Timing Chain Guide Replacement: 22R and RE motors

Discussion in 'Engine/Drivetrain' started by 91HiLux, Oct 17, 2009.

  1. 91HiLux

    91HiLux Enthusiast

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    1991 Toyota HiLux 4x4 RN101
    Timing Chain Guide Replacement: 22R and RE motors
    Difficulty: *** 3/5

    [​IMG]
    This is a little walk through of replacing the timing chain guide (straight guide, not the curved) without taking apart the whole front end of the motor apart. This is a difficulty rating 3/5, though this was really easy for me, many others may find this pretty tricky to do. You will need to take it slow and not to rush this process. It took me just under 30 minutes to do this, but you can look at it taking around an hour or more. There are tools you will need to have to do this job or else you will have to tear down the timing cover which is rated at 11.9 hours on a 4wd with power steering and A/C.

    I have performed this on three Toyota trucks, all a success!

    First off is the tools you will need, one is the most crucial and that is a long double box end, 0° Offset wrench, one side needs to be a 12mm. This tool is what makes it all possible.
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Other tools as followed:
    [​IMG]
    From top to bottom:
    a) extra long, heavy duty (cannot flex) flat blade screw driver
    b) 19mm shallow socket x2
    c) 1/2' torque wrench
    d) long 1/2' ratchet (flex head makes it a little easier)
    e) 12mm 0° Offset wrench (has to be at least a foot long, this is the most important tool!!!)
    f) 1/2' standard lenght ratchet

    [​IMG]
    continued:
    g) part pickup tool
    h) 1/4' standard ratchet
    i) medium length extension with 8mm socket
    j) 1/4' long flex head ratchet (optional)
    k) regular 12mm wrench

    (not pictures is a 12mm socket to be used on the flex head 1/4' ratchet during removal of valve cover)


    Now for the guide replacement:
    1. REMOVE VALVE COVER
    (a) Remove the ground strap from the body.
    (b) Remove the four nuts and seals.
    (c) Remove the valve cover.
    [​IMG]

    2. REMOVE CAM SPROCKET BOLT
    (a) Turn the crankshaft (using the 1/2' short ratchet with 19mm socket) until the No. 1 cylinder position is
    set at TDC compression. (note take off distributor cap to verify firing on #1 cylinder. MARK on the distributor with marker or paint pen for the position of the rotor!!!)
    (b) Place matchmarks on the sprocket and chain.
    (c) Remove the half–circular plug.
    [​IMG]

    (d) Remove the cam sprocket bolt. **(torque spec is 60ftlbs) (keeping the crankshaft in place with the smaller 1/2' ratchet, and using the long one to break the bolt loose, after that yoy should be able to unscrew by hand)
    [​IMG]

    3. REMOVE DISTRIBUTOR DRIVE GEAR AND CAM–
    SHAFT THRUST PLATE (the distributor rotor will move out of place, thus the importance of marking the distributor)
    [​IMG]

    4. REMOVE CAM SPROCKET
    Remove the cam sprocket and chain from the cam–
    shaft and leave on the vibration damper.
    [​IMG]

    a) once you remove the cam sprocket, using string or wire, tie the chain off the the side out of the way.
    [​IMG]
    (note: the purple wire holding the chain the the throttle body side)
    [​IMG]

    b) once the chain is out of the way, using the long box 12mm 0° Offset wrench to take out the two bolts holding the straight guide in place(be extra carefull when taking out the bolts as they can fall into the oil pan). Take your time on this step since it is the most time consuming. Pull out all the old pieces of the old guide and once complete, install the new guide taking care to not drop the bolts. It is easier to install the top bolt first, but not tight as the guide will need to be able to move a little when installing the bottom bolt. The bottom bolt is the trickiest to install but patience is key here. Once the bottom is tight, set the top bolt tight as well and reinstall the rest of the components in reverse order!

    [​IMG]

    Here is the old guide:
    [​IMG]

    Good luck!! You will need it!
     
