Problem: intermittent drop in oil pressure, had slight ticking noise in the timing chain cover on passenger side that eventually worsened to the point that I parked the truck.

First changed the pressure switch to make certain the drop showing was real. Which it was.

Dropped the transaxle in order to drop the oil pan to look at the pick up tube. BTW the Haynes Manual was way off on this procedure. All we had to do (this was no simple task!) was disconnect the front drive shaft and axles, disconnect a couple hoses and drop the chunk sraight down. I found pieces of black plastic sitting in the oil pan, both small and large. This was the passenger side timing chain guide. It had disentigrated and was lodged everywhere inside the motor. These pieces were clogging up the pump screen. Bearings still looked and sounded good.

Update: What a PITA

The valve covers were rediculous to take off and put on. Hint, pull the passenger side wheel well and get ALL the wires out of the way. You'll need plenty of 1/4" drive extensions. Glue the gaskets to the covers (just a lil super glue, nothing else would work) before trying to put them back on as they WILL not seat and leak! You'll need 1.25" wrench for the pipe on the drivers side exhaust.

Could NOT rent the tools to lock down the cams, after putting back together it had a severe miss which was diagnosed as jumped timing chains. (didn't have the tools and thought I could be careful enough that the chains wouldn't move... WRONG!)

Retore down the whole thing, fixed the timing and it runs great, had to replace a couple of coils but finally it's back on the road.

Diagnosis: broken chain guide on the passenger side in the timing chain system.

Replaced: Power Steering Pump, radiator, thermostat, Water Pump, passenger side tensioner, both chain guides, both tensioner arms. DID not replace drivers side tensioner as the new OEM part is a plastic piece that didn't look adequate for the job. My oem tensioner looked great.

Parts: oil pan gasket, oil and filter, valve cover gaskets, timing chain cover gaskets, RTV, pick-up tube o-ring ($4.78 for a .02 cent o-ring from the dealer. It recesses in and had to be exact. Couldn't find the exact match anywhere else) get all parts in advance as some were VERY hard to locate.

Special tools: power steering pump pulley remover/installer (loaner @ autozone), compensating sprocket remover (steering wheel puller). Cam locking tools.

Tools I needed and couldn't get were the lock down tools for the cam shafts.
Had to hold the cams with vice grips (NO - not on the lobes!) and make a spanner wrench for the cam shafts. Neither, auto parts stores, nor rental places, had the tools in stock!

This was a huge project that took 2 days the first time and 2 days the second time. Using 2 people in a well equipped home shop.

Hope this helps. I really thought I was going to have to replace the whole motor, but didn't!

While you're this deep you may as well change the plugs!

I see why now the shop that I brought the truck to never suggested this repair. The time involved was excessive. Roughly 20 hours R & R. They wanted to just install a new motor. ($3500.00)

Bottom line the total cost came to around $1000.00, this was after paying 400.00 in labor (paid a back yard mech to assist) and meals plus my own labor (free).

-=Fred=-

I can be reached for questions at fred.lake@edgencorp.com