To start out with, my TA didn't come with it's manual. I've looked around, and can't find a definite answer on when to replace my timing chain. I'm at 133k miles, and figure that it can't hurt to take care of it within the next few months. My mods are in my sig, and for the near future, will be minimal at most. So, here are my questions:

1. What is the recommended interval on our timing chains? Have I been gambling by putting as many miles on my engine as I have?

2. I was looking at the SLP double-roller timing chain set. I know at my level, I don't really need it, but I have the money, so I kinda want the added strength, in case I do start building up my engine. If you guys feel that it is overkill, or I should look into another one, please, tell me.

3. While I'm in there, I'm going to replace my water pump. I'm not interested in electric models, but the edelbrock high flow looks nice. Worth it, or is there another one I should get?

4. Oil pump. I like the sound of the Melling blue-printed and ported model. It's not that much more than some of the other models, so unless there's something better, I'm pretty sure I want this one.

5. Last question, I'm pretty sure. My oil pan gasket is leaking. Well, more like seeping. The underside of my engine is filthy from it, and the pan bolts are wet from where the oil is leaking. It isn't bad enough yet to leave anything on my driveway yet, but I want to take care of it before it is. While i have my oil pump out, is it possible to slip the gasket on? is it possible to get it around the pickup tube, or will the tray/baffles be in the way?

 

I'm no expert, but I would say at that mileage it couldn't hurt to replace the chain, but most just change it when they do a cam swap. If you're just going to keep the car bolt-ons, I would look at just getting a LS2 chain.

 

LS motors have steel timing gears and real chain, they're not like the import timing belts or the old school small black nylon cam gear. The point is most people wait until they are doing a cam swap to replace the oil pump and timing set. That said, if you want to replace them anyway you could replace the whole timing set or just get a LS2 chain like 2quikTA mentioned. The chain is what gets the most wear and the LS1 chain is wimpy compared to the LS2 chain.

I personally am not a fan of double roller timing sets, sometimes there are clearance issues. Just get a single roller chain like the Cloyes set or heck, a GM set. Same with the oil pump. Hard to beat a stock GM oil pump. If you have to get aftermarket, then Melling would be my choice.

As for oil pan gasket, you have to remove the oil pickup tube to replace the oil pump. I've never worked on a F-Body, but if they are like a GTO, then you might have problems dropping the back of the pan down low enough to replace the gasket.

 

I mean, I guess I could swap cams while I'm in there, but I don't even have headers yet. I figured that it would make more sense to do headers first, but was wanting to do the timing chain as a maintenance item.

That's what I was wondering about. I really don't feel like dropping my k-member to swap the gasket, so I was seeing if I could get away with doing it while the pickup tube was free from the pump. From reading the how-to, to swap the oil pump, it says to remove the oil pan bolts to get to the tube. I'm wondering if there's enough play in there to sneak the gasket in.

 

Again, I have no F-Body experience, but on my GTO you have to remove the front pan bolts and loosen the rear pan bolts in order to drop the front of the pan down. There is barely enough room to reach in and blindly remove the oil pickup tube bolt. Great care must be used not to drop the bolt into the pan. You might want to post a separate thread just about the oil pan gasket replacement. Hopefully some F-Body experts will chime in and help you.

 

Thanks for the help I'll do that, if I don't get a solid answer about the gasket in here.

 

Well, if you are planning on a cam down the road, I would get exhaust/ect first and just replace the chain/oil pump when you do a cam.

 

I guess it's settled then. I'll pick up a set of headers first, and take care of some other odds and ends before replacing the timing chain. Thanks for the advice everyone.

 

For the timing set i would go with the slp double timing chain and slp oil pump which is a melling pump blue printed by slp the two units are machined together and fit nice no spacers needed, no clearance issues, no grinding of the front cover. when you install the oil pump you will have to disconect the pickup tube the best way to do it with out removing the oil pan is to loosen the bolts all the way around the oil pan to where they are almost all the way out, this will allow the oil pan to drop a couple of inches giving you just enough room to fit a ratchet box end wrench in to remove the bolt, a helpful hint when you reinstall the pickup tube tie some fishing string around the bolt and then get the bolt started once started cut the string i say this because it is tight and if you accidently drop the bolt you can fish it out from the oil pan.

the only way to replace the oil pan gasket is to remove the pan by droping the k member or loosen from engine mounts and raising engine from up top to get enough clearance. the original gasket will have two small rivets that are riveted to the oil pan keeping it in place when you replace with new gasket you dont have to worry about riveting it back to the pan.

if you can i would try and get the cam and heads at the same time while your doing the timing set then you only have to pay for a dyno tune once.

as far as water pump up to you i always used stock ls1 pump from gm and i push over 450 rwhp with no issues of engine temp but if i get another pump i might get a ls2 gm pump only because i have the fast 102 intake and throttle body and you have to grind the water pump in order for it to fit and i think the ls2 you dont have to grind so somthing to think about if you think you might put on a FAST 102 intake

 

Like was said, just wait on the internal parts until your ready to do a cam swap. If you can swing it, you can throw on an UD Pulley if you want to at the same time, since it will be off anyway.

Im running a Comp Cams timing set in my AFR Heads/Cam car, and an LSA chain in my wife's 799/Cam car. Both are single chains, since honestly, there isnt really need for a double roller chain. When it comes to pumps, I went with a Melling 10295, and an LS6 pump will do just fine. Ported is even better.