Negative Ghostrider Posted July 10, 2020 Report Share Posted July 10, 2020 My worst case scenario came to be. The lousy chain tension retainer I bought slipped forward while I was adjusting the cam sprocket. I thought someone said that you had to pull the engine when this happens but my Chilton's makes it seem like I can do it with the engine in. Same with the video below, even though it's on a stand. I don't really have room for a lift and a stand, nor do I have a huge budget so having to pull the motor would be an extraordinary burden. This would be a good time to install the new alternator and replace the head gasket, yeah? Do I need a special one for the W53 head? Do I need to get new head studs? Tensioner? Other gaskets? Should I do anything else while I'm at it? Want to make sure I have anything I need on hand. Thanks as always. I Quote Link to comment
Stoffregen Motorsports Posted July 10, 2020 Report Share Posted July 10, 2020 Did you bend a valve? If you only need to reset the cam timing, it's easy enough to do in the car. If you have to remove the front cover, the hard part is getting the crank pulley bolt loose. Removing the radiator allows the use of a rattle gun, or you could put it in 4th gear and have someone hold the brakes while you break the bolt loose with a breaker bar. Quote Link to comment
Negative Ghostrider Posted July 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2020 I didn't bend anything. I was just trying to shift the sprocket because it looked to be off a tooth. It wasn't running. It should still be at TDC as well. I have the 3 speed automatic so can I just leave it in gear? Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted July 10, 2020 Report Share Posted July 10, 2020 All you need is the head gasket for an L20B Set engine to TDC on the crank pulley/timing pointer. If removing head skip this. Take the rad our after draining the cooling system, Take hoses off the engine ends. Place large screwdriver through cam sprocket holes to jam it so engine cannot be turned. Loosen then set crankshaft pulley to TDC on timing pointer then remove crankshaft pulley bolt and washer. Tap back of pulley froward with large socket and work the pulley forward and off end of crank. Watch for woodruff key that may fall out. Loosen cam sprocket and eccentric and remove. Remove alternator adjustment bolt and swing out of the way Remove water pump Remove heater return hose to timing cover Remove heater outlet hose on back of head Remove all wires and the distributor with pedestal from the timing cover, two bolts Remove oil pump, spindle should drop out Remove fuel pump and plastic spacer Disconnect the temp sender and the by-pass hose from thermostat housing and the other by-pass hose to the intake at front base of carburetor. Remove the front oil pan bolts up into the timing cover and 3 or 4 down each side of the oil pan so it's loose and the timing cover can slide forward without tearing the gasket Remove two similar bolts on either side of the front of the head that go down into the timing cover At this point the exhaust down pipe can be removed and the throttle cable. Idle cut and choke heater wires disconnected. Block vent to PCV valve hose removed. Air filter off, flow guide valve hose removed. Remove the 10 head bolts 10mm hex. 6 short and 4 long. DO NOT remove the cam or the towers holding it on. Get help and lift the head AND the two manifolds away from the block. Try to keep relatively level so sediment in carburetor is not stirred up. DO NOT lay head of a flat surface, tilt on it's side so any open valves are not bent. IF you really must take the manifolds of, now it's way easier. If at all possible, leave them alone and avoid breaking or stripping a stud. Don't break something not broken and then waste time fixing it. Head surface can be cleaned by tilting head up to get at it. Remove all the bolts holding the timing cover onto the front of the block and lift away. All fasteners and head bolts are totally re-usable. 1 Quote Link to comment
Negative Ghostrider Posted July 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2020 Thanks Mike. I have bosses in the middle of my cam so I don't need to do the screwdriver thing. Should I replace the tensioner or guides just to be safe? Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted July 10, 2020 Report Share Posted July 10, 2020 I guess so if it fell apart anyway. Guides and tensioner shoe wear down Quote Link to comment
