I snapped the timing chain last week on my 2 day old 1990 22RE 4Runner at start up. I pulled the head and found that there was no contact between valves and piston. My chain was still on the upper sprocket and the valves were all closed. This was a good thing because prior to opening the distributor, I thought it was a fuel delivery or a spark problem and was cranking it.

Now, my question: I purchased a timing chain from Lordco and it has no bright links to line up with the timing marks on the sprockets. I'd rather not guess and come close but have to adjust by one link. DOes anyone have a chain they could look at and count the number of links between bright links? Please double check.

*Much* appreciated,
Matt

 

When you pull the head the rocker assembly comes off first so that is why all of your valves were closed. Sounds like you may have lucked out and your cam stopped in a spot where there was no interferrence. Also are you only replacing your chain or did you get a timing set? I would recommend that you get a timing chain set if you haven't already.

As for the valve timing, just make sure that you are at TDC and the dot on your cam sprocket is in the 12 oclock position (lined up with the mark on the rocker assembly). It usually turns out that the chain will only line up with that dot at the 11:55 or 12:05. If so align it at 11:55 and it will be correct (the alignment pin for the cam sprocket is usually in the 12 oclock position). Once you have the chain on turn the motor over by hand a few revolutions to make sure that nothing is interferring.

Sorry I don't have the simple answer you are looking for.
Ryan

 

the bright links on the chain have the same # of links on both sides. i've got a old 1 i just took off if you would like me to count them.

 

I found my broken timing chain and counted out the links, the chain has two bright links, with 23 regular links in between the two brights. There are 48 links total.

The Toyota repair manual suggests there are two bright links side by side. natedawgg94, would you check your chain and give me a count.

 

i wondered the same as the above with the toyota manual but even the chains you get from the toyota parts dept. has only 2. i asked the tech at toyota and he said it was phased out. pm sent matt