Yup i need to redo the timing chain. its messed up bad. chiped teeth and such.

ive never replaced one of these before, butyou know, how hard could it be?

whats the easyest way to make sure the cam and the crank are properly aligned, when you go to put on the new chain?

 

Just don't move either of them after you take the bad chain off. But, of course, there is only one way to install the cam and crank gear.

 

It's an extremely easy job.

Install the 2 gears such that the dot on the crank gear is straight up, and the dot on the cam gear is straight down. That will be cyl #6 firing. As long as you haven't disturbed the distributor, you shouldn't have to worry about any of that; just put the gears on that way, and it should fire right up and drive off.

Check your timing cover and make sure it doesn't have a hole worn in it from the chain rubbing against it, at the bottom right side.

 

I took my timing chain off the block before i found out that i shouldnt have done that how do i put the new one in now? i believe it has to be set up certain way...am i in trouble?

 

As described above, install the crank gear, and rotate the crank until the dot on the gear points straight up; install the cam gear, and rotate the cam until the dot on the gear points straight down; remove the cam gear, and install the chain and gear together.

You'll be at #1 & #6 TDC, and #6 firing, with the crank and cam at that point. Rotate the crank exactly one full revolution to bring it to the other instance of #1 & #6 TDC which is #1 firing, if you have the dist out and need to put it back in.

 

Thanks alot for the info...im gonna go ahead and do that...hope i get it right...cant wait till the part where i haveto torque the heads its going to be fun specially when im gonna start looking for them bolts which goes where...oh well

 

I just reread the posts and realized something...when i said i had my timing chain off the block i really ment it off the block that is i dont have anything else on it besides the crank and cam...sorry didnt specify it...i dont know if it matters

 

okay- i was right it was pretty nasty looking. the cam gear had barely any teeth left. I cant believe the engine ran as long as it did like that! heh.


Well anyway- now Ive got the new gears on there now. the cam gear has a little dot but the crank gear has none! I dont think i put it on backwards.

on the crank shaft theres a tab on it so that the crank gear can only go on one way. can i use that key tab as a marker?

 

I think you put it on backwards.

 

yea, im kinda thinking your right so im gonna rent the gear puller and take it all apart again.

when i put the gear on i just taped it on with a little hammer. does anyone know of a better way to do it?

thanks

 

If you don't see the dot, then it must be backwards.

 

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i'd wait until it was causing problems boefore i replaced one.

 

I always thought that when the dots faced each other that was #1 compression stroke... hrm that explains why my distributor went in 180* off last time.

I figured it out this last cam swap when I noted the intake valve's lifter was poking its head out of its bore when the dots on the timing gears pointed together. Why doesnt someone write this stuff down somewhere?

 

Chains don't break... at least, I've never heard of it happening. There are people out there with 500,000+ miles on the stock chain.

 

the chain mighta been a bit stretched but most of the damage was on my cam gear. the teeth were worn almost completly off and there were shreds of metal in my oil.

but anyway, you were right, the crank gear was on backwards. when i took it off i saw the dot there, plain as day. hehehe. stupid me. oh well....

so anyways- now that i got the two dots lined up, how do i go about popin the distributer back in?