Negative Ghostrider Posted July 12, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2020 (edited) Regarding the tensioner - I see NOS ones go for $85 and aftermarket ones are like $16. What's the danger level on the cheap one? Are they like "Taiwanese ebay window gaskets" bad, and I'm just asking for a failure, or are they adequate for a run-of-the-mill rebuild? https://zcardepot.com/products/timing-chain-tensioner-oem-l16-l20b I can get a whole kit with a new chain, guides, seals, etc for less than the OEM tensioner but if I need to I will spend the spend the big bucks to make sure the engine lives a long life. https://zcardepot.com/products/timing-chain-set-l16-l18-l20b-510 Edited July 12, 2020 by Negative Ghostrider 1 Quote Link to comment
Stoffregen Motorsports Posted July 12, 2020 Report Share Posted July 12, 2020 I haven't bought any timing parts for an L motor for a while now, but back then, the cheap ones were just repackaged OEM units that fell off the back of a truck somewhere. With so much crap coming out of China and India these days, I would be wary of a $16 tensioner. Maybe somebody else here has firsthand experience with them. I have seen crappy chain guides though. The metal is super thin as compared to the OEM parts, and they tend to crack and even break off. Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted July 12, 2020 Report Share Posted July 12, 2020 (edited) rock auto and such should have tensioners cheap. I have used the Taiwan ones and seem ok actualy fitted better on one motor. If you one the cheap side I would get the tensioner and the slack side guide. OSK is a japan made set but seen the quality vary sometimes. But least that have the brite links to mak this fool proof. The Clloyes and Melling Units I would not get!!!!NOT!!!Get Tsubaki is the best if even found. To move the sprocker over I just move the cam in the direction you need to go and should be good. Hopefull the cahin don't drop and the tensioner pops out PS If i have to do a cam sprocket swap I always brack the crank bolt on bottom just in case I have to pull the front cover. if goes one didn't need to pull the front cover make sure to tighten that back up. I usually put a big adjustable wrench on the centercam lobe bosses (those 2 nobs) on a later L motor should have them I turn the motor till it hit the head bolt then torq it to spec and them put back to TDC Edited July 12, 2020 by banzai510(hainz) Quote Link to comment
Negative Ghostrider Posted July 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, banzai510(hainz) said: rock auto and such should have tensioners cheap. I have used the Taiwan ones and seem ok actualy fitted better on one motor. If you one the cheap side I would get the tensioner and the slack side guide. OSK is a japan made set but seen the quality vary sometimes. But least that have the brite links to mak this fool proof. The Clloyes and Melling Units I would not get!!!!NOT!!!Get Tsubaki is the best if even found. To move the sprocker over I just move the cam in the direction you need to go and should be good. Hopefull the cahin don't drop and the tensioner pops out PS If i have to do a cam sprocket swap I always brack the crank bolt on bottom just in case I have to pull the front cover. if goes one didn't need to pull the front cover make sure to tighten that back up. I usually put a big adjustable wrench on the centercam lobe bosses (those 2 nobs) on a later L motor should have them I turn the motor till it hit the head bolt then torq it to spec and them put back to TDC The OSK ones seem to only be found overseas and cost a few hundred to order, unfortunately. A bit over my budget. The only listing I find for the Tsubaki kit is on eBay and it's in ITM packaging. The ones that Z Car Depot sells (I linked in a previous post) say manufacturer unknown but come in the same packaging as the alleged Tsubaki, and it's only $85. The one on eBay is $140 shipped. Maybe I'll see if Z Car can confirm a manufacturer on theirs, . Then again, they sold me the knockoff tensioner retainer that got me in this mess in the first place so I'm not sure I even trust them. Edit - I just found an OSK kit for $88 on ebay. It looks like it has the exact same tensioner as the tsubaki kit, if the photos are to be trusted. Edited July 13, 2020 by Negative Ghostrider Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted July 14, 2020 Report Share Posted July 14, 2020 (edited) Napa used to have them for L20s zacar usually says if its a Japan part if not then assume something cheaper but I could be wrong. I know they list cheap knockoff water pumps and a Japan intit which it will state Japam and be about 20$ more Edited July 14, 2020 by banzai510(hainz) Quote Link to comment
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