I am trying to see if my timing chain is too loose to be ok, but i dont know how to check it with out the engine running, since the hydrolic tensioner will take up some slack. is it ok to run the engine with the valve cover off, just for a minute? Oh yeah its a 22RE on an 89 pickup.

 

I've seen my dad do it with a v8. I think oil would squirt all over the place. maybe you could just throw a towel over valve train?

 

might be a bit messy . . . just keep a fire extinguisher handy in case any oil catches fire on the exhaust manifold

 

DOn't run the engine without a valve cover...the reasons are really too numerous to list, but don't do it.

 

Thats good enough for me, so how do i see if the timing chain is good or not?

 

Yea I would definitely not run it without the valve cover. I tried this once and oil went everywhere! It only ran for not even five seconds and there was not one square inch of my engine compartment that wasn't covered. The timing chain was throwing the oil everywhere. I just didn't worry about it till the chain slap noise came into play. There might be a spec in the FSM about the distance between links.

 

Thank you everyone!

 

How many miles are on the chain. If it isn't making noise then it should be ok. What makes you want to check the chain?

X10 on the do not run it with the valve cover off.