sweet deal! they go pretty easy. have you done one before? i have to tear mine BACK down today, so i can take photos if you need. note: if you every send an engine block out, make sure that the front oil channel plug gets reinstalled. it runs down that cast rib in the passenger side of the block. without it, no oil pressure. DOH!
for just a basic timing chain and oil pump on a motor thats already been in use, you wont have to worry about those plugs. they'll be there. and switching the parts is pretty easy. are you doing a headgasket at the same time? you dont have to remove the head, but it makes it easier.
make sure you take the bolt out that goes straight down in front of the cam gear on the timing cover...very bad if you break the casing/head there.
YES! Do not forget that. With the valve cover off, there will be a little pool of oil in front of the cam gear. Inside that pool is a bolt with a 12mm head on it. If you take it out, you should be able to pop the front cover free. There are a few bolts that go from the oil pan into the cover down below as well. The water pump bolts come out, because a few go into the block. Same on the oil pump. And then its just a few bolts to remove the cover itself. Also, when you put the new chain on, have the keyway on the crank face straight up. Rotate the cam the same. then just put the gears on matching those points and its lined up. A good trick is to rotate the motor until the notch on the balancer lines up to about 10-12* on the timing mark tab from the oil pump. Then when you put the distributor back in, you get it set so that the rotor aims directly at the number 1 plug wire. That will have your timing very close, and it should start right up. You can make tweaks with a timing light after its running. Also, use a little gasket maker inside the "half moons" at the end of the head. Not on the top, just where it curves around the head. It will help prevent oil from seeping by.
its worth it doing the headgasget if you have the motor already pulled and the pan and timing cover off, its just a few more bolts. Ive done it with out taking the intake or exhaust manifolds off before. sneaky sneaky..lol. BTW are you in SUNSET san diego? i havnt seen ya around, that or i just dont recognize your online name.... im stumps.
this is going to be done in the truck like an inline.. no cherry picker.. I'm from Sunset Whittier, I started back way back.. 84ish..
I need more info on the no oil pressure plug... please let me know.. maybe the culprit to my 3 spun bearings in a row.
If you keep spinning bearings, its probably somebody not putting the main caps on properly. The plugs are there from the factory. The only reason to double check is if you sent the block out for machining and cleaning. They take them out to flush out the oil passages.