4.7l timing chain very loose.HELP

Ok so i got this 2003 1500 4.7l about a year ago. Has 180k miles and when i got it i decided to change some gaskets and replace the timing components with new ones. After putting the timing chains and tensioners on i noticed the passenger side timing chain had alot of slack in it even though the tensioner was fully extended.
People told me it was fine. So after putting it back together and starting it, it had a LOUD knocking sound because the loose chain was slapping the chain guide and the tensioner itself was fully extended. Well i left it because the truck ran normal. But after a month the chain guide broke because it was getting smacked up and down by the loose timing chain and when it broke it bent all my valves and had to rebuild the head.
So after fixing the head and putting all new timing components on again for the 2nd time the same passenger side chain is still loose. It has alot of slack in it even when the tensioner is fully extended. I cant seem to figure out why there is so much slack in the chain. And if i leave it like that then all i get is a LOUD knocking sound when the truck is running. Ive watched a ton of videos of people timing these motors and i timed it all correctly but still have a ton of slack in the chain.
Has anyone ran into this issue before and fixed it?

First of all you need new people A loose timing chain is never OK ESPECIALLY on a 4.7.

I have heard this before and without looking at the motor I can't tell you what is wrong.

If you replace all 3 gears, replace the chains with decent quality chains, get tensioners and guides from a reputable vendor in theory everything should be very tight with room for the tensioners to extend as natural wear occurs.

I couldn't figure out what happened with the last case here either. It was either bad chain, bad tensioners, bad install (perhaps shoulder bolts on guides replaced with standard threaded bolt) but something is wrong.

Re-disassemble your motor and figure it out before you destroy anything else. Please.

OK you ARE the previous guy that posted about the timing chain issue. I'm about ready to drive to your house and fix your truck LOL.

Because of your "past" problems I would be looking into the hardware attaching the guides to make sure it is all OEM and someone didn't replace it with smaller screws.

Yea man thanks for the help.yea i had this problem before and cant seem to figure it out. Ive bought 2 different timing kits already and everything is the same. The chains are the same exact length all the gears and tensioners and guides are the same as the original OEM ones i removed the first time.
But what i dont get is when i first removed everything the first time everything was tight and then when i put it back together its loose.
Ive been a mechanic for 15years now and have never ran into an issue like this but i dont have too much experience on these v8s..im going to take it all back apart and get some pictures and videos so you really can see what im talking about

So i was thinking.there are 2 different timing kits for the 4.7l and ive always bought the ones that are for my model but is it possible that i need the other one?
I dont know the difference between the 2 but im thinking maybe ive been using the wrong timing kit. Does anyone know the difference between the 2? Are the pulleys or chains different?
Because the ones ive been using the passenger chain has so much slack in it that it looks like you would need to remove a link or two just to keep the tensioner from fully extending

JAMMAN said:

OK you ARE the previous guy that posted about the timing chain issue. I'm about ready to drive to your house and fix your truck LOL.

Because of your "past" problems I would be looking into the hardware attaching the guides to make sure it is all OEM and someone didn't replace it with smaller screws.

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do you have some sort of picture or something to show me what the oem screws look like? because i put the same bolts back into the guide arms that i first removed the first time i took everything apart.
I just dont understand how the driver side could be nice and tight like it should be while the passenger side has so much slack in it. the chains are the same exact length. When i got the truck the timing was normal everything was tight now ive gone through 2 different timing kits and still have this loose chain.
ive been watching videos online of people doing the timing and they are doing it the same way i am and all the hardware and timing components look exactly like what im using.

ALSO just to be sure but are BOTH tensioners are supposed to have that metal plate behind them, like between the tensioner and block?

The 2 different ones are for the JTEC motor or the NGC. If you got cam gears also (the passenger side one has a metal ring with slots in it) and it ran you got the right one LOL. Yours is surely the NGC as the 4.7 was only JTEC in 2002.

If you didn't get gears maybe that is the problem, the gears can wear and cause the looseness. My passenger side was warn more then driver side I wonder why.

Is it apart yet?


****CORRECTION***** The 4.7 in a ram 1500 truck was JTEC in 2002 only. There were some dakotas and durangos that used the JTEC ECU

OOPS you said the screw. I know the pivot screw for the live arm (the one that is pushed by the tensioners) is a shoulder bolt. I forgot what the other 4 looked like.

JAMMAN said:

OOPS you said the screw. I know the pivot screw for the live arm (the one that is pushed by the tensioners) is a shoulder bolt. I forgot what the other 4 looked like.

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yes every timing kit i bought i got brand new gears with it. so an entire new timing components.
And yes the guide arm that the tensioner pushes on is that smooth type bolt that allows the arm to move freely.
Im going to take it apart tomorrow when i get home from work, been busy all week. and ill get some pictures then.

Ok so i pulled everything apart and the passenger side tensioner and chain guide were broken.
I ordered another timing kit so when it comes in ill put it together and get some pictures and videos of the loose chain issue

Okay so just an update i got another timing kit and after installing it the chain was still loose so i tried adding a little more tension on the chain connected to the idler sprocket and crank sprocket and it tightened up the passenger chain quite a bit and everything looked normal.

I went ahead and put it all back together and i started it up and everything was running fine until about a few minutes running and the knocking sound came back and the chain became loose again.
Ive came to the conclusion to trade the vehicle in because it will just break again in a couple months.

U were supposed to take pictures while it was apart so we could possibly spot something wrong.

But I understand you wanting to give up this thing has taken you on a ride. Mine runs great but after what it put me through I can never love it like I did when I took it for a first drive.

I was going to take some pictures but when i put the timing components on everything was looking good and tight.the chains didnt have all the slack in it like before so i figured it was good to go. And when i started it up it ran good with no knocking noise. Shortly after the knocking sound came back so i pulled the valve cover off and seen the chain had slack in it again.smh

Did u ever figure out u r issue with the chain slack with u r new chains ..I'm having the same issues an it has me stumped An need to figure it out any help would be Great

Did u ever figure out the issue I'm having same trouble an I'm getting close to pushing it in the lake

I had to rebuild my 2002 dodge ram 4.7 after some valve seats droped. i had the heads/block/crank/piston rods all redone at a shop and got all new pistons/rings/bearings/oil pump, gaskets/seals. anyways i also got a new timing kit from ebay for "a good deal" bout $100.

After puting everything back togather started the engine it seemed to run fine but was a loud ticking sound near passenger side valve cover front near ac unit sounded like taping or knocking thought maybe lifter becouse it got faster with more rpm.

took valve covers off and found the chain had slack, put it to tdc everything still lined up with the v8 marks. after checking heads looked good and i had good oil pressure bout 40-80psi and compression 150-165. i hoped it wasnt piston slap or bearing problem, so i had to look to the timing kit maybe new tensioner was bad.

so i bought a new timing kit the best one like $400 (kit looked same as cheap one). i got the kit and noticed one difference it came with the back plate that goes behind tensioner for the left side and NOT the right. after reseaching more i learned
NO PLATE GOES BEHIND RIGHT TENSIONER ONLY LEFT SIDE.

I then replaced the timing kit again with new good stuff WITHOUT a back plate on right tensioner put everything back togather and it ran great with no knocking and chain was good no slack.

noob mistake on my part i should of noticed the original didnt have a plate on right side but the new "cheap" kit came with plates for both sides so i installed thinking it was right. smh lucky no bent valves.

hope this helps someone, have a good one