dumb question about new camshaft

[Patrick66]

can someone tell me which way the little pink dot is supposed to point, i put it in with the dot pointing straight up and i cant turn the crank more than 1/3 of a stroke before it contacts the cam because its not in right. any help will be really appreciated.

 

[wallaka]

You put the crank in position before you put the cam in. The dot on the crank sprocket are at about a 10:00 position to get in the right area. The dot on the cam sprocket should touch it. I usually put the sprocket on there just to check it's mostly right before I put the cam all the way on.

 

[Anonymous]

Are you referring to the "dot" on the cam gear?
If so, there should be a corresponding "dot" on the crank gear as well.

Usually the proper installation is for the 2 "dots" (or whatever the mark is) to be in close alignment between the 2 gears when the #1 piston is at TDC of the compression stroke.

So, if the crank is at TDC #1, the dot on the crank gear and the dot on the cam gear should be at their closest point directly in line with each other. (You should be able to take a ruler and hold it on the c-line of the crank and c-line of the cam, and have it pass right over both dots. The 4 points should be in perfect alignment at TDC #1).
Now, this is correct for top of the compression stroke, but if you are at TDC and the cam gear is 180-degrees around (furthest from the crank), then you are at TDC of exhaust stroke.

Again, I use the word "usually" on purpose. Check with the manufacturer of the timing chain set and verify what the correct timing mark alignment is just to be sure.

Also, if you only crank part way and it stops, that sounds to me like you have pistons hitting valves right now. Stop right there and don't try to force it any further, or you will certainly be looking at more expensive repairs. Those parts were never meant to meet...

 

[Patrick66]

theres no dots on the gears, its on the cam itself. right next to where the bolt goes in. its not valves because the head isnt on and i have it on an engine stand. so turned it over and i took the oil pan off and looked. the cam is flat on 2 sides so that it clears the rods when the crank rotates, but mine isnt lined up so they are hitting when i try to turn it.

i put #1 at tdc, then i put the cam in and pointed the pink dot straight up and put the gears and chain on. i guess the dot was supposed to be facing in a different direction, i checked classicinlines.com and i couldnt find anything in the tech section that helped me out.

 

[Patrick66]

thanks for the help, i fixed it. there were dots on the gears, i just didnt see them because they are small and i was preoccupied with the pink dot on the cam.

now does anybody know what that bolt should be torqued to?

 

[addo]

The cam sprocket centre bolt? Is it 3/8" coarse or fine? Coarse I would say 37, fine 45 foot-pounds.

Don't forget to loctite the two retainer bolts in.

Just checking, also, that you have the spacer in there, which stops the cam binding when everything's cranked down.

 

[Patrick66]

yeah i have the retainer in, thanks addo.

 

[Anonymous]

thanks for the help, i fixed it. there were dots on the gears, i just didnt see them because they are small and i was preoccupied with the pink dot on the cam.

Thanks for confirming the alignment dots were there.
It's been a while since I put one together "personally" (about 20 years ), and I thought maybe I was getting prematurely senile after I read your previous response...

Good luck with it!

 

[wallaka]

The cam sprocket centre bolt? Is it 3/8" coarse or fine? Coarse I would say 37, fine 45 foot-pounds.

Don't forget to loctite the two retainer bolts in.

Just checking, also, that you have the spacer in there, which stops the cam binding when everything's cranked down.

Yep, the factory manual says 35-45 ft/lbs for the sprocket and 12-15 for the thrust plate bolts.