Nomad8324

So I'm in kind of a bind here.

I was just wrapping up the power steering repair and went to replace the cam sensor I broke.

I remove the retaining bolt and try to slowly wiggle the sensor loose when it snaps and all the guts fall out. So i figure no biggie I'll thread a bolt into it and pull it out. I go to thread the bolt in and boink it dropped into the engine.

So do I need to start tearing the timing chain cover off? Something I've never done and not looking forward too. Or because its just plastic is should grind up and come out with the oil causing little to no harm and have a shop pull the oil pan and clean the remnants out a short time down the road.

Not sure I can afford taking it to a shop after all the money I dumped into replacing the power steering system. But If an idiot can pull the cover all without a bunch of special tools or needing the take the valve covers and such off I might be able to handle the work myself.

Thoughts?

vintageman

You gotta take the front cover off brother. You can take the valve cover bolts out and kinda block them up so that they are off the front cover, remove the power steering pump, all of the crap off the front cover, the 4 front oil pan bolts, the harmonic balancer and then the bolts for the cover. You may have to remove the VCT solenoids before you lift the valve covers off depending on which way yours are installed. Sorry to hear that this happened but taking off the cover is better than letting the part get chewed up in the engine and having it tear something more expensive up. While you are in there may be a good time to check your tensioners and guides. Good luck, let us know how it goes.
Tom

Nomad8324

How hard is it to get the timing cover off?

Looks like drop the a/c compressor and power steering pump then pull the harmonic balancer as well as remove pulleys and such.

Do i need to worry about timing or should I be fine as long as I don't touch the chains (assuming they are fine). Or anything else I should look out for?

Looks like $100 I should be able to get a timing cover gasket, seal if needed and rent/buy harmonic balance puller.

vintageman

Front gasket is reusable if necessary. I didn't have to drop the a/c compressor, just unplug it. Valve covers, power steering pump, harmonic balancer, VCT solenoids if they are the type that stick through the VC, all the pulleys and you should be able to take the cover off at that point. Keep track of were the bolts go, some are different sizes and lengths. Its really not that hard, the back 8mm bolt on the valve covers can be a pain but a 2 inch 1/4 inch adapter with the 8mm socket will help. You will have to pull the COPs as well and disconnect the injectors probably to get the valve covers to lift up enough but still not that bad. The Trans and oil dipsticks have a bolt that holds them in place, easiest to remove them from the wheel well as well as some of the lower valve cover bolts. If all you do is remove the cover and not mess with the chains and guides, it should not need to worry about the timing. I would probably put the harmonic balancer "tick" mark at the 1:00 position and and probably remove the valve covers completely and verify the correct cam lobe positions (pics of them in my pic albums). Having those things in the correct position will put it in the correct timing position just in case you do decide to change the chains, guides and tensioners while in there. If you do remove the valve covers and put it in time, use a paint marker or nail polish on the cam caps and a non-journaled part of the cam so that you can verify that it goes back together the way it was before you disconnected any of the timing. Good luck.
Tom

Nomad8324

Hmm that seems like a lot of work.

Is this a workable Plan B? Pull the valve cover off the affected side and use some kind of tool to fish the tube out of the timing area or is that area too tight? How far did it likely fall? Not far or possibly all the way down to the oil pan?

I can talk myself into paying a shop to pull the pan if that likely fix the issue.

I just would rather not open any other cans of worms if I absolutely don't need to as the power steering system I just replaced was fix one problem and create another as went along. As is I can't even test that system since I don't want to run the motor with the plastic in there.

How much would I expect to pay a shop to do all this? I know a place which is fairly decent usually and charges me $40 an hour plus parts.

lewissa81

If your truck was running fine, with no abnormal noises, just pull the front cover. You don't need to touch the VCT solenoids (except to unplug them), or remove the valve covers (just loosen the bolts). The gasket is reusable, but if it's the original, I would replace it just incase. You don't need to remove the transmission dipstick because you don't need to remove the valve covers. I had to pull mine off to replace the gasket and it took me about 4 hours start to finish with breaks and a game on. Although it wasn't my first time, so it may take you longer, or shorter without breaks.
I would not pay a shop to do this. It's easier than it looks.
Vintageman man brings up a good point though. If your motor has been making noises, now is a good time to fix them.

dyeguy1212

iTrader: (1)

There's no way you can get that thing out. If you leave it, who knows what could happen. Might not do anything, might go right to the oil pick up tube and sieze your engine.


Pulling the timing cover is a joke. Super easy. Don't get psyched out.


If you pull the timing cover, and it's not sitting on a chain, guide, or in the front of the oil pan, then its time to start whining. You'll have to drop the oil pan then.

Nomad8324

Started removing the pulleys and such since apparently the puller i got is just a hair shy of falling into the balancer.

Wife will grab the larger one they rent on the way home. Hopefully by then I'll have everything else removed and get the a/c compressor dropped which I'm sure will fight me like the power steering pump did before i replaced it.

Went ahead and grabbed the timing cover gasket kit and some oil resistant gasket maker (At least I assume I'll need some to seal the oil pan and valve cover where I hopefully won't be removing them.

vintageman

Good luck brother, it really isn't that bad of a job. The A/C compressor does not need to be dropped though just so you know. Above I mentioned to unplug it, thinking about it now, that was the crank sensor I believe that needed unplugged. It's been just over a year since I did mine. Let us know how it goes.

Tom

Nomad8324

Yeah I think im gonna leave the a/c compressor alone as I snapped a bolt I'm thinking off in the block.

So i think I lower the power steering pump and get the balancer pulled. I after that I should just have a few timing cover bolts then the valve cover and oil pan.