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22re Motor...Problem with timing chain

I am rebuilding a 22re motor for my toyota pickup truck. The motor is the original. I bought a rebuilt head off of ebay that a guy had purchased from a junkyard and couldnt use due to his damaged cracked engine block. My old head kept chewing up cam shafts so I bought this head. I ended up rebuilding the whole motor because I had a knock in the motor that ended up being a spun bearing. When I had purchased the cam for my old head it came as a whole kit and included the timing chain and gears in it. Everything has been coming up great puting the motor together. My problem is the new chain I bought with the cam kit will not fit. I dont know if this is a different head from the one I had before. What I need is a longer chain. It is off by only 1 or 2 links. I just went to pep boys tonight to buy another timing chain incase mine was just a falty one. They are identical. I remember it being insanely tight with the old head too. I cant even get the sprocket on the cam with this head. Any ideas?

Reply to
grh7526
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The chains are different from an original 22R and the later 22REC. If your head has ROUND exhaust ports and the pistons are domes, then it is an original 22R from '79 - '84. Pear shaped exhaust ports and flat pistons designate the later 22REC, '85 - '95.

The 22R has a longer chain than the 22REC. The block and head thicknesses are different between the 2 engines. This also affects some of the brackets for the power steering pump and others.

Before '84 most of the 22R's had double row chains and steel backed chain guides. This setup is far far better than the later single row chains and plastic guides.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

Then is it possible to put this head on my 22re motor with a 79-84 timing chain? Thank You

Reply to
grh7526

Then is it possible to put this head on my 22re motor with a 79-84 timing chain? Thank You

Reply to
grh7526

22R and 22REC heads are not interchangeable. The blocks and heads are specific to those models.

A 22R head is thicker because the dome of the piston actually fits up into the head.

22REC heads are thinner because the piston is flat on top.

If both engines are carbureted

If your engine is a 22R then you will have to find a 22R head or get your existing head rebuilt.

Used heads go for around $75 to $100 from a junkyard, and a simple cleaning and pressure test should cost under $100 at an automotive machine shop.

Many of the other parts are interchangeable between the engines, such as; rocker arms, cam, and the main crank.

Because the blocks are different, the timing chain cover, water pump and oil pump are also different, and require the correct gaskets.

Make sure to specify the year of the engine to the parts store. '84 and earlier is 22R, '85 and later is usually 22REC, but there were a few '85's with 22R's.

BTW 22R, 22RE, and 22REC can be a bit confusing if you look in a factory manual.

Toyota called all the engines from '79 to '95 22R's if they were carbureted, and 22RE if they were fuel injected.

The 22REC can be fuel injected or carbureted. Also the 22RTEC, is the turbo engine and has a different head and block from all the others because of extra oil and coolant passages for the turbo.

I think at last count I have six or seven 22R and 22REC heads in my shop. Some are damaged, and some haven't been cleaned up yet.

I keep spares around now just in case.

I have 2 toy trucks I keep running, so I stock lots of spare parts.

Craigslist has been an excellent source of parts for me here in Seattle.

Sometimes it is cheaper to get a whole junker truck just for the parts you can strip off, and then resell the body.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

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