timing chain questions.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2014
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From: Huntington WV
timing chain questions.
Hi all just a few questions about the timing chain.
I have 117K on my clock and was wondeing when should the timing chain be changed out. How hard of a job is it to do? I have no mods other than a lip and ram Vararam intake and I do no racing. I looked around a little on the internet and could not find anything of worth on changing it. Does anyone have a link with pictures to show how to do this. On a scale of 1-5 how hard is it?
I have 117K on my clock and was wondeing when should the timing chain be changed out. How hard of a job is it to do? I have no mods other than a lip and ram Vararam intake and I do no racing. I looked around a little on the internet and could not find anything of worth on changing it. Does anyone have a link with pictures to show how to do this. On a scale of 1-5 how hard is it?
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2013
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From: Jonesboro Georgia
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=1
I have 124k on mine and just took it all apart for a cam swap yesterday .. chain has about 1/2" of slop and a couple people ive talked to say thats normal .. so I'd leave it unless you gotta change the balancer
my balancer started wobbling and throwing belts so I'm going ahead and doing a blower cam, timing chain, water pump, oil pump, etc while its all apart
its not that bad of a job, just a bunch of stuff to take out
I have 124k on mine and just took it all apart for a cam swap yesterday .. chain has about 1/2" of slop and a couple people ive talked to say thats normal .. so I'd leave it unless you gotta change the balancer
my balancer started wobbling and throwing belts so I'm going ahead and doing a blower cam, timing chain, water pump, oil pump, etc while its all apart
its not that bad of a job, just a bunch of stuff to take out
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2014
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From: Huntington WV
reply.
Wow looked at that link and that looks like a big mod. How big of a diffrence is it from stock? I'm not to sure I want to do anything like that, not a big go fast kind of guy, More power to you though!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gota show those stangs out there who's boss. Mine does not have any play in the harmonic balencer that I am aware of. Just changed the all the belts and they are on. If it is wobbling what should i look/listen for? Just dont want to throw a timing chain and ruin my car. Again I have no major mods.
Gota show those stangs out there who's boss. Mine does not have any play in the harmonic balencer that I am aware of. Just changed the all the belts and they are on. If it is wobbling what should i look/listen for? Just dont want to throw a timing chain and ruin my car. Again I have no major mods.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 235
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From: Jonesboro Georgia
Wow looked at that link and that looks like a big mod. How big of a diffrence is it from stock? I'm not to sure I want to do anything like that, not a big go fast kind of guy, More power to you though!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gota show those stangs out there who's boss. Mine does not have any play in the harmonic balencer that I am aware of. Just changed the all the belts and they are on. If it is wobbling what should i look/listen for? Just dont want to throw a timing chain and ruin my car. Again I have no major mods.
Gota show those stangs out there who's boss. Mine does not have any play in the harmonic balencer that I am aware of. Just changed the all the belts and they are on. If it is wobbling what should i look/listen for? Just dont want to throw a timing chain and ruin my car. Again I have no major mods.
it'll make the belt chirp and eventually throw a belt .. all the stock ones eventually come apart, but mine probably came apart faster b/c of the supercharger
your timing chain is fine .. I wouldnt change it unless you had the car apart already for something else .. theres people on here that have over 200k on a stock motor
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,367
Likes: 1,593
From: Western NY
Hi all just a few questions about the timing chain.
I have 117K on my clock and was wondeing when should the timing chain be changed out. How hard of a job is it to do? I have no mods other than a lip and ram Vararam intake and I do no racing. I looked around a little on the internet and could not find anything of worth on changing it. Does anyone have a link with pictures to show how to do this. On a scale of 1-5 how hard is it?
I have 117K on my clock and was wondeing when should the timing chain be changed out. How hard of a job is it to do? I have no mods other than a lip and ram Vararam intake and I do no racing. I looked around a little on the internet and could not find anything of worth on changing it. Does anyone have a link with pictures to show how to do this. On a scale of 1-5 how hard is it?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 148
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From: Huntington WV
reply.
Hey thanks, yea I think it will be okay. Quick question, can you see the harmonic balencer wobble if it is going bad? So far I have no plans to tear into to it, should it all be okay though? Also If it throws a belt is that a sighn that the chain needs replaced imediatly? I just changed the belts and they are all on fine.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: cookeville tennessee
Hey thanks, yea I think it will be okay. Quick question, can you see the harmonic balencer wobble if it is going bad? So far I have no plans to tear into to it, should it all be okay though? Also If it throws a belt is that a sighn that the chain needs replaced imediatly? I just changed the belts and they are all on fine.
