I'm helping a friend with a timing chain job on his truck...2003 Silverado 4.8 and I was surprised to find the timing chain did not have a tensioner.........................

Yeah, just like the olden days!

It'* surprising to me that it needs a timing chain. Does it have a million miles on it or something?

Looks like some dark scum on the cam gear, maybe it didn't get a lot of oil changes?

There are some worn lobes on the cam, and I need to replace the cam...so while I am already there I might as well put a new chain on it.... I was just surprised when I opened it up to find no tensioner.... in all my years doing things like this...this is the first time I have seen one without a tensioner.

Gotcha, yeah, I'd do the same!

Time was none of them had tensioners.

I'm curious: How many miles are on this engine?

What does it do for a living?

Do you know much about the maintenance history?

Curious because I like to learn where these issues come from. This is the first 4.8 I've heard of with worn cam lobes besides units still under warranty, but even then they were extremely rare.

The older 4 cylinder engines used nylon gears and no chain.