1989 B2600i got cheap, but needs timing chain - help

My son and I have just bought our FIRST MAZDA TRUCK ! A 1989 Mazda B2600i 4X4 Cab Plus ( extended cab ). We got it as a project and are working to get it running. See pics. We towed it 80 miles in the pouring rain (behind my Dodge RAM HEMI). Engine would turn over but wouldn't start. We t/shot a while, discovered that the Timing chain and rotor button won't move or turn while engine is turning over attempting to start. We are confident the chain is broken down in the bottom by the CRANK Shaft, OR the Crank gears could have stripped out from previous ownership. Truck had 2 previous owners. We are the third. It has 161,000 miles on it. What we are wondering is if anyone out there has experience changing out the TIMING CHAIN on this L4 2.6 liter 4 cylinder Engine??? We are using a HAYNES MANUAL, going step by step. It seems crazy that to change out the chain, we would have to remove the head, remove the entire oil pan off the block etc, and all the front pulleys, water pump, front engine housing, etc.

Does anyone know of any better methods that have been discovered, and also, during re-assembly, are there better covers(upgrades) that have been invented or HIGH PERFORMANCE things we could look at doing instead of replacing the STOCK parts ? Also, is this the known TROUBLE Engine, or the "better one" we have heard roomers about ?

Yes! You will have to pull the oil pan to get the timing cover off.
It is a pain to have to do this, but they are neat engines I think.
Here are some pics from my 1991 truck(s)....it is the same exact engine but your 1989 has a different style distributor......yours has a vacuum adv. to it whereas the 90-93 do not. Your computer is a one year only also, because of this, so if it is messed up, you'll need to get the one for that 1989 year, or have yours repaired by AvPro or another company like them.
The computers in these trucks (1989-1993 G6 computers) have 2 capacitors in them that will leak and cause corrosion on the ECU board......only the original capacitors leaked, if the computer is repaired, it will be fine from then on. You can remove the computer from the truck (under the pass. side kick panel) open it up and look at the board to see if it has any corrosion.

I have pics of mine I can post up if you need to see them.

Here are a few pics of the engine from my 1991 B2600i 2WD truck so you can see what your getting into. It will be a good father & son project for you two! And if ya need any help, just holler!





































Get the FePro or Mazda head gasket when you put it back together.



The FelPro has an orange O-ring for the oil passage nipple that supplies oil to the head and rocker assembly....this O-ring is almost the same size as the fuel injector O-rings....but not quite! It's nice to have it a certain color to differentiate it from the inj. O-rings when you get a complete gasket kit!!

More of the oil pickup tube, and the main reason for you to have to remove the oil pan to get the front timing cover off!





I think it's easier to pull the engine rather than laying under the truck on my back so much, but I do have the tools to do this also.

And some other pics.













Keep us posted and if you need help, just ask! Oh, BTW, just click or right click the pictures and you can "open" the image so it is full size then......a little easier to see then! And welcome to the forum!!

Wow,
you have been incredibly helpful to my son and I. We just sat through and viewed all the photo's and read your comments. Only wish we have the shop and tools and expertise. We don't have an engine lift or engine stand. We have our 2 car garage we are working in, using only a HAYNES MANUAL and Tools. I used to tool around a lot on Muscle cars when I was young and owned a few Chevelles ( 67 and a 72, both 350 4 bolt main ) -- anyway, with today's kids, safety, etc, our son wanted a Truck and I felt it best to get something we could work on and learn. Our biggest fear is not getting this done the smartest way. We could make some minor modifications but are not sure all the little secrets that are going on these days to do it smarter. Things like, should we upgrade the radiator to a newer one, this one seems damaged, but since we bought the truck and it didn't run, we really aren't sure what else we should fix while we are working on it. Oh, How in the world do you get all the OIL PAN Bolts out, whithout removing the engine ? There are some bolts I can't even see, let alone get to, any special wrenches or tools, ...help ? Also, what brand names should we be using for parts for : Timing Chain and Gaskets ? Is it smarter to purchase the timing chain KIT or just the chain? Should we have the HEAD CLEANED and machined before putting back on?(about $100.00 at a Head place here).
Thank you for any and all help. This is the greatest webpage in the world !

