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Old 06-29-2005, 09:39 PM
Q Q is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 839
I just got finished buttoning up my timing chain job. I did not take out the radiator, but blocked it with cardboard to prevent dings.

Here's a run down:
remove air cleaner housing
disconnect fuel lines on drivers side
remove sparkplug wires and sparkplugs
remove valve covers
remove alternator
remove powersteering pump (don't disconnect lines, just hang it aside)
remove alternator and PS pump brackets
now you can see the pins
mark your distributor housing to engine alignment
mark your distributor rotor to housing alignment
plug your distributor hole with a rag
remove fan
use a socket wrench on the crankshaft to align the timing mark to "0" while mark behind passenger side camshaft sprocket comes close to lining up with mark on camshaft bearing (stretched chain will cause mark to be off)
remove tensioner
mark your chain to sprocket relationships in several places (oily surface can be hard to get marks to stay)
you will have to remove the sprockets (only one side at a time) in order to get the guides out
use an appropriate tool to hold the sprocket while you remove bolt
if the sprocket moves, it can move everything
don't let the sprocket keys drop in the engine
I was most concerned with slack causing the distributor sprocket to jump teeth
try to keep as much slack out of the chain as possible
I used a bungie cord attached from the chain to the hood to maintain tension
buy varying sizes of M6 bolts and get some washers
put a bolt through a socket that will allow the pin to rid up in it
as you work the pin out, you can add washers or change bolts for more room
some pins are pretty stuck in there, so you may have to be creative
hold your guides as you remove pins to prevent them from dropping in
replace guides
replace sprockets
block off the opening below the passenger side cam sprocket
grind off a link between zip ties being careful where dust is going to wind up
use spray solvent and a rag to get all the grinding dust off of chain and cam sprocket
link new chain to drivers side end of old chain
slowly, slowly work the crankshaft while you add and remove zip ties to keep the old and new chains on several teeth of the sprocket in order to prevent the chain from jumping teeth
it takes a while to work the 6ft or whatever worth of chain around this way, but it was safe and nice to see those two ends meet up again
link up new chain

I've left off the obvious reversal of assembly on everything. Study your car and the procedure and take my guide with caution as it may be as incomplete as my memory is.

Needed:
23mm socket for cam sproket bolts
27mm socket for crankshaft bolt (turning engine)
heavy zip ties
valve cover gaskets
valve cover washers (8)
guides
chain (comes with master clip)
tensioner (comes with gasket)

Notes:
I broke both of my sparkplug wire anchors on top of the valve covers
I cut my belts off because they were old and it was fun

Enjoy!
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