I have not been using my truck for about a year. I don't want to go into a bunch of details because I have done that before on FTE and no luck. I will say that I was driving down the road everything OK and then no power and just got home. 200K miles. Codes say uneven compression on cylinders. So I would like a little help on one question.


Without breaking into the engine how would I check if my timing chain has slipped one tooth? The distributer has been moved so not sure where I am there. The problem is how would I know when the piston is at TDC if the cam is off one tooth? If I do pop the valve cover then would the lifters really tell me if the cam is off one tooth?

thanks

 

The timing chain will not jump a tooth unless it is worn and loose.
Clean the timing marks so you can read them.
Turn the engine by hand until the timing pointer is showing TDC.
Take off the distributor cap and watch the rotor.
Moving the engine back and forth you will feel play in the chain before the rotor starts to move.
Look at the timing marks and see how far the play lets the crankshaft move without moving the rotor.
It should not be more than 1 degree, a new chain is 0 degrees (no play).
If it is less than 1 1/2 degrees I do not think you would have jumped timing. But you need to change the chain and gears as soon as you can if it is 1 1/2 degrees or more.