KrashDH
Top Post Dawg
Alright all, everything thus far on the TB swap has gone very well and faster than I had thought. It's my second one, and all in all, it's not a very bad job.
I've used the guide on here thus far and it's been very good, but one thing I struggled with last night was actually getting the cam sprocket on after the TB was routed correctly. After about 45 frustrating minutes, I removed the top small roller, and easily was able to get it on, then install the roller. I forgot that critical step from the last time I did it.
I am using the Metalnerd tool kit.
So, prior to installing the belt, the cam was locked at TDC (lobes "up"), the IP pin was installed, and I had locked the crank at TDC. See photo below:
It is then that I was fidgeting getting the belt on for a bit.
When I finally got it all routed per the above critical step, I had the cam sprocket bolt on finger tight, and I loosened the IP sprocket to take any tension off the pin. Then I set the tension on my tensioner and then locked the cam sprocket using the counterhold tool and then locked down the IP sprocket.
One thing to note is I still had the crank lock on for all of the tightening of the sprockets so the crank stayed at "TDC".
I released the crank lock after that and went to check my TDC mark and it looks like this now:
You can see that it moved off the mark a hair.
Now, I remember fighting this the last time I did a TB job, and eventually gave up and left it like you see in the photo. It ran fine that way up to this point (60k miles).
What you see in the last picture is where I currently sit, PRIOR to spinning the engine by hand. It got late last night and I called it quits. So tonight I need to turn the engine over a couple times from the crank and re-check my mark and make sure everything (cam lock and IP pin) slide in.
Here are my questions:
1) I know that TDC mark is off slightly as you see in the photo with everything locked. I ran it this way before from the last TB job (ie, when I pulled the flywheel rubber inspection plug before tearing everything down, that is where the mark was). I am OCD, but should I try to align that perfect? I feel like the last time I did this, I could get it pretty dead on, but when I went to spin the engine by hand, it was always off by this little amount, so I left it.
2) If I do decide to re-align...
If my mind serves me correctly, if I want to get that TDC point aligned with the notch at this point in the build, I need to crack the cam sprocket free, crack the IP sprocket free, loosen the tension on the tensioner, THEN turn the crank so it sits at TDC. This should allow both sprockets to self adjust with the cam lock and IP pin in place. Then I would lock the crank down, re-tension the tensioner, and tighten the cam and IP sprockets. Hopefully my flywheel mark stays at TDC and then I crank by hand and re-check...
I just want to verify my thought process is correct.
Thanks in advance all!!
I've used the guide on here thus far and it's been very good, but one thing I struggled with last night was actually getting the cam sprocket on after the TB was routed correctly. After about 45 frustrating minutes, I removed the top small roller, and easily was able to get it on, then install the roller. I forgot that critical step from the last time I did it.
I am using the Metalnerd tool kit.
So, prior to installing the belt, the cam was locked at TDC (lobes "up"), the IP pin was installed, and I had locked the crank at TDC. See photo below:
It is then that I was fidgeting getting the belt on for a bit.
When I finally got it all routed per the above critical step, I had the cam sprocket bolt on finger tight, and I loosened the IP sprocket to take any tension off the pin. Then I set the tension on my tensioner and then locked the cam sprocket using the counterhold tool and then locked down the IP sprocket.
One thing to note is I still had the crank lock on for all of the tightening of the sprockets so the crank stayed at "TDC".
I released the crank lock after that and went to check my TDC mark and it looks like this now:
You can see that it moved off the mark a hair.
Now, I remember fighting this the last time I did a TB job, and eventually gave up and left it like you see in the photo. It ran fine that way up to this point (60k miles).
What you see in the last picture is where I currently sit, PRIOR to spinning the engine by hand. It got late last night and I called it quits. So tonight I need to turn the engine over a couple times from the crank and re-check my mark and make sure everything (cam lock and IP pin) slide in.
Here are my questions:
1) I know that TDC mark is off slightly as you see in the photo with everything locked. I ran it this way before from the last TB job (ie, when I pulled the flywheel rubber inspection plug before tearing everything down, that is where the mark was). I am OCD, but should I try to align that perfect? I feel like the last time I did this, I could get it pretty dead on, but when I went to spin the engine by hand, it was always off by this little amount, so I left it.
2) If I do decide to re-align...
If my mind serves me correctly, if I want to get that TDC point aligned with the notch at this point in the build, I need to crack the cam sprocket free, crack the IP sprocket free, loosen the tension on the tensioner, THEN turn the crank so it sits at TDC. This should allow both sprockets to self adjust with the cam lock and IP pin in place. Then I would lock the crank down, re-tension the tensioner, and tighten the cam and IP sprockets. Hopefully my flywheel mark stays at TDC and then I crank by hand and re-check...
I just want to verify my thought process is correct.
Thanks in advance all!!
Last edited: