Does anyone know of a way to align the silver chain link in the timing chain with the timing mark on the crank gear without having to pull the timing cover? I had to pull the head from a recent re-build to do some work and would like to alleviate having to worry about pulling the timing cover if there is a way to do this. Trying not to pull the engine and oil pan which nine times out of ten has to be done if you pull the timing cover in order to get a good seal and no oil pan leaks.

 

you shouldn't have to reset the chain on the crank sprocket if it was put on properly to start with..There's a ring cast into the back of the timing cover that goes around the lower sprocket that prevents it from falling off...you may be able to move it if you tried...don't try

 

First set the crankshaft on TDC. Place the t chain on the cam sprocket with the "dot" up ( 12 0'clock ) with no tension on the tensioner. After tension is applied, the "dot" should move to the left a little bit (11:50). This will be proper alignment. The color of the chain links does not dictate how the truck will run. The color is only a visual indicator when you can see both sprockets at the same time. If everything is lined up, do not worry about the silver link.

 

The crank is set at TDC and the cam gear timing mark was dead at 12 O'clock, however I've noticed there was slack on the drivers side of the chain, like it was one tooth off giving too much slack on the non tension side of the chain before I pulled the head. I assume from everything I read there is supposed to be little if no slack on the drivers side of the t chain. Is this correct? I wan't to make sure this is 100% accurate before I put this all back together again.

 

In my opinion to be 100% you would have to pull the timing cover...with the head off you should have no problem getting the oil pan to seal without dropping it (if that's what your worried about)

 

if the dot was straight up and there was slack in the drivers side then if you moved the cam to remove the slack the dot would be in the 11:50 position as stated before.

If you look closely you would then see that when the "dot" is at the 11:50 position that the dowel on the cam that engages the sprocket is actually at 12:00 position which shows that it is aligned properly.

 

Thanks for the info. I'll let you know how it goes when I get it back together.

 

hmm interesting i dont recall a silver link on the new chain when i replaced mine

i just slapped it on and went


odd.



timing cover off is the only way

the front end of the head gasket will probably break off on you, like it did me, i still have yet to RTV seal it betwen the top of the TC and the head it leaks pretty bad and this was about two years ago haha

oh well

one of those little things i never get to do


good luck

 

And it all boils down to the timing guides and cover.

I spent the last three weeks completely rebuilding my buddy's 22RE on his '87 4Runner, which he got complete for $500, killer rims and tires included. The truck had coolant in the oil and vice-versa, so with 170K on it, we decided to rebuild: New bearings, rings, gaskets, head shave, valve job, timing set, cleaned injectors, everything. The new timing set had the steel-backed guide to replace the plastic one that seems to shatter (As this one did) and thus allow the chain to wear into the inside to the timing cover. Oh, and that ring y'all talked about around the lower timing gear in the cover: It was shattered as well.

We got the engine together, ran it, checked for leaks, timed and tuned it, took it out on its ring-seat run, came back, and when I pulled the valve cover to recheck the valve clearances at hot, there was thick, white foam inside the valve cover over the timing chain area. There was also white foam on the dipstick. I wanted to cry...And deeming that we'd blown a head gasket, I went home, deflated.

God bless the Internet! Some Googling around revealed this obviously common problem with the older 20R, 22R and 22RE engines: When the guide gives way and the chain erodes the inside of the timing cover enough, the water passage in the timing cover (Between the pump and a tube running back) is breached and coolant spews out...Which explained the abundant white foam on the inside front the valve cover. I never replaced the timing cover, thought nothing of it. But there it is. I learned, the hard way, this particular Toyota engine's idiosyncrasy. Once you bust a timing guide, the best thing you can do is get that steel-backed guide and a new cover. Cheap insurance.

Newly encouraged, I'm gonna fix this with a new cover from eBay. w00t!

 

Yep, got the cover off a little bit ago; It's not as hard as I expected, thanks to silicone adhesives, God bless 'em. Once the cover was off I cleaned it and checked the grooved area; Sure enough, under the light, there were two pinhole penetrations in one groove that led to the water pump well on the cover...the cylindrical indentation. Got a jeweler's screwdriver and, with zero effort, opened up a 0.0625" (1/16") by 0.750" (3/4") channel between the two sides. So that pup is recycle-bin fodder and I ordered a new cover for $29+shipping from an eBay vendor I trust, cns auto parts. It should be in by week's end.

The worst part of the job involved the morning talk-show on my fav rock station during the task. The talk du jour? Dr. Phil's talk with Britney Spears on her latest flip, the show host's surgery to remove the RFID chip he had put in his hand (WT...???) and a farmer in North Dakota who predicts weather by examining pig spleens. Need better background noise; Next time, I'm bringin' CDs.