HELP: 351m timing chain set recommendation needed

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Sep 27, 2015 | 07:00 AM

#16

Gary Lewis

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From: Northeast, OK

You may have to turn the cam by grabbing the sprocket with a gloved hand or a strap wrench. Or, turn the crank slightly the opposite direction by placing the bolt back in the snout. It won't take much and shouldn't be difficult to do. But, once you think you have it and have the timing set installed, rotate the engine through one full cycle, meaning two turns on the crank, and ensure the marks on the sprockets line up.

As for the timing, not to worry. If the balancer hasn't slipped then use its marks for ignition timing. But, I was just saying that with the engine apart like you have it you can check for TDC without the balancer, and maybe more accurately if it has slipped, by observing the piston movement.

Sep 28, 2015 | 10:33 AM

#17

Colt.S.

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Joined: Sep 2015

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From: Silver State

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteeIhead

Ok, everything was sounding good until you said I probably would need to rotate the cam slightly...not sure how to go about doing that. also on the timing, since I have never set the timing on anything.....the idea of doing it without using the timing marks is a little daunting...not sure what to do there either.

That being said the harmonic balancer seems pretty solid. in spite of all the gunk elsewhere, it was fairly gunk free and the rubber has cracks, but still feels rubbery and doesn't seem to have any give, even if I try twisting the inner portion while holding the outter firm. So hopefully that is not an issue here.

Your comment about adjusting the cam is concerning though, how do you adjust the cam? is that another way of saying adjusting the timing?

To set your initial timing you should have kept your stock gear set on the engine, turn your engine over with a breaker bar until #1 is on compression stroke then remove the timing set, take your new timing gear set and install it with both dots pointing at eachother (move the cam gear slightly to line up with the crank gear, not the other way around) once your timing set is on and you're at top dead center @ #1 Trace down #1 spark plug and find it terminal on the cap, pop off your distributor cap and turn the distributor to line up your rotar with that terminal for #1 and that will get you close enough to get it running for a final timing light setting.

Sep 28, 2015 | 10:44 AM

#18

Colt.S.

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From: Silver State

Just be sure you're on the COMPRESSION stroke by placing your thumb over the spark plug hole and turn it over with the breaker bar, when you feel it pushing your finger off or hear a whistling pushing out you will be on the compression stroke, otherwise you will be 180 out and you will have to restart. Whatever you do, don't overthink it, remember the KISS rule. (keep it simple stupid)

Sep 28, 2015 | 10:53 AM

#19

Gary Lewis

FTE Legend

Joined: Jul 2010

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From: Northeast, OK

Quote:

Originally Posted by Colt.S.

move the cam gear slightly to line up with the crank gear, not the other way around

I beg to differ. You can move either the crank or the cam to get alignment - as long as the dots line up at TDC on the compression stroke. And sometimes the cam is really hard to turn and/or hard to get to stop in exactly the right spot due to the tremendous forces on the lobes from the valve springs. So, move whichever side works for you - but, once you get the timing set on make sure that everything is aligned by rolling the crank over two more turns and stopping again on TDC on the compression stroke.

Sep 28, 2015 | 11:31 AM

#20

Colt.S.

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From: Silver State

Either way will work. I prefer setting the valve timing to piston location to each his own and turning the valve train can be "harder" but, that's what breaker bars are for anyway. lol

Sep 29, 2015 | 02:26 PM

#21

dogdays

More Turbo

Joined: Sep 2003

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Don't worry about rotating the cam slightly. It will either need to be rotated a tiny bit or it won't. Just line up the dots the same way with the chain on and slip the gears on the shafts. Or put the gear on the crank first, then with the cam gear inside the chain, put the chain around the crank gear and move things around until dots are lined up, then slide cam gear on and torque it down.

It'll go together, and will only go together one way with the dots lined up. How many timing sets have been changed in the world's history? Millions and millions. It's not a difficult job.

R.

Oct 5, 2015 | 03:25 PM

#22

SteeIhead

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Sry for the delayed response here, had to do real work. Thank you everyone for your help and feedback. I will go with the stock set I already bought and let you know how things go putting it back together.

Quick question, how much torque do I use when putting the main bolt back in when putting the harmonic balancer back on?