| Daves911L |
01-01-2018 06:19 AM |
Heinz,
The replace-able link timing chains are useful in some situations. I have used them on occasion. In an emergency I would do as you are suggesting. In theory, if you replace the new chain back on the same tooth, there should be no change in timing, aside from any manufacturing tolerances in the chain itself.
But as a practical matter you will find that "fishing" the new chain around the layshaft sprocket is very tedious. In the process of feeding the chain through you will be rotating the crankshaft/cams (remember to fully loosen the rocker arms !). Since yours is not an emergency, It would be best to start with the cam nut and then re-time the cams to finish. It is not difficult to learn, and the tools are not costly.
Now to the heart of the matter, if your engine really has only 35K miles on it, there should be no need to renew the chains. Nor is there really any need to "upgrade" to pressure-fed tensioners. The sealed hydraulic tensioners cah be easily rebuilt, renewing the seals and re-filling with oil, and will work very well. I treat servicing tensioners as a regular maintenance item on my cars. I don't use the collars. You will hear a tensioner starting to "go soft". I think the collars can mask the sound of impending tensioner failure, effectively becaming mechanical tensioners. The collar then starts to get hammered by the action of the tensioner. I have seen a couple of engines where the collar broke and the pieces rode through the chain with the expected catastrophic results. If you go with the pressure-fed "upgrade", be aware that they can "go soft" just like the sealed units.
Don at EBS is a good guy. If he sent you a valve cover you can be sure it is the right one, and the best (aluminum) and latest revision.
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