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Instructor
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 235
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From: Jonesboro Georgia
Hey thanks, yea I think it will be okay. Quick question, can you see the harmonic balencer wobble if it is going bad? So far I have no plans to tear into to it, should it all be okay though? Also If it throws a belt is that a sighn that the chain needs replaced imediatly? I just changed the belts and they are all on fine.
you can see it wobble if you get a good flashlight and look down at it from the drivers side .. well actually probably both sides on yours .. I got a supercharger blocking my passenger side view
it will start making a chirping / squeeling noise and eventually start chewing belts up .. that has to do with the balancer, nothing to do with the timing chain
Thread Starter
Instructor
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From: Huntington WV
reply.
My engine is all stock. It has 117k on it, if the harmonic balencer is bad will it always throw belts?
Thread Starter
Instructor
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From: Huntington WV
reply.
Do you know anything on the timing chains on the ls1? If they have to be replaced? I'm not a super experienced mechanic. I would try replacing the H/B though. It might be a month or so before I can do the job is that something to worry about?. I’ve changed out plugs, wires shocks, belts and fluids on the car by myself before so I know I can do that.
Digging far into the engine however makes me nervous, that’s why I’m cautious about doing the chain. I think I might have slight wobble, my eye is untrained though. The engine squeaks sometimes but I know that’s from the ac belt which is going to be replaced soon. So far the belt runs on track fine. But if the balancer was on its way out it would start to eat the belt and thats how I know to replace the H/B?
Digging far into the engine however makes me nervous, that’s why I’m cautious about doing the chain. I think I might have slight wobble, my eye is untrained though. The engine squeaks sometimes but I know that’s from the ac belt which is going to be replaced soon. So far the belt runs on track fine. But if the balancer was on its way out it would start to eat the belt and thats how I know to replace the H/B?
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: cookeville tennessee
Do you know anything on the timing chains on the ls1? If they have to be replaced? I'm not a super experienced mechanic. I would try replacing the H/B though. It might be a month or so before I can do the job is that something to worry about?. I’ve changed out plugs, wires shocks, belts and fluids on the car by myself before so I know I can do that.
Digging far into the engine however makes me nervous, that’s why I’m cautious about doing the chain. I think I might have slight wobble, my eye is untrained though. The engine squeaks sometimes but I know that’s from the ac belt which is going to be replaced soon. So far the belt runs on track fine. But if the balancer was on its way out it would start to eat the belt and thats how I know to replace the H/B?
Digging far into the engine however makes me nervous, that’s why I’m cautious about doing the chain. I think I might have slight wobble, my eye is untrained though. The engine squeaks sometimes but I know that’s from the ac belt which is going to be replaced soon. So far the belt runs on track fine. But if the balancer was on its way out it would start to eat the belt and thats how I know to replace the H/B?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2014
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From: Huntington WV
getting back to you.
Okay I will but so far the belt runs on track fine. But if the balancer was on its way out it would start to eat the belt and thats how I know to replace the H/B? I just want to do preventive maintenance to keep the car on the road.
Thread Starter
Instructor
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From: Huntington WV
reply.
If the bal is good let it go. The timing chain with replacement back to a stock one that would be easy enough also. But the oil pump in these cars you need to use a gauge to have x amount of space between the gears in the pump after it is bolted up. And if that is not correct you will have problems by my understanding.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
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From: Western NY
If the bal is good let it go. The timing chain with replacement back to a stock one that would be easy enough also. But the oil pump in these cars you need to use a gauge to have x amount of space between the gears in the pump after it is bolted up. And if that is not correct you will have problems by my understanding.
When I replaced my balancer, last year, I figured "what the hell", and replaced the chain with the newer LS2 chain. Naturally, I had to remove the oil pump. When reinstalling it, I honestly couldn't see how you'd "adjust" it's position on the engine, since several pretty snug fitting bolts hold it in position. Secondly, the other book I looked at said to use something like 0.003" shim stock.
First of all, I didn't have any on hand, and since I retired a few years back, I couldn't "borrow" a piece from my employer's tool room. Secondly, .003", that's about the diameter of a human hair, if not a little less. How are you going to go about getting something like that in and out of the pump, with the engine in the car?