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Timing gear set from autozone?

Ben824

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Woodstock, GA
Hey all, my 97 XJ's radiator went bad so it's sitting waiting on a new radiator show up on the big brown truck. Meanwhile I have been thinking of swapping out the timing gear set since the old Jeep has 255,000 miles on the clock and likely has some stretch in that old chain. Been doing some research and prices seem about the same across the board and I have seen what the favored brands are.

My question is this, has anyone used a set from autozone with good experience? I have a $20 credit there and would like to use it on this but as we all know, Autozone parts can be hit or miss. I don't mind using them for parts that are and easy swap like a power steering pump or water pump, but something like a timing chain that takes much longer and could have a catastrophic consequences if it fails, I'm a little more hesitant.

So anyone have good luck with their timing gear sets?
 
I stopped using aftermarket parts after a new Crown NSS failed after only 2 years. Do yourself a favor, go with OEM whenever you possibly can. The extra money you spend is worth the aggravation and wasted time and money spent on a do-over.

Use that $20 on some new wiper blades or oil for the next change; pass on the parts. If you have time, you might take a look at the chain first. Mine still looks great at 178k.
 
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Why not test for play? Easy enough, find TDC 1. With the balancer mark on zero, last movement of the balancer clockwise as you are facing the motor to take up the slack. Take the distributor cap off, bend a drinking straw about two inches from the end, duct tape the short end to the distributor rim so the long end is vertical and just touching the rotor. Turn the balancer counterclockwise slowly until the long end of straw moves. See how many degrees of play you have, less than five and you are likely OK, more than seven and you likely need a chain.

An alternative method is to put a timing light on the timing marks. Sometimes a stretched chain will get a harmonic that causes the timing to jump around rhythmically. Sometimes it is just ignition, the computer is constantly trying to adjust the timing. But if you get erratic timing and significant play together you have an issue.

Chains can stretch a lot and never cause any real issues, unless the chain picks up a harmonic. The computer will adjust for a lot in most cases.
 
I bought a Cloyes at AutoZone. They don't advertise it as a Cloyes but the Alt part # matches Cloyes C-3041. So I got to use my $20 from AutoZone! haha But I also got all the gaskets and seals. The chain may or may not be stretched but at 256,000 miles, I would be surprised if it wasn't. Also I think the seal around the crank is leaking. I already have the radiator and everything out trying to replace it so I have all the room I could get to do this so if I was going to do it, now is the time. Next up will be the oil pan gasket and rear main seal for the THIRD time since having this Jeep over the last 12 years. Wish there was a sure fix to really make that stupid rear main last.
 
Many stores use interchangeable part numbers which may or may not be the true Cloyes part. Sometimes its some junk Chinese part. On something like a timing chain where many hours of work are involved in the R/R, my preference is to measure any elogation/stretch and then buy something more likely to have some quality assurance. My time does cost something, maybe not in terms of $, but in terms of something else I could be doing rather than doing it again because I tried to save a few bucks on what may have been a junk part. The 4.0 timing chain setup is pretty straightforward and not as likely to be an issue compared to something like an OHC V8 where there are multiple sprockets, guides, and tensioners. I would try to measure the chain stretch and if stretched over a couple of degrees, determine whether or not the AZ part is a Chinese knockoff or a reputable part before installation. Believe it or not, some parts at AZ are actually quite good.
 
Picked up the set from autozone and it came in a Duralst box. The sprockets have some numerical markings on the and the chain has Morse Made in the USA etched on the links. Found nothing but good things being said about Morse chains and what I coudl find, reports are split on if Cloyes uses them in their gear sets.

But now I have a new question, how do I keep the crank from spinning while trying to use the puller to get the harmonic balancer off?
 
Why do you need to keep from spinning while using a puller?

Shade tree way to remove the bolt is put a cheater bar against the ground and bump the starter. Just make sure you have the cheater bar on the correct side so it doesn't spin around and take out the front end of the engine.
 
My Autozone timing set lasted for about 2.5 years before it stretched out - and that was just from daily city driving. It had well over 1/2" of play when I measured it. I replaced it with a Cloyes 9-3127 double roller.
 
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