  2. 5psi

    5psi Member

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    good info. I will try this soon.
     
  3. JOE_1985

    JOE_1985 Veteran

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    only thing is it seems like this is a banaid fix

    if the guide broke that usally means the chain stretched and/or the tensionor is weak

    now u have a new metal guide but if what i just said is correct, the chain will eventally eat into the metal guide and either the guide or chain will create meal shavings or the chain will break
     
  4. 91HiLux

    91HiLux Enthusiast

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    Most common problem is that the plastic guide with heat and cold makes it brittle over time... Making it break easy.
     
  5. ShoNuff

    ShoNuff Toyotaholic

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    actually the plastic guide was designed for 2 reasons...


    1.

    the single chain is lighter, with less rotational mass the motor will rev a bit more and feel more peppy, thats handy with a new model year that has no other changes. then toyota can say "new designed more powerful".


    2.

    the plastic guide is designed to fail. at around 70-100k or less. with a dual chain and metal guides they only start to stretch after 200k+ and it probly wouldnt be a issue until you get near 500-600k. this way your forced to get expensive service which increases the dealer economy.



    and its not the heat degrading the guide and making it brittle, it is very brittle out of the box brand new. it'sthe "slap" of the straight side of the chain as oil pressure rises on initial startup. worn tensioners have to move farther to provide the same tension as brand new ones.


    this truly is a band aid fix. the guide broke from the chain stretching or the tensioner being worn, not from age. this would be good if you just needed a few more miles out of the motor before you put in a new chain kit complete with tensioner and oil pump.

    my worry is that with a worn tensioner and most likely stretched chain that the guide will fail again sooner, i would also be concerned about possible chunks of guide floating in the oil pan.


    sorry to be harshin your buzz, it is a good writeup, but still a bandaid fix.
     
    Last edited: Oct 18, 2009
  6. 93Yoter

    93Yoter Addict

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    what? lol the metal guide has nothing to do with rotational mass..........:doah:

    now the dual chains yes but not the guide


    Also this fix looks likes an easy way to cross thread a bolt into bad places........

    The timing kit is cheap on engnbldr.com and it really isn't that hard....you don't even have to remove the head
     
  7. ShoNuff

    ShoNuff Toyotaholic

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    i was talking about the chain but neglected to mention it, edited to suit.;)
     
  8. 91HiLux

    91HiLux Enthusiast

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    This fix is not to repair a chain that is bad, this is to correct the cheap guide that is supplied in many cheap timing chain kits. If your chain or tensioner is bad you should be replacing those. But on the other hand if it is just a crappy guide (which most cheap kits use) then this is the fix for that problem.

    The guide in the picture was brittle and had multiple hair line cracks in it. This timing chain assembly only has 60k on it and showed no stretching, and the tensioner was also working properly.

    As far as crossthreading the bolts.. Should of done what I said and not rush this procedure. Hence, take your time.

    Just another example, the first truck I did this fix on, only had 2k on the motor. And ever since I replaced the crappy guide with a Toyota one, the truck has been going strong for over 10k miles.

    But it comes down to that if your motor has 150k on an original chain, use common sense and replace the whole damn thing! :waytogo:
     
  9. burnzya

    burnzya Grand Toyotaholic

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    sweet write up in my opinion.

    and it's always nice to have some quality tools!
     
  10. NotAvailable

    NotAvailable Addict

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    should do a write up on how to replace the whole timing chain and guides and what not...i never did it before so it would be nice to know...
     
  11. cgeorge

    cgeorge Newbie

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    good write up.. I'm going to have to be doing this myself soon.
     
  12. grannymom101

    grannymom101 Newbie

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    i need info on changing the timing gear/chain and the oil pump.We pretty well have the timing gear and chain figured out but we having trouble with figuring out the oil pump replacement it has marks on the drive gear and driven gear but we are not sure what o if they have to be aligned with.Any and all help will be greatly appreciated...Thnks
     

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