advise on changing the timing chain on my 1987 2.9!

[chris1]

I have tried everything possible to locate and repair my missing and smoking 2.9! I recently had several people that have knowledge of fords look at it and they all agree that I might be looking at a timing chain. One even suggested that I run my timing at "0". When I did this I lost power so I put it back to 10 BTDC. I bought this truck two years ago and has always run like a champ until one day I notced power loss and found my distributor loose. After reseting the timing it continued to run rough and smoke. It now has just obout 180K. I'm resently sure this is accual mileage. I've been told that the timing sprokets are made of nylon and will wear over time. Is this true? If so would it be smarter to replace them with steel or a metal type? All thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I plan to do this within the next couple weeks and I'm presently rounding up all my parts. I feel it only smart while things are open to include a new oil pump and maybe a pick up tube. As well as a new water pump and maybe a new from seal as well since most of these items will be coming out or easier to get at during this period.

 

[High Desert Ranger]

Did you pull out the spout connector when you set the timing?

 

[grnrngr]

Don't know about Fords, but the problem with nylon gears in Mopars is that they break. But they usually last a long time before they do..I was going to say it's rather ambitious to jump into changing the oil pump at the same time unless your having a problem, but I have to do that on my 86 B2, so I guess age wise, your's is a candidate for a failure soon also. The front seal comes in the lower gasket set you'll have to buy, along with the $125 oil pump. Easy with the water pump, sometimes those screws get rusted right at the base and twist off. My guess for now tho, is if your truck was running right, then one day it wasn't and that was because the distributor was loose, it should get back to running right if you time it properly...

 

[Natedog]

Did you pull out the spout connector when you set the timing?

X2 and sounds like you have other issues if it's 'smoking'....more info would help but sounds like main issue is a loose distributor and you just need to properly reset the timing. Don't replace the oil pump unless it is bad.

 

[IMenriched]

Not aware that the 2.9 ever had nylon timing gears...the early 2.8 did...but that is a different engine...the 2.8 mesh gears directly& were carbuerated...the 2.9 have a chain to connect the driven sequence of the timing.

 

[WildSide]

Before doing any mechanical work and instead of stabbing in the dark as too many people do, why not do a proper engine diagnosis including codes, a leak down or compression test ,vacuum, oil pressure, visual plug inspection etc? would it not make sense to do so before doing any work and eventually find out that you have a bad gasket or valve seal….?

 

[chris1]

Thanks for all the advise. I did all of the above way before I decided to go with a new timing chain. Yes I undid the spout before setting the timing. No water in the oil or oil in the water. All sensors that could be possibile thought of were also changed. I ran the codes in the beginning and all pointed to the EGR system. after much hunting, I found a stopped intake port from the EGR. Seem like a lot of oil in my air filter tube (tube coming to and from throttle body and air filter housing). Is this normal? Wonder if this is the cause of the smoke? Timing has always been at 10 degrees BTDC ever since the distributor was retightened. Advise I got was that the fluxuation of the idol might be a stretched chain? Idol dropps at stand still to 600 or so and then jumps back up to 2000 and down again like gasping for air.

 

[IMenriched]

Thanks for all the advise. I did all of the above way before I decided to go with a new timing chain. Yes I undid the spout before setting the timing. No water in the oil or oil in the water. All sensors that could be possibile thought of were also changed. I ran the codes in the beginning and all pointed to the EGR system. after much hunting, I found a stopped intake port from the EGR. Seem like a lot of oil in my air filter tube (tube coming to and from throttle body and air filter housing). Is this normal? Wonder if this is the cause of the smoke? Timing has always been at 10 degrees BTDC ever since the distributor was retightened. Advise I got was that the fluxuation of the idol might be a stretched chain? Idol dropps at stand still to 600 or so and then jumps back up to 2000 and down again like gasping for air.

yes...if the vacuum ports are not functioning properly then you'll get some irratic performance. Whether it goes to the EGR or FPR if bad enough it will affect the brakes.

how about the PVC valve??? has it been changed too?

If it was really bad then you may find it benifcal to remove the upper intake and give it a thourgh cleaning.

Is it "NORMAL" to have that much oil there....I would say no it isn't normal.
you may have a bad lower intake gasket.

have done a compression check? what do the plugs look like?

 

[Taragon]

If you do decide to replace the timing chain, remeber this...

When you remove the crankshaft bolt, there is a very thick washer that you must also remove. It looks like its part of the pully, but trust me, it isnt. Once you remove the washer, thread the bolt ALONE back in about 1/2 way, and then use your puller. If you dont remove the washer, you are pulling against the washer, and thus driving it in tighter and deeper...same for the crank pully alone. Use the bolt.

I learned this the hard way.

 

[holyford86]

did you fix all of the egr related codes? having a stuck open or partially stuck open egr will make your engine run like crap, so will bad sensors and actuators relating to the egr system. if the timing chain was loose then the timing would be erratic with the spout removed. it is very unlikely that the timing chain is your culprit. I have 270k on my original one and the engine still runs great.

 

[mhughes165]

i second the doubt of the timing chain bein the culprit, another issue u described as far as eratic idle, when u shift does it sometimes not idle down or when u put it into park, if not the u defiantly have a TPS issue and IACV, that would be your throttle position sensor, and idle air control valve, those are the two most common cause of rough running and surging as u describe on a 2.9

 

[mhughes165]

you cna remove these and clean them, or if money isnt a issue best bet is to be replace them and go from there, almost garunteed it will fix alot of your problems

 

[holyford86]

fix the egr codes first before you start throwing other sensors and actuators at it.