cam chain with out base gasket

[corwine123]

Alright so i got my head off, to change out my cam chain guide and chain. How do i go about putting the new chain on wiht out breaking the base gasket seal, which i dont think i've broken yet. i have a hcain breaker and a new chain with master link. i was thinking i could break the chain then tie it to the new chain and opull it through? let me know your ideas or how its done. thanks

 

[MOFOKKER]

Bingo!!!

 

[5twins]

How are you going to mount the new guide and insure it's centered without being able to see the bottom?

 

[corwine123]

Very carefully.

I got the chain through, had to make a chain riveter and finally got the technique down, right as I ran out of light. Looks like I can finish this up tomorrow. Thanks for the help.

 

[XSLeo]

You can eyeball it pretty close, once you get the chain inplace and the tensioner snug. loosen the bolts holding the guide, wiggle it back and forth and you will feel the guide on the chain. With a bit of wiggling you can feel when the guide is centered on the chain.

 

[xjwmx]

Is there any way to check the condition of the adjuster blade without taking the engine apart? Maybe up through the sump plate or through the adjuster plate? I think of mine as a ticking time bomb that I can't check the time on...

 

[5twins]

No, from the bottom, the crank is in the way, from the back, the back tensioner blade is in the way.

 

[XSLeo]

The most common sign of guide failure is pices og the black plastic part of the guide collecting around the sump filter. Often long pieces from the sides. So pulling the sump plate and feeling up inside with a finger to find these pieces is about all you can do that way.
Sometimes when the guide fails the engine makes noises that won't quit down by adjusting the tensioner.
As 5twins said the only sure way is to pull the head. If your engines quite and you are not finding bad stuff in the oil, I would not worry too much until you do see or hear anything.

 

[xjwmx]

Thanks. No evidence of badness yet. My impression is it's the one weak point of the motor; meaning the thing that can break on its own without warning and requires ordering parts and having all your tools.

 

[XSLeo]

When it was designed it was a good part. 30+ years of use has made it a failure prone part. If you take a brand new one and let 30 years go by it will be prone to failure.

 

[xjwmx]

I meant weak point in the present time. But if it's the short-lived part it was always the thatched roof on a stone house.