Timing Question

[robbie]

Hi, I'm still in the middle of the camshaft replacement job and I'm wondering if someone can help. I probably asked too many questions but here's another one.

 

I'm really confused because I'm reading the factory manual and they say to Install the distributor: 1) Align mark on shaft with protruding mark on housing. 2) After installing, confirm that distributor rotor head is set as shown... Rotor head position (No. 1 cylinder at TDC).

The cam sprockets should be lined up to the TDC mark.

 

But... My camsprockets are lined up to the TDC mark, but when I was undoing the back bolt for the RH (passenger side) camshaft it rotated around (with the distributor off and rocker assembly bolts loosened) and seem to rest several teeth after and when I rotated counterclockwise it spun and came to rest several teeth before the TDC mark. So when I was tightening the camshafts I rotated the camsprocket so the mark lined up TDC (with rocker assembly bolts tightened). That means the RH cam is in between the engine turning over right? So how can this be the TDC? Maybe I don't understand the engine well enough.

 

And does this affect the crankshaft at all? I feel like everything's screwed up now. I'm actually really scared to start the engine when I have everything back together. I have absolutely no idea how screwed up the ignition timing's going to get. I figured I'd just put everything back the same as I took it off, but LH cam rotated too (but I rotated it back to the TDC) but this probably screwed up the position of the distributor drive gear that'll screw up the position of the distributor rotor arm when I bolt it back on, and I'm not even sure what the manual's referring to when they say TDC cylinder No. 1, 2, 4, etc.

 

Please help... thanks.

 

One more thing, should the new cam seals be flush with the metal part of the engine (cylinder head?) that it goes into? The old cam seals were set in like 1-2 mm but I can't seem to get it like that. I pushed one side of the RH cam seal way too far in and it was such a pain to get it back out again. And there's no way I can get the LH cam seal out if I screw up without damaging it. Man I wish I had the right tools.

Edited September 22, 2007 by robbie

[unccpathfinder]

loosen the rockers back up...and pull the dizzy back out (next time you dont have to remove it) turn the RH cam back to the alignment mark and slide the dizzy back in (make sure the adjustment screw is about in the middle so you have adjustment in both directions...adjust the rotation of the dizzy until the rotor is at the right position (i think its right before it makes contact with the #1 tab on the dizzycap which

 

And does this affect the crankshaft at all?

 

as long as the timing belt is off no...unless you roll the truck while its in gear or manually turn it over with a wrench or jump in and try to start it and the starter is still hooked up then you will have to reset the crank

 

once you loosen the rockers up (since you have the intake off still hopefully) and you ahve the dizzy back where it needs to be then align both of your cam marks and verify the crank mark and count your teeth and then tighten it down and you should be good...

 

I feel like everything's screwed up now.

Just check everything and verify it...I always feel like I just screwed it all up...and most of the time its just me being paranoid esp when I'm passing into new territories Edited September 22, 2007 by unccpathfinder