A freind of mine is doing some head work, cam, header, etc.... and is debating upon doing his timing chain. he has it all torn down and was wondering if their is supposed to be any play in the chain? I said that I thought they had automatic ajusters and if their was play in it then it most likely should be replaced. It has very little play tho. Should it be tight with no play at all? The motor has less then 100,000 on it. I did do a search but found nothing on how to check if it should be replaced or not and if thier should be play in it or not. Thansk all!

Working on 86 4 runner 22RE

 

hm not to sure if i can help you with the play, but seeing that they should be replaced around every 100k, might as well... since your already in there right.

 

There will be play on one side or the other depending if it is on compression stroke or not. The tensioner that tightens the chain runs off oil. So when the engine is not running its normal to have play on one side or the other.

 

I say replace it while your almost there.

 

With the single-row timing chain, @ 100,000 is a safe max service life. Not really because of the chain, but because of the plastic guides around the chain.
If you're in there already, go ahead and replace it, the gears and get the metal guides from DOA or somewhere. Note- you cannot use the metal guides from a 22r since that chain is a double-row chain.

 

Awsome thanks everyone! He went and got a chain and gears. I will let him know about the metal guides from DOA too. Thanks again everyone!!!!

 

uh...huhuh....huhuh...there "should be play"? Sheet. I just replaced mine and at tdc it seems really tight. Define "play". I think its cool, haven't tried to start the thing yet but do not want to do it all over again either.

 

btw, I replaced mine at 200k and had to remove shreds of guide out, had coolant in my oil, then overheated the thing. REPLACE IT

 

Well, when he tore the top of the engin down it was tight. Then after he got the head back on and put the chain on..."play".....as in not tight.not loose, we all know thats bad. "play" like oh man its not tight like it was when I took it off...hmmm

 

I'm glad to see you guys are going to replace it. At 100k it's time. And wile you are at it check the cover right where the water pump turns the water. If the guides are worn thru that will be the place where the water is getting in to your oil. You can pick up a cover on E-Bay Cheep.

 

mine was loose as a goose when I pulled the valve cover off. Tensioner was completely worn, and had a gaping one inch hole in t chain cover, and hole in water pump housing.