It could be a possibility, the only way to know for sure would be to drop the pan and see if the crank mark lines up as well, one link could be all it takes. With it now running, I would check/test/inspect the rest of the ignition/fuel system, if that comes up negative, then it would be time to drop the pan and check all of the timing marks.
Depends on what the PO did to get it to run, need to test it to make sure.
I think I'm confused... drop the pan??
When setting correct initial cam timing, the crank pulley can only be in one position. If I set the timing mark in the crank pulley to zero on the oil pump tab, and I know that number cylinder is firing TDC with mark on crank pulley sitting at zero on the oil pump tab, I set the cam sprocket dot at 11:55 with cam sprocket keyway at exactly 12 o'clock, with the guides, tensionor, installed, and chain on the both sprockets. I rotate the cam sprocket about 10 or 15 degrees retard and advance, again align the cam sprocket with the dot at 11:55 by slowly rotating the crank pulley, check that the crank timing mark is still sitting at zero..... how can anything else be "possibly" off??
If the chain is off by 1 link, as I remember it's about 4 or 5 degrees cam timing either retard or advance. If I rotate the crank to number 1 cylinder firing at TDC, looking at the cam sprocket with the dot at about 11:55, and the KEYWAY on the camshaft is NOT exactly at 12 o'clock, like 11:55 or 12:05, then the chain is off by one link and it will be obvious.
The two bright links or dark links are just to correctly align the dots on the crank sprocket and cam sprocket while installing the chain, which has 48 links. If the chain is correctly installed initially on the cam and crank sprockets, chain link number 24 will be sitting on the dot on the cam sprocket and chain link number 48 will be sitting on the dot on the crank sprocket.
But... since I am a loooongg waayyss from an "engine builder", and I don't get to practice too much on my Toyota trucks, I will happily defer to any of you experts out there.
Gnarls.
