So this cam swapped turned into a huge pain in the ***, and this thread is mostly to put it out there with the info on potential issues with a certain combination of parts, namely a double timing chain and the wedge (ls2) style chain dampener.

To start off my plight, for whatever reason that wasnt like this on my other truck, the bottom left bolt on the timing cover is blocked by the ac compressor bracket.


In order to remove the compressor and bracket, you have to go from the bottom (which sucks). To remove the top bolt to the block I had to loosen my turbo log and remove my turbo and unbolt the downpipe...already setting be back by probably an hour or two. Well I finally get the bracket off so I can remove the front cover and I see this:



Normally you can just unbolt the cam gear, pull it forward slightly off the cam dowel and drop it down slightly so you can get the chain off of it....notice the chain dampener in the picture above. The purpose of this piece is to prevent the chain from flopping around and control the slack somewhat. I am not sure, but I think a single chain would be fine with this dampener, but with my double chain its impossible to remove the sprocket with the dampener in place. I probably tried for 20 minutes to position it so it could be removed, but it just wasnt going to happen.
Ok, so I have to remove the dampener. Trouble is the bolts that hold the dampener to the block are blocked by the oil pump. Ok, so now I have to move the oil pump forward, which means unbolting the pickup tube on the bottom of the pump. At this point I realize the pickup tube bolt is on the inside of the oil pan!

So at this point, I see that in order to remove the cam sprocket to pull the cam out, I have to drop the oil pan to unbolt the pickup tube to pull the pump forward to remove the chain dampener! And this is on top of having to remove the ac compressor bracket. Not a good day. I worked on it all day Saturday from 12 to about 3 in the morning and didnt touch it all day Sunday just because I was pissed at the damn thing. I finish putting everything back together yesterday and by some miracle I dont appear to have any leaks or oil pressure issues from that stupid pickup tube oring.

On the reassembly I left that dampener out, since I am not going through that crap again. Putting that oil pan on is so much harder while its in the truck, obviously. I am not really convinced the dampener is needed since I have a double chain anyway.


Anyone else have a story about cam swap when they have a chain dampener and double timing chain?

 

Honestly...I woulda left the cam in there and just lived with it!!

 

I was very, very tempted

 

We definitely do not recommend using the dampner with a double-roller, not for this specific reason though.

 

Could you elaborate? I dont think ive ever heard someone not recommend it or hint it may not work well.

 

**** like this always happens to me..

 

I would like to hear more about this as well.

 

the timing cover bolt next to the compressor . . . it can be taken off/on with a 12pt box wrench

. . . with out taking anything else off

 

timing chain swap

whenever you change out the timing chain, the oil pan will have to be dropped. It's all kinds of fun. Always use a new o-ring. It's not worth it to drop the pan again from no oil pressure . . . . just from trying to save a few bucks on reusing the o-ring

 

10mm ratchet wrench works wonders