timing chain slop question

[pentode]

I know this will be subjective and I pretty much already know the answer, but how much slop should there be in the 3.0 timing chain before it really should be replaced? I should figure out how to add a pĥoto but there's quite a bit of deflection in mine, which I assume is original at 240k miles. Truck was running great before I started on the timing cover gasket replacement, and now that I'm in there I'm feeling like I should probably bite the bullet. It's mainly the delay in getting parts that pains me, it's 4 days to get stuff here from rock auto (or 4 days from Napa canada at 3x the price!)

edit: I also know there's a procedure in the manual to test it but I'm not pulling off a valve cover after what it's taken to get this far

 

[franklin2]

Do it. With 240,000 miles it's time.

 

[pjtoledo]

bad news, at 240,000 miles it's damn near mandatory to pull the cam sync to inspect it's drive gear.
at the very least put some oil on the top bushing.

 

[pentode]

you're talking about the cam synchronizer? I replaced that a while back. Was chirping.

 

[Deiimos]

I was a bit torn on the timing chain slop myself, but I went ahead and replaced the chain / gear set since I had it open anyway.

I will say, I thought my old chain had quite a bit of slop, but when I put the new chain and gears in, seemed about the same, or very close. IDK, I didn't do any scientific measurements, but it has been running fine and at least I know it’s a new chain set, so makes me feel slightly better. Ran fine prior to messing with it, ran fine after.

I was already that far in, figured that was the best time to just go ahead and replace it.

 

[pentode]

Thanks for that, I appreciate it. Mine must have had more play in it than yours because there was a very noticeable difference between the old one and the new one. I bought a Melling set and there was basically zero deflection on the new one. It was so close I was worried it might even be too tight, but everything slid on smooth as silk. Frankly I'm shocked they could make 2 gears and a chain with tolerances that tight... we're talking single digit thousandths. FWIW this is the only real mechanical change I made in the process of fixing the timing cover leak and I'm really surprised at the results: the truck is noticeably quieter and there was an extremely small intermittent stumble/misfire at idle that is gone now. I just assumed it was normal for this engine at 240k miles. The differences are noticeable. Possibly the chain was really far gone.

Oh and thanks to all for the encouragement to just swap it out. The most painful part was waiting 4 days to get the parts here, it was only like 28 Canadian and way too easy to not bother considering what a pain the rest was.