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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Engine/Drivetrain => Topic started by: Dr_Snooz on January 07, 2012, 09:19:45 pm

Title: Need advice
Post by: Dr_Snooz on January 07, 2012, 09:19:45 pm
Last week I was driving along, minding my own business when the truck jumped time and died quietly on the side of the road. People keep telling me this timing gear is bad, but I'm not convinced. Any thoughts?

(http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq132/dr_snooz/2012-01-07_13-03-40_207.jpg)

ROFL!!!
Title: Re: Need advice
Post by: thirsty on January 07, 2012, 09:41:26 pm
It's only half worn out!
Title: Re: Need advice
Post by: bigchevyc30 on January 07, 2012, 09:53:52 pm
i agree with thirsty look at the other side its gots plenty of teef there to get the job done lol
Title: Re: Need advice
Post by: bake74 on January 07, 2012, 09:56:42 pm
        Well it depends on wether you are half full glass or half empty glass kind of guy.   8)
Title: Re: Need advice
Post by: f-100 on January 07, 2012, 10:57:29 pm
Just grind the high side to match low side should work fine.
Title: Re: Need advice
Post by: Red 83 on January 07, 2012, 11:52:58 pm
Yes, the timing gear is bad. Kinda makes ya wonder what caused it to break off all those teeth?
Is your engine ok, or did you get pistons slapping valves, like when the chain breaks?
Title: Re: Need advice
Post by: Dr_Snooz on January 08, 2012, 12:01:33 am
It should be okay. These aren't interference engines, right? I don't have a high lift cam or anything crazy. I almost have it all back together and will know for sure when I kick it over that first time.
Title: Re: Need advice
Post by: Irish_Alley on January 08, 2012, 04:01:42 am
nope not interference engines
Title: Re: Need advice
Post by: mikerhoades50 on January 09, 2012, 02:16:37 pm
I would just keep using that one
Title: Re: Need advice
Post by: Dr_Snooz on January 09, 2012, 10:42:07 pm
Well, I got the thing back together today and kicked it over. The starter spins the engine, the belts turn and the distributor turns as well. Unfortunately, I have no compression. I pulled both valve covers and verified that the valves are working. I am getting zero compression. I mean, when I put my compression tester on it, the needle doesn’t even flicker. I double checked the gears (new gears) and they are set right. Even if I had the timing gears set wrong, I would still expect some kind of compression, even if only a little. The starter spins everything freely without encountering any resistance. I put the #1 cylinder to TDC and verified that the rocker arms were loose. I put my leak down tester on and got 58% leakage. I then set one of the valves to wide open and got 58% leakage again. I'm completely flummoxed. I find it hard to believe that I bent every single valve but that’s what it’s acting like. When this all started, I was driving in a straight line at a steady speed (55 MPH) on flat ground. The engine just turned off without making any strange noises.
 
Anybody got any ideas?
Title: Re: Need advice
Post by: firefighter on January 09, 2012, 10:51:18 pm
You lined up the timing marks and installed the timing chain when the engine was on the exhaust stroke, not the compression stroke?
Title: Re: Need advice
Post by: Dr_Snooz on January 10, 2012, 12:01:30 am
Definitely was on the exhaust stroke. Distributor pointing at the #6 cylinder. Reading around the web, I'm beginning to think my truck has gone to heaven.

This guy describes my issue exactly and when he opened up the engine, he found 8 bent valves and a few pushrods.

http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/240092/ (http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/240092/)

I have to say that this really ticks me off. A known wear item goes and takes out my entire engine? I expect that from European cars, but not from Detroit iron. I remember everyone being down on the Japanese for using timing belts that would break and bend all the valves. At least they had the common decency to make the belts a maintenance item. If you followed the maintenance schedule, you wouldn't have any trouble. Stupid GM. I really liked this truck.

I'm too broke to rebuild it so it's probably off to the wrecking yard. Someday when my finances improve I'll look into buying something that's smog exempt. California's smog nazis are always looking for an excuse to send non-exempt cars to the wreckers.

*Sigh*
Title: Re: Need advice
Post by: firefighter on January 10, 2012, 05:12:32 am
Definitely was on the exhaust stroke. Distributor pointing at the #6 cylinder.

Small block Chevy? V8 ?
Of course the cam is only turning half the speed of the crank on this motor.
I always install the timing chain when the #1 cylinder is at TDC on the compression stroke with the distributor pointing to #1.
Title: Re: Need advice
Post by: jdl71 on January 10, 2012, 09:22:38 pm
Did you replace the chain and both gears or just the crank gear? Aside from the advance and retard slots, if you line up the dots they can only go together one of two ways and if it's wrong it can be corrected by pulling the distributor and rotating it 180. The key on the crank locates that gear and the pin on the cam does the same.
Title: Re: Need advice
Post by: TexasRed on January 10, 2012, 09:34:14 pm
I think it's the 454 in the signature. That may be an interference engine :(.

Dr_Snooz, is this your daily driver?
Title: Re: Need advice
Post by: Irish_Alley on January 11, 2012, 01:28:28 am
Small block Chevy? V8 ?
Of course the cam is only turning half the speed of the crank on this motor.
I always install the timing chain when the #1 cylinder is at TDC on the compression stroke with the distributor pointing to #1.
if memory serves my right since the crank is bigger than the cam the ratio difference would mean that the cam spins faster its late so I could just be not thinking enough but think about the ratio of a rear the smaller pinion turns a one speed while the ring then multiplies that speed to get your ratio.
Title: Re: Need advice
Post by: Dr_Snooz on January 11, 2012, 01:31:54 am
It does seem to be an interference engine. I did a lot of playing with cylinder #1 and it doesn't matter where I rotate the cam to, the cylinder never seals up. It's not my daily driver fortunately. I also have a '90 Chevy 1-ton that I'm driving now. It's stronger, newer, nicer and gets better mileage. I just liked the square body. It was big and noisy and a lot of fun. It was old and ratty so I didn't have to worry about getting it dirty or banging it up. This sucks.