Hello everyone. I have developed a leak at my front engine cover of engine coolant and intend on replacing the gasket over winter break. I am tossing around the idea of replacing the timing chain while I'm in there for P/M. The truck has 220000 miles on it now and recently got new head gaskets this past summer and runs great still. I need this truck to last at least another 4-5 yrs so I can get through school. The timing chain is an area of concern and just wanted some thoughts on it. I'm familiar with if ain't broke don't fix it but like to be pro active. Thanks.

 

My cover was leaking just a few weeks ago. The way I looked at it is, If you have it apart its always smart to change something like that. I had 100,000 miles and I had a lot of lash so I can only imagine how much lash you have in yours if its never been changed. I would change it and they are not to expensive. So change it and you wont have to worry about it.

 

Thanks for replying. Did you have to remove your oil pan too? I think it can be done without removing the pan but I'm not sure. I've already replaced the oil pan gasket and don't feel like going through that again.

 

I'm about to do mine pretty sure you can just pull the front two pans bolts out> And do the timing chain! its like $30 and at 220,000 your probably close to the end of its life anyway if it breaks the engine is done for!

 

Yeah I just pulled the two bolts from the bottom. And make sure you reinstall them before you put the crank pulley back on...It sucks if you don't.

 

Ok, thanks. And did you guys run into any problems getting the cover back on with the oil pan installed? If I recall that is an area where silicon has to be added per the OEM manual. I just replaced my oil pan gasket over the summer and are there any dowel/alignment pins on the front for the cover? Thanks.

 

Yeah right at the corner of the engine meets the oil pan, put a shot of silcone there(grey or black RTV(oil resistance)) and you'll be all good. Also when putting it back together put some teflon tape on the threads of the bolts by the water pump. a few of the bolts go into the water jackets and you don't want any leaks

 

Oh cool, thanks for the tip.

 

Just finished mine today. There are dowels on the cover for alignment and definitely use some rtv at the pan its just two small bolts at the front that go into the cover. Only issue i had is that one bolt that goes into the water jacket as soon as i pulled it it dumped a little coolant into my pan i changed the oil right after and flushed through a couple quarts of cheap oil till it came out clean. Seems good to go now just watching to make sure nothing leaks! And id definatley say do the chain at your mileage mine had some pretty bad slop in it at 150,000 so I'm sure yours is pretty lose!