I have a 97 2.2L Sunfire that I think may also need a timing chain replacement. What should I check first to determine if this is the problem? Can the chain, gears, and tensioner be replaced with the engine in the car? I'm thinking a timing light to check first?
Timing Chain Question
- Thread starter jimtone
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the marks are on the gears inside the cover, are you using a manual or some other reference to do this job?
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It can be done in the car, you need to have a pulley puller and a gear puller. You need to remove the starter, AC compressor and mount, drop the exhaust from the manifold, remove the flywheel cover and remove the oil pan, remove both parts of the inner wheel well, remove the power steering pump and move it to the side WITHOUT disconnecting the lines and maybe the water pump pulley although I left it on. There's a few other bits to take off but you'll be able to tell when you're under. If you don't have a safe way to support the car while you're working then take it to a good shop to be done.
I do have a Haynes manual and have a very good idea of how to do the job and what tools are required but I'm not sure how to KNOW the engine is out of time. I've been reading website write ups for 4 days now and have seen many different ways folks have said they went about the process, but one guy said to check it with a timing light to see how many degree it's off at the crank pulley?? I have two of these 97' 2.2L engines with one having 80K on it and a spun connecting rod bearing from 8 years ago that is sitting on the floor still totally assembled. I'm going to start disassembling it tomorrow to see what and why before going into the mounted 2.2 in the car. I'm just not sure about opening the mounted engine without KNOWING it needs a timing chain, as it still runs but it's backfiring. I've changed the spark plugs and fuel filter and cleaned the trottlebody with no changes. Is there something I can do to know it is worth doing all this investigating as this is not an easy job to open it up and find the tensioner is not bad? I feel I've done too much changing already with no changes in performance, and don't want to waste any more time chasing shadows?
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have you tried these tests?
http://easyautodiagnostics.com/gm_2200_coilpack/coil_test_diagnostic_1.php
http://easyautodiagnostics.com/gm_2200_coilpack/coil_test_diagnostic_1.php
It turned out to be the tensioner shoe cracked in half causing enough slack to through it out of time but the chain didn't skip a tooth. I changed the tensioner and made sure the chain and gears were fine and put it back to the timing marks and all is fine!
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This was a BAD idea (changed the tension foot) as 11 months later found it doing the same thing and had to go back and change all gears,chain, and tension foot. Always heard you don't change just some of the parts on timing chains but when I took the chain to parts store to compare, found they were same length and felt the same? Note to self!