Upper chain snapped and broke the upper guide and upper tensioner. Intake sprocket missing a tooth. That is all the damage I could see at dusk.

Question is where to find a chain kit? I have looked around on-line. The local stores have a chain, but no sprockets or upper tesioner. Parts train has a kit for $600 ( I guess they send a guy out to install it).

Does anyone have access to a parts catalog? Do these parts cross to anther vehicle?

It looks like I need all the upper parts at a minimum. Must I go the dealership?

Any advice is appreciated.

This is a 1998 Sidekick Sport. 1.8L.  I guess a Federal emmissions.

The 1.8 Esteem is the same engine, and I believe the J20A used in the Vitara's & Trackers uses the same timing chain etc.

PartsDinosaur has what you need - however you might want to pull the head or find some other way to check the pistons & valves - that is an interference engine and a broken cam chain will more often than not, cause the pistons and the valves to collide, resulting in bent valves.

or find some other way to check the pistons & valves - that is an interference engine 

Leak down test, and what else?

I was going to put some air into the piston and see how well they are closing. Not really a leakdown tester, but regulated air at 20 psi or so and see if the hold. It looked to me like they were all moving as they should, but thast was only a quick look.

thanks

got the kit today and put it on

the quality did not seem to be the greatest, but I aint bichin.

something strange did happen. I followed the directions for the crank chain which said put the blue link on top and the white link on bottom  ...you know?  Well, it turns out that was backwards. Maybe that is because I used the 2.0 liter shop manual. (for a 2 liter engine). I lined them up as directed and the idler sprocket would not be pointing straight up. I changed it to reverse directions and it lined up.

Then the cam chain did not want to let the sprocket marks point directly at the marks on the head. The were both off by a few degrees - off by a tooth, let's say.  Oh well.

I put the covers on and it started.

uh-oh... it runs but no compression on #2


Do I have to have a new head? Looking at the valves from the top it seemed okay. Broken piston maybe?

got the kit today and put it on

 I followed the directions for the crank chain which said put the blue link on top and the white link on bottom  ...you know?  Well, it turns out that was backwards. Maybe that is because I used the 2.0 liter shop manual. (for a 2 liter engine). I lined them up as directed and the idler sprocket would not be pointing straight up. I changed it to reverse directions and it lined up.

Then the cam chain did not want to let the sprocket marks point directly at the marks on the head. The were both off by a few degrees - off by a tooth, let's say.  Oh well.

no chance that this is why #2 is dead? all other cylinders bumped up to 180 after 3-4 revolutions

I've heard of other complaints along these lines, but I have no personal experience with them, and no, there's no chance that that would be the cause of a single cylinder having no compression - if that were it all four would be affected.

This is where a leak down test will answer questions - or if you don't have a leak down tester, rig the compression tester so that you can pump low pressure compressed air through the spark plug hole - remove the oil filler cap and listen to hear where the air escapes, through the oil filler cap, it's past the rings or through a broken piston, through the intake or exhaust, it'll be one or more valves not closing.

yes a leakdown tester would have saved only an hour or so because I had to replace a broken chain.

I pulled the head and #2 E was struck open about a 1/8 inch. All the pistons had marks where they hit.
Sent the head to be checked. I wonder if it would not be wiser to just get a junkyard head?
The Esteem 2.0 uses same head, but is the cam profile the same? Will Sidekick run with whole head from 2.0 car?

Anything else to know about? This will be the first MLS gasket for me. I have been researching , any good links on this topic?

Thanks

Sorry - we never got the Esteems here, just the Baleno with the 1.3 engine - so I can't comment on what fit's or the differences.

Question is where to find a chain kit? I have looked around on-line. The local stores have a chain, but no sprockets or upper tesioner. Parts train has a kit for $600 ( I guess they send a guy out to install it).

Dang, I got my complete chain overhaul kit for my 97 1.8 for about $140 on...ebay I think.