VS Ecotec Timing Chain

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OZ38
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Re: VS Ecotec Timing Chain

Post by OZ38 »

When I recently fired up my Super6 engine which was sitting for a couple of years during the rebuild it would not get oil pressure. It had previously had pre-priming done through a side oil gallery plug (after the oil pump), as well as I left the oil pump packed with vaso. But after multiple turns of the engine while setting things up it had obviously squeezed it out from around the gears. I had already filled the oil filter before start up so that hadn't worked. I tried filling through the oil pressure switch but that didn't work. So in the end I had to remove the oil filter adapter block & make up a plate with fittings to bolt on & force prime through it with a converted fire extinguisher/oil primer I had made previously.
Finally she had oil pressure.

With the Single Row Timing chain I prefer to used genuine stock multi link type, as they wear against the new tensioners slipper pad better than the aftermarket chain link type.
Was there a name stamped on the side of the links of the JP Timing chain ?
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vlad01
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Re: VS Ecotec Timing Chain

Post by vlad01 »

yeah thats a JP performance chain. some sellers that list roll master actually ship you a JP one. I only heard about them recently and seemed to have come out of the wood work. Don't know much about that brand.
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VSRaptor
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Re: VS Ecotec Timing Chain

Post by VSRaptor »

OZ38 wrote:When I recently fired up my Super6 engine which was sitting for a couple of years during the rebuild it would not get oil pressure. It had previously had pre-priming done through a side oil gallery plug (after the oil pump), as well as I left the oil pump packed with vaso. But after multiple turns of the engine while setting things up it had obviously squeezed it out from around the gears. I had already filled the oil filter before start up so that hadn't worked. I tried filling through the oil pressure switch but that didn't work. So in the end I had to remove the oil filter adapter block & make up a plate with fittings to bolt on & force prime through it with a converted fire extinguisher/oil primer I had made previously.
Finally she had oil pressure.

With the Single Row Timing chain I prefer to used genuine stock multi link type, as they wear against the new tensioners slipper pad better than the aftermarket chain link type.
Was there a name stamped on the side of the links of the JP Timing chain ?

Well it was a crow cam box I got from Repco, the chain has a JWS stamped on it.
Anyway it fired up perfectly, a small tick noise for about 3 secs then disappeared. The cold starts are instant now, used to be like 5 to 6 cranks on a cold morning.
I didn't take into consideration the tensioner wear against the aftermarket chain. I guess the aftermarket won't stretch like the stock version.
I have a small cheap android camera you plug into your mobile, if I remove the cam sensor, I be able to check once a year for wear.
Also I read somewhere a while back about someone removing that cam sensor and filling some oil into that hole to help prime it up. Never had to try but probably worth to keep in mind.
OZ38
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Re: VS Ecotec Timing Chain

Post by OZ38 »

VSRaptor wrote:Also I read somewhere a while back about someone removing that cam sensor and filling some oil into that hole to help prime it up. Never had to try but probably worth to keep in mind.
Nah that wont work as oil will just drain to sump. The Oil Pump being all in cased as you know, with the only ports into it from the sump pick up or the oil filter adapter housing.

The marking on your timing chain is good as it is the German brand that Rollmaster use. I think JP originally used another brand chain at first, which didn't work out to well for them or a lot of users of their chain kits.
But in saying that, a lot of failures have pointed back to faults with install & setting up on the double row timing chain kits.
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Re: VS Ecotec Timing Chain

Post by VSRaptor »

Just enlarged the photo and yes it is a jwis, a tiny i between the w and the s letters. I read they are the choice of chains for Mercedes and BMW. What sort of mileage does the tensioner itself last? I guess this type of chain should last longer than the factory version?
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OZ38
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Re: VS Ecotec Timing Chain

Post by OZ38 »

VSRaptor wrote:Just enlarged the photo and yes it is a jwis, a tiny i between the w and the s letters. I read they are the choice of chains for Mercedes and BMW. What sort of mileage does the tensioner itself last? I guess this type of chain should last longer than the factory version?
Tensioner wear on stock set ups can last over 300,000k's. But it ready depends on the load it sees & how much the chain stretches. If you ran heavier valvesprings to, then the wear really increases.
Those broken bits of old Tensioner usually end up in the oil pick strainers causing oil starvation issues. Good thing you had the sump off to clean them out ?
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Re: VS Ecotec Timing Chain

Post by VSRaptor »

Most of the tensioner guide was in the sump but the oil pickup screen had some but lucky it wasn't fully blocked. If I did go heavier springs etc, I'd go for a double row, remove balance shaft and get a proper balance etc. The heads are not even leaking at all. Looking at the gasket, it is a composite type material. The factory fitted good quality gaskets apart from the inlet manifold which I replaced with a mace aluminium type. The front timing cover gasket was like the V8 intake manifold type material but with a small bead line of rubber in the middle along the whole gasket to prevent oil or coolant leak. That came off without leaving anything behind. I still gave it a scrap with a blade and a light 600 wet/dry rub down.

When I 1st bought it 6 years ago, the passenger side rocker cover was leaking, the drivers side was fine but I replaced both anyway. I read that the passenger rocker covers always leak. Why is that??
OZ38
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Re: VS Ecotec Timing Chain

Post by OZ38 »

VSRaptor wrote:
When I 1st bought it 6 years ago, the passenger side rocker cover was leaking, the drivers side was fine but I replaced both anyway. I read that the passenger rocker covers always leak. Why is that??
Not really sure, but that does seem to be true. May be the PCV is not working that well (gummed up) & is adding a bit of extra pressure around the rubber rocker cover seals. But why the passengers side is affected more I could not say.
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Re: VS Ecotec Timing Chain

Post by VSRaptor »

The PCV was fine, not blocked or gunked up. The passenger engine mount was gone but the driver's side was fine. I guess when the engine is under load, it tilts to the drivers side putting more stress on the left mount. I have read that people with hotted up ecotecs put the tuff mount on the passenger side and leave the driver's side standard for smoothness.
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