2.8 MPFI broken timing chain?

[Justin]

Long time no post. I was driving my '89 CS this weekend, rounded a corner, shifted into 3rd and dumped the clutch, the engine died. Cranks over irregularly, rocker arm not moving as viewed through the oil fill hole. I'm pretty sure the timing chain with 186k broke, I'm just wondering how many people get by with just slapping a chain in there and running it? I hope i can get by with it, otherwise I've got a good 2.8 to throw in there, but the chain would be much easier. I searched and saw that turbosedan broke one and saved it, but nobody really had a definitive answer for him as to whether or not it was that common to bend valves. I hope that since I had just shifted that my rpm's were low enough that it didn't do much damage, I'm assuming the hard shift snapped it. It was weird because I was on gravel too, usually the tires break loose a little. Guess I hooked up this time.

Long story short, for the non-readers:

How good a chance do I have of saving my motor?

[ForcedFirebird]

You won't know untill you dig in, hope all is well.

[Carlspike]

If the chain is broke then put a new one on it and then do a compression check. I dunno if that engine is interference or not.

[1988GTU]

Of all my 60*v6 MPFI's I have owned and the ones to break the t chain fubared the valves. The weirdest one to break the chain was when I went to leave in the morning for work I cranked it over it kinda/sorta wanted to start then I heard a ping. Pulled the cover off later that evening, it was broke.


.02

[Justin]

Yeah, it seems much more likely that it did bend them after doing a little research. I guess I'll take my other 2.8 with new top end gaskets and throw in there, probably jerk the front cover and oil pan off and regasket them at the same time, also new timing set and oil pump. Should be good for another 150,000 then. Thanks for the advice.

[Ed_Mc.]

Don't forget to change the timing damper too! The rubber 'slipper' shoes wear down or crack and fall off, then the timing chain goes metal-on-metal until it wears thru the damper, catches an edge and snaps.

Had the same experience on my Trooper (now with a 3.4), when I bought it the chain in the 2.8 had snapped. Fortunately didn't bend any valves but that's probably a RWD cast-iron-head thing.

HTH & G'luck........ed