slack in timing chain
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2003
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slack in timing chain
Hello. I recently put a 351M in a 74 F100. Is there any way to check to see (or feel) if there is slack in my timing chain, without removing the water pump and timing cover? I once heard that i could remove the fuel pump and reach my fingers in to feel. wanted to check here first before wasting my time doing that. Any ideas? Thanks in advance for any help.
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2009
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This is what i do . Take off dist cap & turn the crank with wrench & watch the rotor turn then turn the crank back the other way & see how far you have to turn the crank to get the rotor to turn . This should tell you how much slack you have .. Lew
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,299
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From: The Vieux Ford, Kansas
Pull the fuel pump and turn the crank just enough to get the slack on the drivers side and poke at it through the fuel pump hole, its a pretty strait shot. Turn counter clockwise when standing in front of the truck, you have to do this because one side of the chain is always tight unless it is broken. This is a lot easier if you don't have power steering.
-Johnboy
-Johnboy
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2009
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...Well as soon as you start to turn it back the rotor should turn if theres no slack...The farther you turn it with out the rotor moving the more slack you have . See what happens ... Lew
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 883
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From: New-brunswick,Canada
If you have more than 50,000 miles, don't bother checking, replace them.
Once the cover is remove turn the crankshaft to tighten one side of chain and mesure slack side with a straight edge on the 2 gears. if it deflects more than 1/2 inch, replace it.
Go with a straight up timing chain - 0 degree
Once the cover is remove turn the crankshaft to tighten one side of chain and mesure slack side with a straight edge on the 2 gears. if it deflects more than 1/2 inch, replace it.
Go with a straight up timing chain - 0 degree
