Ok, I just bought a 97 cavalier "rally sport" the other day, and it needs a new timing chain/gears, or else timing adjusted (depends on shape of gears when torn down), anyway, my question is, how hard will changing the chain be? What has to come out to get to it? Ive never done timing on chains either, only belts, is it pretty much the same? BTW, its a 2.2L OHV engine, automatic, 2 door. Any help would be appriciated. Thanks.
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Its not hard at all , You need a 3 bolt steering wheel style puller to tale the crank pulley off. That would be the major thing. You have to have the right tools. Off the top of my head, a 15mm wrench, 18mm wrench, 8mm short socket on a 1/4 wratchet, 10mm 1/4 drive socket, crescent wrench to remove the serp belt. 7mm 1/4 drive socket to remove the inner splash shield along with a souple of push in clips that are hidden in front of the ecm. The crank pulley is in 2 pieces, remove all 4 bolts and use the puller to remove the second piece.
When you buy the chain kit , depending on where you get it, it may or may not come with the nylon guides. You must replace them. When you put the springy looking guide on (to your left) there will be a release pin in its center, dont remove it till you have your chain just perfectly lined up on the marks. pull the pin and put it back together.
One issue that may arise, there are 2 studs on the bottom of the timing chain cover to the oil pan that have 10 mm nuts on them. your going to need to remove those studs that the nuts are screwed on to in order to remove the t cover. now the studs are going to get stuck, the first thing to try is to booger up the exposed threads with the nut still on, use a pair of pliers, a small chisel of vice grips to tear up th ethread, that way when you remove the 10mm nut the stud will have no choice to come out. If for some reason tis doesn t work and If you dont have the fancy reverse torx but to remove them , try a really small 6 point 1/4 drive socket, most of the time that works great. If not get a high quality like new,( non needle nose) vice grips to remove them a little at a time. And when you get them out , pitch them and get 2 short 10mm head bolts to replace them.
The timing cover will have 2 steel dowel pins that corrode and cause you to pry the cover off, the dowels are located half way up the cover, one towards the front and back of th car. If you wiggle and pry gently they will release, just be sure that you hav eout all of the bolts first.
Just check your timing marks 2 and 3 times to be 100% sure and you will be fine. to double check yourself take #1 spark plug out and screw it in a wee little bit just so it doesnt fall out, and put just the bolt back in the crank and a wrench on it , turn it clock wise till the engine turns, keep turning it till you hear the air trying to ecsape from the #1 plug If this happens, stop what your doing and remove the plug all the way, pull your dipstick out and stick the oil end in the spark plug hole till it hits the piston. now continue turning the crank in the same manner, slowly until you dont see the dipstick rise anymore, thats top dead center. now your timing marks should be exactly where they are supposed to be. On that engine, Im not sure if they are both pointing up or torwards each other, I would have to look it up. Just ask at the parts store when you pick up the chain set.. If not let me know and Ill look it up at work.
01 cav w/01 3400 gam gt 4t45e
Wow....its really that hard? Sounds like youve dont this a few times, lol. At the parts store, they said they werent sure which way the marks lined up. Thanks, this is a big help!!
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Nevermind... looked at the motor closer today... whole motor = done... looks like its time for either a 2.4 or V6 swap.. lol
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easier for you to do a V6 as your tranny will bolt right onto it
yea.. i was thinking about it, it depends on how much it will cost 2.4 VS V6. I read the swap thing, but do you know what was up with the mounts? I never really got that part of it. Is that mount they make to make the swap a COMPLETE bolt in? Also, are the V6 trans. stronger, or the same? Thanks.
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