lewissa81

The video sounded like chain rattle to me, so I don't think you're wasting your time.
I would replace the vct solenoids also. They've been revised a few times to help the phasers. You can replace the water pump if you want to, but it's not really necessary. The timing cover doesn't have to be removed to replace it.

vintageman

If you are in there, I would do it all so that you basically start your own maintenance log and you know that those parts are new. I wish that I would have changed my oil pump while I was in there but hindsight is 100%. But I did change out my lash adjusters and followers, found 13 bad ones, so I changed them all just in case.
Check to see if your solenoids are the updated ones, if not, then you need to change them, probably a good idea to change them anyway and just have spares if you ever need them.

bucktim

Thanks for the info, I will start my shopping.
My VCT's are the original version. I was thinking adjusters and rockers also, but also not made of money. It's also something more I could screw up on...I will have to watch some more videos on the screwdriver method.


I will report back in a few days when I start getting parts in.


Updated, I order all the timing stuff, with vct's and caps and valve cover gaskets. ~$700 on ebay.


Do you think I should pull the oil pump and inspect the pick up tube, etc. Is it even possible to pull out with out removing the pan?

lewissa81

You have to drop the pan in order to inspect the pick up screen. I don't think you should have to though. The main reason people have to is because the chain guides break apart into peices that clog the pick up screen. If your guides are intact, which it seems like they are, I wouldn't worry about it.

MHOWELL34

Yup, since i found 90% of my chain guide and saw that dropping the pan was a hellacious nightmare without air tools. I said F that and left it alone. I have a new melling high performance oil pump chilling for when the time comes tho! haha

I get anywhere from 35-50 idling, and 75-80 on throttle. A broken tensioner had me idling at 18psi

bucktim

I popped one of the rockers off, the lash adjuster didn't seem to push down. I was thinking I could just pull it out and check it. But it hits the camshaft.
So then I tried a middle one, same thing, wouldn't move, also wont come out because it hits.


Not sure if oil pressure builds up in them, or the adjusters really are bad/jammed...
Either way I bought new rockers and adjusters from ebay $270.
And it looks like I am removing the camshafts now...from what I have read doesn't seem to be anything special with that. Once removed I assume I can just swap adjusters and rockers, then bolt the cam back down in the same position I removed it.
Let me know if you have any tips.
Thanks

lewissa81

Soak the new adjusters in fresh oil over night before you install them. Make sure your camshaft is marked in several places to ensure correct position. But even if it's off a little bit, you be fine as long as you match the timing marks.

vintageman

X2 with soaking the new adjusters in oil. I primed mine as well while submerged in oil by pressing on the plunger on top and bleeding any air out of them till I felt them build pressure, then installed them. I had 13 bad in mine, but replaced them all.

bucktim

So all the parts finally came in and mostly installed...
New -
24 Rockers
24 Lash Adjusters (soaked in oil 24hrs )
Crankshaft Sprocket & Seal
2 Chains
2 Phasers
2 Tensioners
2 Tensioner Arms
2 Guides
2 VCT Solenoids w/ Caps


Got all the timing/phasers installed tonight, original timing marks I made line up, so I don't believe I skipped a tooth.
Tomorrow I will torque the phasers, double check rockers and everything else, then give the crank some hand rotations.


I tried checking the lash adj, but none of them moved. Does that mean they are bad? To me it seems, that oil inside of them is not allowing me to compress them? I am soaking one in blaster to see if it moves tomorrow.


Tomorrow I will clean the valve covers and timing cover.. And maybe start the install of the timing cover. I assume black engine RTV is okay for the spots where joint seal is needed.

vintageman

The lash adjusters should compress some and you should feel pressure. If they are not compressing, that leads me to think that they have bled down and stuck. Good job on replacing everything, just be careful when you put the valve covers back on and not roll a gasket, it will leak if you do. Also, spray your VCT solenoids down with throttle body cleaner and dip them in clean oil before you install them. Before you start the engine, hold the gas pedal down to the floor and crank for about 10 seconds or so, do this 3-4 times to build up oil pressure in the tensioners before starting the truck just to make sure that a chain does not jump any. Good luck and good job. Let us know how it goes.
Tom