Hey guys. Quick question. Im doing a cam swap ...again ..LOL. I line the crank sprocket dot at 12 oclock and the cam at 6 oclock. Only they wont line up perfect with the chain on. They are just ever so slightly off. I put the timing cover on and start to install the balancer but the mark on the balancer shows 7 or 8*. Is this correct or is my chain out by a tooth??? I cant remember how the other swaps went but I do remember Comp Cams telling me that their cams are ground to 4* advance. Any ideas if I can keep going or if the cover needs to come off and the chain moved a tooth??? Thanks

 

the crank and cam gear dots will line up with the chain on. put them together dot to dot with #1 @TDC then rotate the engine untill both dots are straight up. then reintall the distributor with the rotor pointing to the #1 post on the cap. the balancer may not be accurate ot you may not be at TDC. the 4* advanced ground into the cam means nothing in reguards to this. is your crank gear cut for multiple keys? if so are you sure you're using the correct key way?

 

The 2 dots do line up so Im assuming the marks in the balancer dont really matter to much. The crank gear does have 3 key ways but according to the instructions I am using the stock set up. Basically I was just curious as to the relationship of the dots to the timing marks on the cover and balancer. Thanks

 

Be very careful. The three-way crank sprockets have as many timing "dots" as they do keyways. Be absolutely certain you are using the "dot" that corresponds to the keyway you use.

 

Thanks. I followed the marking on the sprokets just like the supplied diagram from Cloyes. Im 100% it is in the right spot. In the picture the red dot shows where my marks line up...with my sproket rotated very slightly to the right. I just set the valve train by locating TDC for cylinder one and all seems well while rotating the motor over by hand. Just out of curiousity though....what happens if I am 1 tooth out?

 

If your one tooth off your cam will be either advanced or retarded. In your case your cam will be installed retardered. Generally retarding a cam helps in the upper rpm range while advanceing it helps teh lower rpm range.