DIY Timing Chain

Im going to give it a crack!
I've read alot and found some really useful guides. And have most of the tools required.
Any which way I look at it, its just getting dearer and dearer.
Main reason is if I buy a single row kit $650, it doesn't come with a vacuum gear. And any kit that does needs to be rebuilt as the shaft spline got changed so also needs to come out.
If I buy a double row kit it through yd25 its $1600 and a double sprocket for vacuum pump on standard (older) shaft.
If I buy engines australia double row kit it comes with a vacuum pump rebuild kit for vacuum pump $1200.
This is just the kit prices, ontop is $1000 labour to get installed.
If I do it myself its would be $1200 plus say $200 in additional tools. And Time (a good weekend). Then oil and coolant, gasket goop and carby cleaner.

Anyone installed their own?
Any pointers or problems you've come across?

The D40 is the easier of the two to do. The D22 is a bitch. You can do the D40 one from the front of the engine without the need to remove the sump. The YD25 kit has just been updated and it has been tweaked again so Paul has told me. Even though I have the D22, I would install mine myself if I had my time again.

It seems just time consuming. Rather than hard to do!

Make sure you use a tool to lock scissor gear before you take it off paint mark all gears. I didn't lock scissor gear or mark it can through out the balance shaft.

Thanks mate will do for sure

Get lots of pictures as you go, that way you have something to look at when you can't remember how things go together. And as an added bonus you can post a 'how to' for the rest of us.

So the money has started depleting......
1200 kit with grey gasket goop and a tube of machine oil.
Tools I decided to buy some good quality torx bits $130 and a torque wrench $200 b&w to cover most range of nm. (Wanted the wrench for a while)
$20 prybars and smallish gear puller $25
Harmonic Ballancer puller $40
And yes ill be getting picks.

Watch the dowel pin as you remove the cover if it drops out it will end up in the sump that will require an motor removal to retrieve.

Done... wow what a difference!
Ill post as much info as I can soon.
And the issues..

Pics and a write up would be much appreciated

This thread could end up being a valuable tool for stacks of YD25 owners.

A good write up so admin can "STICKY" it is really needed for this job.

I can imagine a more then a few want to try it but it would seem a very daunting task.

Its not hard, its time consuming and tools are required.
2008 ST-X D40
Ok to start off with I bought the Engines Australia kit duel row.
I researched kits and prices
Nissan – Not going to bother
Engines Australia - single row = $650 (no vacuum pump sprocket and if its stuffed, its a pump) - Double row $1200 (with vacuum pump sprocket and new shaft)
YD25.com – Double row only $1600 (vacuum pump sprocket to suit old shaft)
Kit was good price but the guides are **** and sloppy when in place (2-3mm too much play IMO). My guides were in fairly good condition so I kept some and replaced the tension guides.
It was the vacuum pump sprocket a little worn and the chain had stretched but no other real wear in my engine
I used two main parts of information
Service manual
http://www.navara.asia/showthread.php?t=3935
Duplex chain guide - Written by Richard Stock, with the help of Darren Ball
http://www.nissan-navara.net/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=46729
Note: Nissan-navara.net is a good source of info, some don’t like other people’s opinion and can be very rude!
Tools
The main tools required were,
socket kit metric 10 -12 -14 mm mainly, but full kit required to 24mm (3/4 impact for crank bolt)
Spanner kit metric
Torx and E-torx kits
Prybar kit
Gear remover and/or crank puller (I used a large 3 leg puller for all)
Breaker Bar it says large in guide, add 2-3m of pipe for crank (ITS TIGHT)
And a made a crank tool to stop it from spinning. Steel bar and 2 H/D BOLTS
Torque wrench to tighten everything to spec. (YES THE BOLTS WILL SNAP IF NOT DONE)
6mm drill bit or I used 6mm phillips head bit for my drill
Wire coat hanger (most are about 3-4mm)

My foot is size 13

I followed most of the guide I downloaded, Used the manual to understand were things are and all torque settings.
1. strip engine cover, drain coolant and oil
2. remove radiator shroud and fans then radiator (can do without but room is easier) and hoses (I wired up AC radiator and cover if want to)
3. remove belts and pully’s etc
4. undo throttle body keep gasket safe
5. undo EGR Drivers side and all brackets, leave bolted to exhaust and just bend out of way.

This will take a while, im uploading picks from phone and typing on computer

6. Remove secondary timing cover/ inspection cover
7. loosen crank bolt the move to top dead center. Picture in guide will show markings

Its very tight, breaker bar tool and 3/4 impact socket

8. Take off crank pully,
9. Undo primary timing case as per guide and don’t forget there are 3 bolts from sump before prying 14 bolts all up. (case will crack if not taken out)
10. Spray everything clean with brake cleaner and dry
11. Insert 6mm bit into main gear and Mark the gear below crank longways too. (I didn't)

The coat hanger is to put inbetween the lowest gear so when reinstall of ballencer gear it doesnt go out of wack.

this is when you take many pictures of where all the chain and sprocket marking are at top dead center. mine was as the guide shows and everything was in line. but mark any way.