The nylon timing gear crapped out on my 300 inline six so I'm replacing it with a steel timing gear set. The timing marks on the crankshaft timing gear and the camshaft timing gear no longer line up so I will have to rotate the camshaft independently to align the timing gears prior to installation. The Haynes maintenance manual warns me, "Serious internal engine damage can result from rotating either the crankshaft or camshaft assembly independent of the other." Do I have a choice? I must rotate one shaft independent of the other in order to align timing marks. The crankshaft timing mark is where it should be at TDC, so the camshaft will have to be rotated. Will this damage the engine? Again, I would appreciate any advice. Thanks.

 

...just align it and don't worry about it. The 300 is a non interference engine, meaning even with the valves extended, the pistons will not touch them.

 

i sure had a time replacing the timing gears on my boss's truck.

the crank gear was no problem with the extraction holes, and a puller tool, but that crap nylon gear...

tore the crud out of it with a two jaw puller...

after shredding the holes in the side of the gear, i used a dremel to make new ones..didnt work....

cut grooves in the steel outer gear to get the puller's jaws to catch in. tore off the ring.

used a flatbar to try and pry it out... tore off the rest of the gear.

this just left the steel inner ring on the camshaft. used the dremel to cut grooves into it for the puller. not much luck.

ended up cutting the ring in half to get it off the camshaft.

why couldn't the factory use steel gears?

p.s. did your new crank gear come with extraction holes drilled and tapped? our new gearset did not...i guess the engine is not supposed to out last two timing gear changes...