Timing belt issue

[2rue]

TIMING BELT ISSUE I just purchased a 1978 28' Argosy motor home. I've had it a week and discovered, in an unfortunate manner, that it needs a timing belt. Any one know a reasonable backyard mechanic in the Sioux City, Iowa area? Does anyone know the approximate cost of the job? The steps in which the job is done?
Thank you for any info you can provide. I'd sure appreciate it...and I still love this thing!

[Waipio Rim]

Welcome to the club!

Your Argosy will have a timing chain, not a timing belt. You will find several related threads on this forum by searching for "timing chain", here is one:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f159...die-92655.html

Can't help you on a mechanic. With luck, the "unfortunate manner" that brought this up does not include other damage, if not my guess is that the chain will be a full day's work. A lot of stuff has to come off of the front of the engine.

[WineStream]

Waipio is correct that your engine has a timing chain, not a belt. I've not heard much about timing chains going bad...how did you determine that you need a new one?

[perryg114]

The many engines of that era had a cam sprocket that had plastic teeth on it. The teeth would wear out and break. Once the chain slips, you could have bent valves etc from the engine being out of time. All this needs to be checked.

Perry