Timing LS 3.9

windryder

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I'm new to this forum, but have been reading the posts here for years. I just started the task of replacing the timing chains, tensioners, and guides on my 2001 LS8. Bought the complete kit from Christopher's Foreign car parts. The tear down was Pita! I had to cut the heads off of 3 bolts that hold the p/s pump on, and saw the pressure tube in half to get to one bolt. The fan pump bolts were not too bad except for 1 in the front!I used a ratchet wrench on the bolt, and left the pressure line connected to the pump. The alternator was easy to unbolt but tricky to remove! It will only drop out in a certain position. I had to buy the right damper puller and and a long cheater to get the harmonic balancer off.
When I finally got everything off, I found that the LH upper tensioner that I replaced in 2009 with the updated version, had lost it's bottom plastic piece! Also the four chain guides had cracks in the plastic. I have heard several times about using the masterlink chains wasn't a good idea! I installed both secondary chains with the master link chians in 2009, with about 80,000 miles and they still looked new and the car now has 118,000 miles.
[]My question is which way do you apply tension to the exhuast cam gear using the special wrench when tightening the cam gear? On the RH side I pulled the wrench to the left or counter clockwise, which tightened the chain on the bottom side, and on the LH side I turned the wrench to the right or clockwise, which tightened the chain on the top side. The book shows the RH side with the wrench being turned counter clockwise, but doesn't show on the LH side. Did I get it right? I'm not going to put it back together until I know it is in time and right. I don't want to do this job again! Any help will be appreciated.
 
"Perfect Timing". In my quest to get my car to standard, I am finding I am likely victim to the bad design too. Build date March 2001. Interestingly, the engine purrs like a kitten, but what I am reading and a quick note from Christopher makes me think this fail is inevitable.

SO my questions are:

Dealer says Tech Bulletin found if a engine like this is always lube maintained every 3500 miles, they will last long time. Mine was, with documentation. Anyone seen one of these engines make it to 200K?

From what I am reading, it doesnt really make sense to attack the single pieces, like the top tensioners, you should do it all. True?

Right now I am being a little proactive on the car, going for maximum bang for the buck to avoid failures so I can enjoy the car for long time. Would it be wise to schedule doing a full replace (for me I would have to pay someones labor rate), or wait til a fail comes?
 
If you wait till full failure, you may be replacing the engine (valves can hit pistons).
If you wait till you hear chain(s) rattling at start up, you will be okay as long as you do the replacement ASAP.
If you have no chain rattling now, you might be able to replace only the secondary tensioners (if they haven't started to fail yet), and may have no more problems for as long as you have it.

(This applies to 2000-2001, and some 2002. 2003+ should not have timing chain tensioner problems.)
 
Thanks again joe. To save money I may go ahead and try the two. I am also getting ready to do all 8 COPs while trying to address a leak on my passengar side valve cover, so that may be the logical choice to try. The only concern I have is I have seen pics/vids of those little u shaped guides, they seem to develop length long cracks. Thats why I said maybe do it all.

BTW, dont let me hijack the thread. Hopefully someone can advise Windrider too. :)

Edit: To clarify FDR, I was wondering specifically about how long a well maintained early unit would last if it never had the timing chain issue addressed. My goal is 100k miles for me on my car (total 200k) and I will be happy with the investment. Leads to the question that if the oil was always changed, not driven hard, and used the 5w-30 synthetic always as spec'd then maybe these parts would have lasted, as the dealer I spoke to suggested?
 
Wind, sorry, I've been on the road so I haven't been able to check my manuals, and I couldn't quickly find the online guide (Jaguar group in the UK) I used 6 years ago.
Whichever direction the book tells you to pull on one head - pull the same direction on the other head.
All the cams turn the same direction - same as the crank, clockwise when facing the engine. Pre-loading the cam sprockets is used to set the timing alignment between the intake and exhaust cam. Pulling couter-clockwise loads the chain in the "pulling" direction, thereby setting the cam in the orientation that it's locked down at (with the flats aligned) when the chain is actually under stress.

Regardless, you're looking at only a few degrees of difference, and IMO isn't worth getting too worried about. Many folks would burn me at the stake for saying that, but for what these engines do, and the profile on the cams, a few degrees isn't THAT big of a deal.
 
Has any one actually had success with the cam tool? It doesn't actually say in place on the cam gear.
 
Which tool are you talking about? The one that I know of bolts over a particular part of the cams, not the gear.
 
The cam *sprocket* tool? The one I get didn't fit quite right - the radius to clear the snout wasn't quite large enough. But some careful use got it engaged well enough.
 
Yes, sorry, the sprocket tool, OTC 303-532. I can apply enough tension to take the slack out of the chain, but when tightening the sprocket bolt, the sprocket wants to turn as well, which causes a loss of tension in the chain. Using lube under the head of the bolt is probably what I need to try.
 
Thanks oddball for the info! I figured it out after I posted the question. I did the secondaries in 2009 and couldn't remember the direction. I'm now at the stage of cleaning all the parts, and seeing what needs replaced. I'm going to replace the water pump since I have everything in pieces. Also a new A/C Compressor, Drier/receiver,etc. It looks like I'm passed the cussing stage now. Hopefully it's all down hill now!! Oh and the sprocket wrench 303-532 did do the job, but I had to make sure the holes on the cam sprocket were in a position the the wrench would fit. It still wasn't perfect but it worked after a few tries. Thanks again for your help I will update as I proceed with this PITA job!!
 

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