Rod knocking after pulling trailer up steep hill

Since you already there , check oil control valve filter. It is in the cam bearing cap

 

Make sure it has oil and a clean filter?

 

Make sure marks on cams and the crankshaft do lineup (cylinder1 TDC).
Not sure if you have access to the crankshaft timing rotor. Check if it is aligned correctly. 2 missing teeth should face the sensor at TDC

 

Yeah, we got the motor out and the flywheel off, thanks, will check.

 

The crank reluctors seem to be the same, will verify their position relative to the peg.

Okay, here's the bank 1 intake and exhaust setup:




Here's bank 2:





Here's the crank end:



The overall chain:

 

It looks like both the crank and cam marks align at TDC.

 

What bothers me that I see 11 rollers on small chain between timing marks on exhaust and intake cams.
Should be 12 (middle of yellow link to the middle of the other yellow link).

 

Guy who's did it saying "Oh so it's possible the chain needs to be flipped over and then re-timed? I could see that. Very interesting observation"

Seems important to get it right. We'll be double checking. I'd like to drive the truck sometime this year.

 

Here's another view of the smaller chain:

bank 1



bank 2

 

Looks like chain markings are in the correct position/number if roller, but I don't see if phasers marks match small chain marking.
I would rotate the engine a few 1 cylinder TDC cycles to make sure all your marks match

 

He says every turn the relationship between the marks on the big chain and the smaller chains change. It looks like when #1 is at TDC, the marks on the big chain align right with the intake phasers' marks. Initially, all 7 yellow marks lined up, but he said they change over a couple revolutions of the crank.

 

Yeah, they should eventually line back up after several turns.

 

You pretty much troubleshot all items on the list. Hopefully it will run. Are you still on replaced ECM?

 

We replaced the ECM, ran about the same.

Might have found another problem, don't think whoever worked on new motor put the crank reluctor on right, looks like it pushed in the alignment pin, which would explain a lot:

 

This would explain why the truck ran terrible AFTER we got the crank position sensor wire fixed, meaning then the ECM wouldn't be in limp mode anymore, but it also wouldn't THINK the crank is in the right position and try to adjust, making the motor clear one code and then go crazy.

Maybe we have three problems really: The reluctor not being in the right position, the bolts in the end of the cam phasers not being the correct ones, and the timing chain being off by a half tooth?

 

Been following since the start. Sounds like you are on the right track. Hope you get it on the road soon.

This has been one of the more interesting technical threads I've followed on here since joining.

 

Glad to have you all. Again, this isn't about blame fixing, it's about wrenching on your trucks or helping someone else out

 

How is it installed on your damaged engine?

 

On the damaged engine it was fine, on the newer motor it was off.

 

Good luck OP, you are awesome btw!

Also, I love when a poster says they can't be bothered to read the thread then spends days arguing in it about dumb stuff.