Need help removing lower timing chain cover

[PILKINGTONT]

I've been working on changing out my timing chain and so far everything has
gone fine. However, now I'm having rough time getting the lower timing cover
loose so I can remove it. The crankshaft pulley came off fine, then I removed
all the bolts on the timing cover. I even completly removed the waterpump just
to make sure there were no bolts there to hang it up. I also made sure I
removed the four head bolts that connected into the lower chain cover. But the
cover won't budge. I'm sorta freaked out about using something to pry it off. I
don't want to screw up anything.

Anybody have any ideas on what to do? I sure don't.

Thanks,
Tony

[Steve]

Post by PILKINGTONT
I've been working on changing out my timing chain and so far everything
has gone fine. However, now I'm having rough time getting the lower timing
cover loose so I can remove it. The crankshaft pulley came off fine, then
I removed all the bolts on the timing cover. I even completly removed the
waterpump just to make sure there were no bolts there to hang it up. I
also made sure I removed the four head bolts that connected into the lower
chain cover. But the cover won't budge. I'm sorta freaked out about using
something to pry it off. I don't want to screw up anything.

It's glued on with silicon sealer, you're going to have to pry it off to
break the seal. Some of these have a cover bolt that comes in from the back
side i.e. it goes through the block and treads into the cover. Also
depending on the model, the oil pump hangs down into the pan and requires
it be removed as well.

[PILKINGTONT]

Post by Steve
t's glued on with silicon sealer, you're going to have to pry it off to
break the seal. Some of these have a cover bolt that comes in from the back
side i.e. it goes through the block and treads into the cover. Also
depending on the model, the oil pump hangs down into the pan and requires
it be removed as well.

Mine is a 1997 GA16DE. I've already removed the oil pan and part that hangs
down into the pan. That made the access to the timing cover much easier.
According to everything have read on my model, there doesn't appear to be a
bolt coming from the block. I guess then I just need to pry it off like you
said. Any suggestion on which tool would work best.

[Steve]

Post by PILKINGTONT
Mine is a 1997 GA16DE. I've already removed the oil pan and part that
hangs down into the pan. That made the access to the timing cover much
easier. According to everything have read on my model, there doesn't
appear to be a bolt coming from the block. I guess then I just need to pry
it off like you said. Any suggestion on which tool would work best.

Big screw driver! I ussually start by prying between the cover and the lower
part of the block at the bottom of the cover.

[PILKINGTONT]

Thanks for the tip Steve.

I took another good look and found a bolt that I missed. It was buried just
above where the thermostate housing goes in. Once I got that out, I stuck my
big screw driver up there and it popped right off.

It looks like my idler pulley is pretty screwed up. The teeth for the upper
chain are brocken off and pretty worn down. Does the pulley have a bearing or
bushing in the middle of it? Also, is the bolt supposed to come out of the
pulley when you take it off, or is it part of the pulley. I got the bolt off
from the block, but can't get it out of the pulley. I guess I'll have to take
off the cam gears to get the top chain off.

Tony....

[Steve]

Post by PILKINGTONT
Thanks for the tip Steve.
I took another good look and found a bolt that I missed. It was buried
just above where the thermostate housing goes in. Once I got that out, I
stuck my big screw driver up there and it popped right off.
It looks like my idler pulley is pretty screwed up. The teeth for the
upper chain are brocken off and pretty worn down. Does the pulley have a
bearing or bushing in the middle of it?

Bushing.

Post by PILKINGTONT
I guess
I'll have to take off the cam gears to get the top chain off.

Yep, before you do anything else, -mark- everything with paint dots as
some of the aftermarket chain kits don't have any marks on anything. Makes
life less complex later.

[PILKINGTONT]

Post by Steve
Yep, before you do anything else, -mark- everything with paint dots as
some of the aftermarket chain kits don't have any marks on anything. Makes
life less complex later.

I found a pretty big mess in there once I got the cover off. The idler sprocket
was pretty darn screwed up. Found most of the sprocket's teeth in the oil pan
when I removed it. The top chains look like they may have jumped a few links,
(Don't ask me how), so I don't know if anything is where it's supposed to be in
terms of alignment. I'm also wondering if I might have a bent valve or two
since the pistons and valves got out of sync when the idler sprocket quit
moving the upper chain. The pistons kept moving, but not the valves -- not good
I'm sure.

I'm thinking about going ahead and just taking the head off and getting a valve
job while I'm at it. Might save me some grief later when I put it back together
only to discover it has a bent valve and have to tear it apart again.

[Steve]

Post by PILKINGTONT
I'm thinking about going ahead and just taking the head off and getting a
valve job while I'm at it. Might save me some grief later when I put it
back together only to discover it has a bent valve and have to tear it
apart again.

Yep probably a very good idea as you aren't that far away at this point.

I'd be thinking about looking at a rod bearing or two if there is a bunch
of trash in the pan. Sometimes with certain oil filters (non-nissan), they
go into "bypass" when the engine is cold and can pass that garbage through
the bottom end. Seems like frams are the worst about that with their "micro
filtration".

[Roland Thai]

if you have a timing chain why do you need to replace it? I thought that
was the purpose of the chain versus the belt...

Post by PILKINGTONT
I've been working on changing out my timing chain and so far everything has
gone fine. However, now I'm having rough time getting the lower timing cover
loose so I can remove it. The crankshaft pulley came off fine, then I removed
all the bolts on the timing cover. I even completly removed the waterpump just
to make sure there were no bolts there to hang it up. I also made sure I
removed the four head bolts that connected into the lower chain cover. But the
cover won't budge. I'm sorta freaked out about using something to pry it off. I
don't want to screw up anything.
Anybody have any ideas on what to do? I sure don't.
Thanks,
Tony

[PILKINGTONT]

If you have a timing chain why do you need to replace it? I thought that
was the purpose of the chain versus the belt...

The Chains look fine, however, the chain guides are screwed up and the chain
doesn't work correctly.

[Steve]

Post by Roland Thai
if you have a timing chain why do you need to replace it? I thought that
was the purpose of the chain versus the belt...

In design, yes that is the idea. But in practice many chain engines have
problems arount the 120K miles point, mostly broken chain guides.

[yd25in2minds]

chop response!