300TE Timing Chain
 

OK guys, I get the idiot award for the week, and maybe the year!

Seems, I removed the timing chain, without threading the new one on to the old.

Now I have an engine without a timing chain!

So in light of my stupidity, can anyone tell me what I need to do?

Thanks

Is this a 103 or 104 engine. If a single cam 103 engine, you might be able to fish a piece of wire or something below the crankshaft sprocket, and then inside the tensioner rail. You will have to lower the chain down in there and "hook" the chain and pull it up between the tensioner rail and the center of the engine. I have never been in this position, so I don't know how feasible this will be.

If it's a 104 engine, I think that would be much more difficult.

Failing a successful fishing expedition, you will need to remove accessories from the front of the engine in order to remove upper and lower timing covers to rectify the situation.

Good luck,

First and formost, don't rotate the crank! This is an interference engine, and the valve will get bent it you do.

Did you drop the chain or wind it out? I'm assuming dropped or took the covers off and removed (somehow I think dropped it, eh?)/

Long pieces of coat hanger wire with a very short hook bent on the end (just a bit past 90 degrees) should fit into the chain to fish it back up. I don't think it will just fall off the crank, but I'm not sure. You may need to remove the tensioner and tensioner rail to see it down there, I've not dropped one on this particular engine (615 diesel I did, though!).

If you can fish it up, weasel it over the cam sproket and wire tie it down and check cam timing as best you can. If completely unsure of cam timing, you would remove the camshaft, set crank (with new chain properly installed!) to TDC on the crank and install the cam at the proper location.

Good luck!

Peter

Much thanks guys .... looks like I was able to fish the chain back out!

Thanks for making me realize that my "disaster", was not really that bad after all!

You'll have to take off the front engine covers and put a new chain on. It would be a great time to put in new guides and seals. Have fun.