Im cleaning up this '94 460efi engine - piece by piece as time allows and today - after removing all the rust - found the vibration damper has no marks at all...any suggestions on how to CORRECTLY mark it so I can use timing light when its back in the truck ?

also what do you guys use to treat the rust on the outside of engine - after cleaning it up and before paint?......is hi temp paint necessary or will plain rustoleum work OK ?

 

The 94 has straight up timing so you can take the #1 cylinder to top dead center and then make sure the dampers keyway is straight up. This would put the timing marker at the pointer at "0". You could mark this and then use a degree wheel or protractor to mark the remaining timing marks. I can believe that it isn't marked. You need to clean it real good and take another look.

As far as the paint, I always use the high temp.

 

thanks for the reply

Its clean as the proverbial whistle...used a die grinder and 3M disc...I thought Id find either a groove or btdc - atdc increments....NOTHING MARKED
Ill try what you said ....I wonder how I know if piston _all the way_ up is power stroke or if its 180* off?

also I got the timing chain cover off yesterday and it has a double roller timing chain and steel gears - I thought all 460s had a nylon cam gear and regular link timing chains.....the chain had some slack - about 5/8" - measuring from point approx between the 2 gears - if I turn crank to put all the slack on one side it about 1/2" on each side ....its been a long time since Ive done this work.....wondering if thats excessive - esp for an engine thats not gonna get more than maybe 5-10k miles while I own it.....

the oil pan looks to have been replaced recently and the PO used a one pc gasket (rubber) ...wondering if these are reusable - if it looks good....I have to remove it to replace the rear main seal....

 

I bet you cleaned the marks off.

 

This one shows stampings on it.

 

I would say the chain is a little loose. They are not that expensive and I would replace it since it is already apart.

As far as getting the No. 1 cylinder on top dead center just pull the spark plug and put your finger in the plug hole. Turn the engine over until you feel the compression and then slowly turn the engine by hand while inserting a rod or screwdriver through the spark plug hole. (I prefer to use a short length of clothes hanger wire. Just be sure it is long enough that it can't fall into the cylinder) Turn the engine back and forth until the piston is at the top of its stroke. This is top dead center. The timing marks should line up on the crank and cam gears. Also the keyway should be centered in the straight up position.

Now you are going to have to put the timing case cover and the damper back on. Now you can mark the damper where the timing pointer is. this will be th "0" degree mark.

 

When you find -0- or top dead center you can go to Summit and order a tape to give you all the marks.

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...=KeywordSearch

Bill

 

I mask the damper on thr timing mark with a 1/8" wide strip on it and use white paint between the tape pieces ......for a permanent fix.

 

I have the same issue. Everyone is telling me there HAS TO BE MARKS! I have cleaned this motor from top to bottom while doing this high performance rebuild. There are no marks for the timing on the dampener. There is an indicator that bolts to the timing cover. I know to set the #1 cylinder at TDC on the compression stroke but not sure about where to position the distributor. I know one the old Chevy's you would point the vacuum towards the #1 cylinder but this distributor does not have the vacuum advance on it. Any ideas would be a huge help. Thanks.