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Putting my engine back together, I married the crank and cam timing marks together tooth to tooth. Now that I've got the front assembled and the harmonic balancer installed, I've noticed something that has me puzzled. When I lined up #1 piston to top dead the mark on the balancer is past the finger on the CPS by about 3 inches. If I stop it on the mark, 3's at top and 1's about 2" before top. Is that right? Everything is keyed to the crank how can the mark on the balancer be off to the crank? Or is the mark and pointer for some other purpose? I've checked the cam to piston relation and it seems ok.
Can somebody out there explain this?? Did I miss something? Am I worried about nothing?
Before seating the camshaft drive gear with the crankshaft driven gear, rotate the crankshaft driven gear until the timing mark is in the 12 O'clock position. Align the timing mark on the camshaft drive gear with the timing mark on the crankshaft driven gear. Seat the camshaft drive gear with the crankshaft driven gear.
The CPM signals introduction of fuel into the cylinder BEFORE TOP DEAD CENTER
Balancer is original. Looks real good clean, doesn't have any cracking on the rubber/ no slippage. I thought about getting one of those fluid types but couldn't really justify spending the money to replace something that really looked like new other than some light surface rust. I've double checked timing marks on crank and cam and they both meet tooth to tooth. The mark on the balancer and the index pointer on the CPS mount must indicate something other than top dead. Top dead on #1 happens about a 1/4 turn past that mark.
The mark on the balancer is to verify that the camshaft gear and the crankshaft gear are properly indexed without removing the front cover. When the mark is aligned with the tab on the cam sensor hold down, the narrow spoke on the cam drive gear should align with the hole for the sensor on every second rotation of the crankshaft.
So if I pull the CPS and look in the hole I should see the short spoke on the pick-up plate.
The aluminum is shiny because it's all new. New water pump, new timing cover. The HPOP reservoir was cleaned, de-greased and touched with cast aluminum engine paint. I had to replace the timing cover because I had some hard parts pass thru the oil pump and scar it up. I tried an after market cover but it was junk. It looked real good when I got it but the alignment pins that fit to the block were 1.2mm off from center causing the oil pump to be off center on the crank. Also made it quite difficult to put the bolts in on the right side. I tried to save some money but ended up getting the OEM cover for $560. I'm still trying to get my money back for the first one but I will get it back.
Yes, that's right. If it isn't there, and you turn the crank another revolution and it still isn't there, the gears aren't indexed properly. All that isn't necessary for you though, since you assembled it with the timing marks aligned and you know the gears are both good.
Thanks for the input. I've spend enough on this motor already and I'm not done yet. I guess I'm just overly cautious. I don't want to get it back into the truck only to fine I've missed something and have to pull it again.
