22re with 20r timing chain parts
 

hey everyone, i have an 89 4runner with a 22re, i bought the truck for 500 not running. been doing much trouble shooting to find that the timing chain guide has broken off and the chain is still in tact, but very loose on one side. my question is, i have an old 20r motor that is complete with only 40,000 mi on it. i want to know if the double chain set up can be swapped into my 22re. i know companies make kits but i have all of the parts there, i just dont know if they would match up with any modifications. also, if not, i will just buy the replacement single row chain and possibly use the 20r chain guides becuase they are metal? i think they need to be ground down to fit though... any help would be much appreciated!! thanks.

The deck height is different between the 20R and your 22RE so you can't use the timing cover. The chain length is different as well so you might be able to re-use your crank and cam gears but little else.
If you had a 22RE from 84 down, it would be a different story.

Don't you mean 22R(E) from 85-newer?

The deck height difference between 84-older and 85-newer is 3/16" so its pretty significant. The double roller requires a special timing cover as well, since the newer timing covers, even if they were magically the right height, are too shallow and the chain would hit the cover.

yeah ive kinda been reading that, but what about modifying the chain guides instead of going out and buying new ones? i know they are too thick and would need to be ground down to accomidate to a single roller, but would they bolt in?

Nope.
The 22RE is from an 89. I meant what I said... if it was a 22RE from an 84 or earlier, the 20R parts should fit.

Like DC said, the timing cover is the big issue- the 20r's cover is taller than your 22re's and is also slightly deeper to better accomodate the dual row chain.

Besides, you can buy a timing set for < 60 bucks with a metal guide and for a bit over 400, you can buy a dual row conversion for the 22re from LCE or elsewhere that includes a timing chain cover that will work.

where can i get a timing set with metal guides for 60 bucks?

engnbldr.com has a single row kit with metal backed guide (water pump side).
go to http://engnbldr.com/Build-A-Kit_85-95.html
and it's part TKS900SR, about 1/4 down the page.

cool thanks.