Couldn't she first, remove the valve cover(it may already be off), and turn the crankshaft pulley bolt a bit? If the camshafts don't turn, I would expect that the engine is damaged and not worth repair. 180,000 miles. If they turn, replace the timing sets so that a compression test can safely be performed.

 

The object is to not turn the sprockets to avoid further damage, but sure the crankshaft must be turned in only the clockwise direction. Just enough to see the camshafts move.

 

So apparently, we all lined up. The factory timing marks and everything moved smoothly making sure to not move in every way you guys stated. There was no resistance. And we found that the guide seems to be in one piece not in a million pieces. It's in a place that's not easily until we actually replace the timing chain.

However, there is some other things that concern me. My mechanically inclined friend stopped through finally. Hes kind of a high strung, over protective Know it all .. granted he's smart but jumps the gun a lot I think. When he did look at the engine he told me to not waste anymore time because it's "sh^t".. there's like a half inch caked up metal shavings in the engine. So what Im seeing is if the guide didn't grind away and is in one piece where else is this metal coming from

 

The shavings may be because another of the guides is broken. That you say there was no resistance to turning the engine over concerns me.

 

Don't take my words too literal in that last one. My friend who did it last night is not awake, He was up til 2 in the morning doing it lol. He said it was "good." I worded it wrong I'm sure. The components moved as they should I'm assuming. This friend is smart, he's very thorough and researched for hours and a day pretty much on what this engine needs to have done and not done. He also has been reading my every updates from here. I take his "good" for exactly that. Of course timing chain needs changing but I'm sure he meant no catastrophic engine damage. He's not the type to throw my money at it if it's not useful either. But according to the thousands of videos, this forum and the service manual for this engine... We look to be on time.

 

And we will wait until you replace the timing chain or not, if your friend is willing to advise you to scrap out your car, that’s between you and he, ultimately this is your decision, again I say just change the chains, Oil and filter, obviously spark plugs. If it starts , awesome! If not you spent a few bucks but at least you know, unless he has a boroscope to see the top of the pistons

 

quote : "there's like a half inch caked up metal shavings in the engine"

That right there would have me looking for where it came from.You need to locate the source of that before going any farther. Looking at your other pictures, I don't see any metal shavings in those pics.( just that worrisome oil sludge buildup you can plainly see )
So where exactly are these "shavings" supposed to be ?

 

Ok. I might get this wrong.. I feel like he said all the oil was coming from the crankshaft position sensor ... Is that possible? It seems like that might be wrong lol. But I know for a fact that the mechanic friend said that the solenoid were covered in metal shavings.

 

Oil ? What are you talking about here ? Is this a new problem ?

Solenoids ? As in the camshaft solenoids ? Someone would have had to pull those out to see shavings on the screens.

 

Here are some more pics i i think I missed some