I've never seen a chain break...but have seen them either jump timing or
have 1" slack on each side (not good). If it jumps timing too much...you'll
either have poor performance, stalling at idle, misfires, or possibly
damaging the valvetrain.
Anything more than 80-90K miles on the factory chain, replace it (and update
it with the new chain tensioner).
- Bernd
-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Barnes [mailto:rascal@scrtc.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2007 7:57 AM
To: dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net
Subject: RE: DML: was: doo dum ... now Timing chain
Barry, I had a similar conversation with a gentleman who has been a Mopar
mechanic all his life. He told me the same thing, he has not seen a 318
timing chain fail. I have 165k on mine and it makes no noise and still runs
just fine.
Rascal
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net
[mailto:owner-dakota-truck@bent.twistedbits.net] On Behalf Of Barry Oliver
Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2007 11:14 PM
To: dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net
Subject: Re: DML: was: doo dum ... now Timing chain
Eric Hufstedler wrote:
>>I've still got the original timing chain, it doesn't make any
>>noise oddly enough. I've had people tell me that this is pretty
>>odd for as many miles as I have.
>
>
> Does the timing chain from an LA 318 fit the 3.9's?
>
> Do the tensioners really start going bad at 100k? Are their any warning
signs?
> My dak has ~90k on it.
>
> Thanks,
> Eric
>
I just had a long conversation with a Dodge mechanic that I would
categorize as at least equal to Bernd [22 years at the same dealership].
He says he cannot remember the last time he saw a failed timing chain on
a 318/360. Usually, they get slack, jump time and run like crap, but
even that's rare.
I was all fired up to change mine [I have 120k] and he essentially
talked me out of it.
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