How to install timing chain?

90mustangGT said:

Remove the timing cover which requires removal of the harmonic balancer and crank pulley, which you need a harmonic balancer puller which pulls from the pulley bolt holes, not the outside. Then remove the cover, the waterpump can stay on the cover. Then put the engine in #1 position which will be dot to dot on the chain. The chain should be easy to remove if you take the bolt off the top pulley. Reinstall dot to dot and when your putting on the timing cover, be sure ALL old material is off and use a good bit of RVT on the bottom where the pan meets the cover or you will have leaks. Reinstall the balancer, it might go on easy or you might need an installer tool.

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Michael Yount said:

Whoa there big guy - there's a lot more to this. The way you're asking questions, I think I'd ask a friend that's done it before to help you the first time. While it's not complex after you've done it once, there's a lot of detail that can really be screwed up - and it can lead to big problems if done incorrectly.

Valve covers off, rockers off, pushrods out, lower intake off and all the lifters out before the cam can come out. (unless you have the Anderson tools that hold the lifters up with magnets through the pushrod holes).

Accessories/balancer out of the way, coolant drained (before you pull the manifold), radiator out, a/c condenser out of the way; then pull water pump and cover. You need a puller for the balancer. Loosen the camshaft bolt, rotate things around so you're dot to dot - then try to remove the gear set.

Put the cam gear back on (minus chain) and use the gear as leverage to carefully slide the old cam out without hurting the bearings. Lube up the new cam, attach the gear/pin for leverage; insert it VERY carefully; then remove gear and line up your indexed marks for 0 degrees - dot to dot install. Then find tdc with a positive stop in the #1 cylinder; set degree wheel for tdc, use the dial indicator to see where the cam is actually installed (compare actual .050" intake lift degree wheel reading with the cam card info). With that info you can now decide how/if/which way you need to move the cam for your desired install. Once you've selected another slot on the crank gear, set the dial indicator back up and measure .050" lift again to assure your cam timing is where you want it.

Then you can put it all back together. Piston to valve clerance should be checked if you're increasing duration. If the heads aren't coming off you'll have to use the drop valve method to check the clearance -- which is another post altogether.

As you can see, there's a bit more involved than just pulling off the front cover and sliding the old one out, new one in. You did know the lifters had to come out, right? If the answer is no, you definitely should not try this without someone beside you that knows the drill. The tip off for me was your question about the difference between thread sealer and loctite. They are different. You want loctite on the cam gear bolt. You want thread sealer on any bolt that penetrates an area where it's subject to exposure to oil or coolant - I use it on all the front cover/water pump bolts just for safe keeping.

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