l need to put the lock pin into the flex plate on my 1999 XK8 for top end reassembly.

To save me climbing under the car countless times could someone be so kind as to tell me;

#1 piston at 45 degrees ATDC, is it on its way up, or down ?

#1 piston at 45 degrees ATDC , where is the piston, flush? 10mm down? etc etc

Many thanks, bits are not all here yet, i just like to try and build it in my head first.

 

It'll be on its way down until 180 degrees ATDC. Top = 0 degrees, bottom = 180 degrees.

 

Many thanks, on the back of that i will start 21mm down and see where that takes me.

 

forgive me for stating the obvious, but why not attach a degree wheel to the crankshaft ?

You will not get repeatable accuracy by trying to measure degrees of crankshaft rotation by measuring the millimeters of piston movement instead.

That’s why valve timing has always been expressed in terms of crankshaft degrees of rotation, not by measuring piston movement.


Z

 

There are specific tools for this job which i have, i order to find where this tool is put into the ring gear, it helps to know approx where 45 ATDC is all i am doing is trying to find this hole in the first time or two of crawling under the car.

l dont know about the obvious, but probably the unnecssecery due to seeing these tools i have used in every manual i have seen, and none with a degree wheel

This is the way the manual says to do it. so this is the way i will.




Some of the current Tat; along with many antique outboards, stationary engines, generators, marine engines and with a bit of luck, soon a Bren gun carrier

1926 Model T Tudor
1955 Caterpillar D17-17A
1965 Yamaha YG1
1970 Yamaha 350
1971 Honda CB750K1
1972 Honda CB750K2
1972 Kawasaki H2 750
1974 BMW R900
1974 Kawasaki H2 750
1978 Honda GL1000
1978 Yamaha XS1100
1978 Yamaha XS1100
1978 Suzuki GS1000
1980 Honda CBX1000
1980 Suzuki GS1100
1983 Kawasaki ELR
1987 Yamaha FZR750FD
1985 Toyota Celica Supra
1987 Yamaha FZR1000
1999 Kawasaki ZX7R
1999 Ducat 916
2005 Mv Agusta F4

shucks, i forgot the cars

 

I just get under the car and turn the engine until the timing slot appears in the 'window' next to the CKPS hole where the crank lock tool goes.
You can pry on the torque converter with a large screwdriver or get a long handle 'flex-ratchet' with a 24mm socket on the damper.

If you find the cams 180 degrees out, rotate the engine around again to get it right.
Install the crank lock tool and set the cams/chains, etc.

 

Or you can just measure 22mm from the top of cylinder #1 on the downward stroke which will put you bang on or within a hair as this is where 21mm get you.

Do it in one, no degree wheel, wobbly extensions or any other performance.