So, before anyone says "change it"... I know I know... I will! I'm just saving up for a house and trying to not spend money if I don't have to.

Anyway, on my 22RE with unknown mileage, the upper-most part of the driver's side timing guide is broken off. I am getting a constant timing chain noise, the plastic rattle sound, and it happens all the time, not just after letting off the throttle (typical sound when the tensioner goes) There are no marks on the timing cover yet, so the chain is not hitting that.

Question is how long can it go like this without snapping the chain? I know there is no exact answer.. Has anyone driven their 22RE in this condition for a few months or more?

This engine is not far off from a rebuild, and I would rather wait until then to dig into it if I can. The truck isn't necessary for work, just camping trips that are 1-2 hrs away, so I guess it's no big deal if I snap the thing.

 

Usually, breaking of the chain is not the mode of failure, but if the chain does break, or jump teeth, most of the valves may be bent, and the head itself may be damaged when the cam timing is lost.

Most commonly, the chain wears into the timing cover and the coolant then floods the crankcase. Damage is caused by ensuing engine overheating and subsequent rod and main bearing damage from contact with coolant.

Either happenstance is avoidable by early repair, or letting the machine sit idle until repairs can be made.

If it is noisy, stop operating it until suitable repair, or rebuild can be made.

Don't be a dollar waiting on a dime. The cheap often ends up very expensive.

 

Good to know that the typical failure is the timing cover and not the chain breaking. I think I can get a couple of camping trips out of her still... Timing cover is still untouched by the chain.

 

Be warned! I have replaced my 22r chain several times in the past twenty some years and the last time it rattled rather loudly and I kept putting it off. I was heading down the road and it started running rough, popping and banging. It did that off and on for a few days. The last time I barely made it home and I figured I had a timing issue but never dreamed it was the chain since it was ok one time and not the next. Turned out the hydraulic tensioner took a crap Don't get too far from home.......

 

Yeah, no doubt. I decided I want to do a head before the bottom end, so I don't want to snap the chain and bang up the pistons.

Engnbldr head is on the way, along with a ton of other parts, timing kit included

 

I've learned (the hard way) that cheap aftermarket timing chains last about a year before they start rattling noisily. My solution was a factory chain from a Toyota dealer. Pricey but ten years and counting now.

 

My last timing set went bad around 40k miles. It was a very cheap Napa set, $30 or so. The tensioner failed catastrophically. The drivers guide snapped off like yours and my timing cover was destroyed where the chain rides around the crank gear. I think the rest of the kit was fine, just the tensioner was crap.

Engnbldr does a really good thing by replacing the dnj tensioner with osk. That should keep that kit going for 100k miles.