Neil Forn

The harmonic balancer is notorious for slippage. The pointer and graduations on it are not exact enough to make single degree adjustments. At the very least he needs to determine exactly where TDC lies. Otherwise yes, it is what he is doing.

aaddpp

I think I am OK with TDC on my car. Much earlier in this thread it was recommended that I use a gauge to determine the high point of the cylinder stroke. It matched up perfectly with the TDC mark on the balancer.

I have posted photos of what I made and how I set it up.

I used a dial gauge with an extension attached. Removed plug, and inserted into cylinder. Rotated the engine toward TDC and kept a close eye on it as it passed through TDC. The gauge peaked right at the TDC mark and then began to fall after passing TDC.

I did look up degree wheels on youtube, and I would be up for trying it out, but given my time constraints I think I will need to stick with what I have done, unless there is a reason why it would be a much better option over what I have done. I can't say, since I don't have the background in this area.

Thanks,
Dave

Herman K

Best tool for you to get your TDC...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys80A...eature=related

Good luck

aaddpp

Agreed, I think I've run out of things to fret about here

My goal is to get everything buttoned up this weekend and put this to bed once and for all.

Dave

Imo000

It's hard to see in the second last pic but what do you have the indicator clampted to? Is it to the head or the chasis?

aaddpp

Its actually the very top of the back metal timing belt cover. it was the only place the clamp arm would let the dial indicator line up with the plug hole.

Dave

aaddpp

Here's a better picture of the hook up point.

Dave

aaddpp

OK, I think I may have found the issue.

I went in and did the timing on both sides of the engine - its really very simple once you get in there. Did passenger side, no problem. Spun the engine 4 or 5 times and was able to get duplicate readings each cycle.

Moved over to driver side, and it also looked like it was ok - got it to read 2.01mm (within the 0.1mm range). When I cycled the engine by hand and recheck the reading, the timing would become increasingly off, eventually reverting back to about 2.17mm at 20 past TDC.

Ready to push the whole car off a cliff, I decide to look to see if there was some issue with the cam gear / cam shaft union - it seemed like the only place left possible to cause an issue.

From what I can tell, it looks like the cam shaft may have some rust / corrosion which is locking the gear in place (woodruff key seems to stay centered). I think that every time I make an adjustment to the drivers side timing, I am just loading the belt without repositioning the cam gear relative to the exhaust cam shaft. Each successive turn of the engine is allowing this load back out and causing the timing to revert back to the original.

So...I would be curious to see what others think, as well as see if there are any suggestions for releasing the cam gear from the grips of the cam shaft...without removing the belt if possible . Was pondering some WD-40 since it should evaporate and restore the friction necessary to hold everything in place.

I figured that since I have come this far, and the passenger timing is perfect, I have to make the other side match up to keep the OCD at bay.

Here are some photos to show what I saw:

View after setting the timing....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51967142@N00/5419729090/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51967142@N00/5419125573/
View after one revolution. Additional revolutions will lead to further off-timing, where 20 degrees past TDC will lead to a value of 2.17mm

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51967142@N00/5419125509/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51967142@N00/5419125439/
Photo of the what looks to be oxidation on the cam shaft end.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51967142@N00/5419125677/

docmirror

Set the drivers side to 1.9 and get on with it. The oxidation on the end of the cast cam is normal. If you've been doing this with the big cam bolt out of the gear that's not helping. Set it and close it up already.

Personally, I would set it a bit advanced from the factory anyway, but for sanity purposes, just get it around 1.9 and lock it down.

Herman K

Looking at the picture of the rusted key it appears that the keyway on the cam gear is wider than the one on the shaft?

Hard to believe but...

Lizard928

the larger slot is only on the cam gear itself. It needs to be like this.

You must have the cam bolt installed and torqued down if you are spinning the motor over or you risk breaking a camshaft!

aaddpp

Docmirror, thanks for all the help on this. Before going the route you suggested above, I tried a touch of penetrating fluid, and sure enough the cam gear moved smoothly when setting the timing. Both sides are well within within spec now, and I was able to repeat the values time after time (even when removing and resetting the dial gauge and holder). As for the cam gear bolt, it was in and torqued when ever the engine was rotated, so no worries there.

Pretty sure I should be all set now. Again, many thanks to you and everyone else who helped out on this thread.

Dave

Landseer

Can you say that the 32Vr is close?
(Or would you rather just button it up? )

aaddpp

I'll try it today and post this evening. Ment to do it last night, but when doing a final check of the oil channels with a scope, I found a new cam cover bolt seal down the rear most driver side oil channel. All my new seals are accounted for, so I guess the PO included a few extra parts he forgot to mention. No harm done, but I can think of better things to do with those two hours

Dave