Timing chain ate my stroker?

[Lightfoot]

I bought my stroker about 3 years and 15k miles ago. I got it as a long block, so until now I had never been inside it. A month ago I started to suspect it was developing a rod knock under load. Last week it got significantly louder, and I decided it was time to pull the engine. After gutting the big iron pig, I found the front two main bearings worn pretty bad, and the teeth on the timing gears chewed to shreds. Everything else looked normal except for some scoring thanks to shavings in the oil. My best guess is that the timing chain was starved of lube and started tearing apart the gears. Shavings from the gears made it into the main bearings and the rest is history. My question is, if this sounds correct, how can I prevent it from happening again? The engine always had good oil pressure, 30+ at idle, and near 60 over 2500. What would cause the timing chain to run dry? and what can I do to improve its oiling?
Let me know what you all think,
Thanks
Lightfoot

'99, 2dr, 4.6, ax-15, 231, 8.8, hp30 wj knucks, 4.56's, 33's

 

[lazyxj]

My question is, if this sounds correct, how can I prevent it from happening again? The engine always had good oil pressure, 30+ at idle, and near 60 over 2500. What would cause the timing chain to run dry? and what can I do to improve its oiling?

You would probably get more responses if this was posted in the Street and Performance forum

 

[xpedition xj-eh!]

Or in the Jeep Strokers forum: http://www.jeepstrokers.com/forum/

 

[Talyn]

It is already posted on Jeepstrokers.com http://www.jeepstrokers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3571

 

[Lightfoot]

Yeah, thanks everyone, but I got it figured out. The original builder installed the rear expansion plug too deep. It caused the cam to rub on the plug, and stick out the front of the block about 1/8th of an inch. This caused misalignment of the timing chain, which tore itself apart and killed my bearings. Its too bad such a small mistake destroyed the whole motor, but at least it's good to know the cause.
Lightfoot

 

[old_man]

Did you make sure that the oil slinger was on the crank as well?

 

[Talyn]

The oil slinger isn't that important. If it wasn't there there is a chance that the balancer could rub the timing cover. Jeep did omit it in later years. Its main use is to prevent the front crank seal from being flooded with oil, not to sling oil on to the chain.

 

[markaboo929]

Yeah, thanks everyone, but I got it figured out. The original builder installed the rear expansion plug too deep. It caused the cam to rub on the plug, and stick out the front of the block about 1/8th of an inch. This caused misalignment of the timing chain, which tore itself apart and killed my bearings. Its too bad such a small mistake destroyed the whole motor, but at least it's good to know the cause.
Lightfoot

Was the cam button spring in there? The distributor actually limits the travel rearward.It must have been real far in the block to do that...

 

[Talyn]

The cam cog limits reward travel.