Timing Chains
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Joined: Sep 2012
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Timing Chains
I have a 91 f-250, 302 with 160,000 original miles. I have had timing chains break on two of my past vehicles a 73 Plymouth (engine ruined) and a 74 F-350 (reduced to 7 working cylinders) and don't want another one. The mechanics I have consulted over the past years don't agree on their advice.
I plan to keep this truck and use it for pulling a RV trailer and incidental driving. I am retired and currently drive it around 6,000 miles a year. I can't afford to spend money unwisely and need some practical advise. Do I need to change this truck's timing chain?
I plan to keep this truck and use it for pulling a RV trailer and incidental driving. I am retired and currently drive it around 6,000 miles a year. I can't afford to spend money unwisely and need some practical advise. Do I need to change this truck's timing chain?
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,533
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From: SW Florida
Not unless you hear it rattling. I mean you CAN if it worries you, it won't hurt anything and it's certainly cheap enough. Around $20 for the set (chain and cogs) if I remember right. Might as well put a new water pump in it while you're there, since it has to come off anyway.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 775
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From: Temperance,MI
Ford was good about getting away from the "link belt" junk timing chains in the mid 80s, most windsors I have had to pull apart have had double rollers in them. The double rollers last much longer than the link belt set up.
Easy way to determine the condition of your timing set, 15/16" socket and a ratchet on the balancer bolt get it to TDC on the timing marks. Once it is there pull your cap on make sure you watch the rotor. Slowly go the opposite way on the balancer once the rotor starts to move stop. Look at your timing mark see how many degrees you rotated before the rotor moved.
When I was still doing fleet repair on GM I was changing them out on gen 1 sbc regularly(link belt), but junk came out and junk went in. They had some lower mileage ones 75,000 and it was slopping at 8-12degrees of slop they would not idle right swap it out solved the issues. When I did my 351w upgrades at 184k the timing set was at 1-2degrees.
Hope this has helped.
Curtis
Easy way to determine the condition of your timing set, 15/16" socket and a ratchet on the balancer bolt get it to TDC on the timing marks. Once it is there pull your cap on make sure you watch the rotor. Slowly go the opposite way on the balancer once the rotor starts to move stop. Look at your timing mark see how many degrees you rotated before the rotor moved.
When I was still doing fleet repair on GM I was changing them out on gen 1 sbc regularly(link belt), but junk came out and junk went in. They had some lower mileage ones 75,000 and it was slopping at 8-12degrees of slop they would not idle right swap it out solved the issues. When I did my 351w upgrades at 184k the timing set was at 1-2degrees.
Hope this has helped.
Curtis
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