have to mess with it when it happens.

its not a maybe thing.

most 22r/re's will wear through the plastic guides or just break em up into little pieces eventually. 150,200, or 250k who knows how long it will last.

 

Mine lasted 215,000 and when I did tear into the engine, everything looked fine. Only problem is now I have small oil leak becuase the FIPG got smudged a little when I put on the cover. So basically I traded one problem for another. But I can live with a small oil leak.

 

x2, if that guide breaks, you have to drop the front end and take the oil pan off to clean it out.

 

yes replace. i went up to check on my engine yesterday, the timing chain ate thru the cover, and the head was cracked. either way, change ur chain, might as well. lol.

 

When you change it use the metal guide for the driver side.

 

Had the metal guide break on me before.

 

X4 on not fixing it if it it still looks fine.

 

I would also probably let it go until you absolutely need to or have the money to replace it. I know thats what im going to do. Im at 108,000 miles on my 3vze and as soon as I get some money im going to get the kit and set it aside for when im ready.

 

Well, here it is:

http://sasquatchsystems.com/truck/IMG_0132.JPG

http://sasquatchsystems.com/truck/IMG_0133.JPG

http://sasquatchsystems.com/truck/IMG_0134.JPG

http://sasquatchsystems.com/truck/IMG_0135.JPG

How am I looking?

The timing chain and guides look like they're in fine shape to me.

 

from those pics there, the guides look fine. IME Ive noticed that the first thing to go on the drivers side guide is the lil tabs that are on the top.

p.s change your oil more often

 

I would also wait to you need to do some other work.

Then change it at that time I had a small coolant leak at the head gasket that is when I did my last one

 

How do you tell if your timing chain/ guides are going?

 

by searching....

 

You can't tell if they're "going". They're either good or not. Okay well maybe you can see if the mount points are broken and that would be a sure sign they need replaced but otherwise there is no warning. They just break. And when they do it's just a matter of time before the chain wears through in to the water jacket in the cover.

 

you can here them slapping against the cover sometimes, and you can look at the tension on the chain...