Axel Breaker Earl is second to no one when it comes to his photo essays!!!

No problem man!
Mines a 2WD truck so yours being a 4WD could have a skid plate or something in the way, also there are brackets that connect/stiffen the connection of the engine and trans, so you might need to remove those as well.
I don't have many underside pics but here is some of my truck.







Have the head pressure tested (before they do any work on it!) to make sure it is not cracked anywhere. These B2600i heads a famous for cracking if it is overheated, so yes, make sure the cooling system is in good working order before you drive it much. After you get it going again, then put a new radiator in it or have the old one gone through.

I like FelPro gaskets, or better yet Mazda ones, but they are more expensive most of the time. Check out Rockauto.com for timing chains and gear sets.....you may be able to just put new chains and chain guides on it and use the original gears.....that's what I'm doing on the one I'm putting together now, but make that decision after you look them over first.
You should just need regular tools to do the motor work, the hardest thing to do is to get the harmonic balancer bolt off, and a impact wrench works good on that, just don't use it to tighten it, use a torque wrench and tighten it to spec.

On a side note, here's my muscle car, and yeah, my oldest son thought he was going to con me into letting him drive it to his prom when he was in high school!

I'm feeling the love baby!

Thanks for all the tips and help. We discovered something very weird today. I mentioned that when we were turning engine over and over, it turned over fine, with all the belts on, the crank Pully turned round and around, but the CAM and TIMING CHAIN didn't MOVE. Well, while continuing our dissasembly, we discovered the MAIN CRANK SHAFT BOLT that holds the Crank Pulley on(3 pulleys in one), was loose and almost 1/2 way OUT. I removed the bolt, it looks perfect, no damage and I could put a rag around the CRANK PULLEY AND NUDGE AND TURN IT, With some diffifulty, but it turned, and the timing chain and CAM didn't move at all. Then I re-installed the CRANK BOLT. Once in, all the way, I then put a wrench on the CRANK BOLT AND CAREFULLY Turned the crank around, then the timing chain turned fine AND CAM TURNED FINE. I removed the CRANK BOLT Again, removed pulley, put pulley back on, but NOT the BOLT. I attempted to hand turn the CRANK BY HOLDING THE PULLEY, and it turned a bit AND THE TIMING CHAIN AND THE CAM TURNED. Is there still something wrong inside the Crank/Timing Gears? or, is there a MECHANICAL SAFETY of some kind that, when the CRANK/PULLEY BOLT LOOSENS A LOT, THE TIMING CHAIN DOESN'T MOVE AND CAM doesn't move ? HELP - CONFUSED NOW.. DO I STILL NEED TO REMOVE EVERYTHING AND CHECK OUT ALL THE GEARS? MAYBE JUST THE MAIN CRANK BOLT CAUSED ALL THIS, BUT NOW, IT WOULD MECHANICALLY OUT OF TIME NOW, Correct ? HELP -- Thanks --

Oh,,... VERY NICE Goat you have there !!! Havn't seen a GTO that clean in a while. Love it !

It sounds like you may have lost the key that keeps the gear in position on the crank.

Thanks for the compliment!

Well, something is not right for sure. If you turn the crank, the cam should turn also. Keep in mind that the cam turns 1 revolution for every 2 revolutions that the crank turns, but if you turned the crank any noticeable amount, there should be some cam movement as well.
You need to take a few more pictures and post them here so we can see whats going on also.

The 21mm crank bolt really just holds the harmonic balancer (HB) on the end of the crank, there is a 2" long key that keeps the harmonic balancer, crankshaft balance chain gear, crank timing chain gear, and the oil pump drive sleeve all in the correct position on the crankshaft nose. If that has broken or messed up from the crank bolt being loose, then you might be looking at having to replace the crankshaft.
BUT, lets not jump to conclusions yet.......how far have you got the engine disassembled? Is the valve cover removed yet?

Here is a pic with the HB removed.......you can see the flat sides of the oil pump drive sleeve and how the keyway & key go through it.



Here you can see how long the crank snout is, and how the key & keyway hold all the gears and such in place on the crank snout.





Here's a pic of the crank snout with the long key in it's keyway.



And another view of the crank snout.