I just read about taking out the manual transmission and I realised that i can just shift the engine enough to work on the timing chains. Anybody tried that yet? I don't have space in my rented lockup garage for raising the car high enough. I can drop the subframe and the transmission and transfer case without a problem.

 

I been work on my engine; replace oil pane, replace head gaskets, set the timing chains, all these with out remove the engine, you have to remove a lots of stuffs, included front engine mount, but most of all you need to have small arms and hands, it's tricky to remove the timing chains cover. Unfortunately, just about when I was ready to put things back together, I had a stroke, hospitalized and rehab for two weeks, affect my left arm and left leg, now I start to work on the car SLOWLY.

 

sorry about the stroke. But yeah working on the engine might be good therapy!

i will need to check the gearbox so I might as well shift the engine a little tithe right. Did you use an engine support beam?

 

No, I used another floor jack to support the engine, I'm done with the right timing chain and tensioner yesterday, today I'm work on the left one, have to loosen cam shaft cap to reset the timing, hope it will be done tomorrow, after that every thing will be easy, this is the second times I'm doing this, last time I replaced head gaskets, put it back, the engine didn't start, hope it'll run this time.

 

 

Thanks GOD gives me the will and show me the way, and thank to Thermo and Paul732 gave me the advises.

 

Seeing Thermo selflessly and tirelessly answer strangers' car questions on the internet helps me maintain my faith in humanity.

 

I have the timing chains set (hopefully they're right), I was a happy camper put the cover back in, oil pan and bolt tight up engine mount torque up, ready to install the crankshaft pulley, I found the harmonic balancer ring under the pulley: *#@*damn! You figure it out!

 

After found out I left the harmonic balancer ring out after installed the timing chains cover. You know how you feel after all that hard work for nothing!? Didn't touch the engine for a week. Now I return to working on it, harmonic balancer ring in place, all the bolts of timing chains, power steering pump and oil pan tighten up, thing start getting better and look promising. All this with out remove the engine out of the car, I'll keep you guy inform,

 

thats great Than Nguyen! Keep it going.

Im Preparing to the job myself. Check the chains and tensioners, Change the gearbox, engine end seals, tc seals, intake manifold upper and lower gasket and cam cover seals. Maybe I'll also change the clutch.

i need to buy an engine support bracket, micrometers, alignment pins. Ball joint splitter, slide hammer and steel for fabbing brackets.

is there anything else? Starter motor, alternator rebuild? Overhaul the front struts? Check the water pump?

 

The alternator is difficult to get out, so a rebuild on it may be a good idea.
You do not have your car details in your signature, mileage dictates struts. starter and water pump are not hard to get to when/if they fail.
Jag original parts are good, so be careful replacing working things like the clutch, could be creating a problem if replacement parts are so so/faulty/out of spec/etc

 

Rogelio Serrano If you doing that much works you better remove the engine from the car, it's much easier to work on them. The reason I leave it in the car, because I don't have room to keep the car and the engine in the garage at the same time, the first time when I remove the alternator I have to remove the fan shroud from the top side, if you don't remove the fan shroud, it's impossible to remove the alternator, this time I leave the alternator on top of A/C compressor and remove the timing chains cover.

 

Finally I have every things put together, engine cranked freely but no start, it just like after the engine was over heated and after I replace head gaskets, now I scanned it only give me the code p1000. I suspect the fuel pump or its the driver module; Thermo or some one show me how to check the pump, the relay or the driver module?This is last thing I'm think of; I'm feel very down now!!!