I am doing my secondary tensioners , intending to use the locking tool. As you can see my cam flats do not line up. The car runs great and there is no slack in the chain. I just assumed the flats would line up. what do I do next? Thanks, David. ( this is a repeat of the timing parts thread)

 

Not wanting to perpetuate the hijack on the other thread thought I'd offer my opinions here.

I used the zip-ty method when I changed my tensioners, but I'm certain the flats on my cams lined up, and I'm almost certain I rotated the engine through at least one revolution during my job and noticed that they lined up each time. Edit - However, it wouldn't hurt if you rotated the engine through a revolution to be sure yourself.

I've read that the VVT solenoids work to change the timing away from the "relaxed" state that we see when we the engine is not running. So it's normal that the flats should line up when we pull the covers. I don't know the extent of the timing change when the VVT solenoids fire, so it's possible that you might have a stuck solenoid? If so, it would be the first I've read of that in my three years on this forum. Still, worth a look.

Looks like you're going to have to go through the steps to adjust the timing now.

So, if you think the engine is running great now, just wait until you complete this job, you're going to see an imprevement!

Best wished to you, keep at it.

Steve

 

I just tore down my engine, two days ago, and the flats lined up on both banks at the same crankshaft position. My car is an XKR and I don't have any VVT on my intake cams, so I cannot speak to that aspect. I didn't see anything in my version of JTIS regarding this.
Do you have the locator pin in place of the Crankshaft Angle Sensor at the flex plate? If so, that is where the flats should line up.

 

I have rotated the cams four revolutions. It seems hard to believe that they are so far out. I did notice evidence that the valve cover had been removed. The car idles smoothly and no noticeable hesitation or roughness. What is my nest step? David.

 

Are both banks similar ? It looks like the chain may have jumped a tooth which would not cause any damage, but you need to find out which one jumped.

 

Is this on both sides? If you have not checked the other side take off the valve cover and check it. All four should be flat at the same time. The one that isn't has skipped a tooth. If it is the intake I suppose the VVT could be stuck as others have mentioned.

If they are bad on both sides then somoene retimed the cams. Either someone purposely changed it or made a mistake.

 

IMHO you need to set the timing from scratch, fit the crankshaft location pin and the cam alignment clamps.
Then pour yourself a scotch and count your blessings.

 

I have not looked at the left bank yet. Will do it this morning. If the chain skipped a tooth, wouldn't it run badly?

If I redo the timing, how do the cams flats get matched up? Thanks for replying, David.

 

I have been reading threads this morning trying to find one about getting the timing right. I notice the advice to rotate the crank clockwise to align the flats on the cam. I have been rotating the engine cc looking at it from the front. Is this incorrect?

 

I think you've probably found the problem. Timing any engine should be done in the direction of normal rotation. There will be slack on the non driven side of any chain. Rotate your engine clockwise and then check the timing - let us know how you get on.

 

Yup, that was the problem. When I tighten the exhaust sprocket , which way do I tension the chain for the right and left banks? Thanks.

 

From what I can find on the blog, all I have to do is use the sprocket tool to counter act the force of tightening the exhaust sprocket bolt to 120 nm. Does that sound correct?

 

or do I have to know which side is the drive side?

 

sorry for the questions. I do not have JTIS

 

There must be no slack on the driven side of the timing chain when tightening the securing bolt - not sure whether you have the crankshaft locking pin as well as the cam locking tools? When you have refitted the camshaft gear take off the locking tools and check and double check the timing taking care only to rotate in the normal direction i.e.clockwise. If everything lines up and the cam gear is correctly torqued you should be good to go.

 

That makes sense, thanks!

 

JITS says that you should only rotate the engine clockwise, as the timing chains could bind.
The Intake Cam is driven off the crank and the Exhaust Cam is driven by the secondary chain off the Intake Cam.
You will need to use the sprocket tool with a breaker bar or pipe attached to it to tighten the bolt the required amount. I had to really lean on mine to get them apart.
Charlie

 

Well I was going to ask why my timing chain is so tight. I am on the left side and have the locking tool on and the exhaust sprocket bolt off but the chain is too tight to get the sprocket off. I wonder if I have bound up the chains. any Ideas on how to unbound the chains? What if I put it back together and turned the engine clockwise until the flats came around again?

 

Well I decided to break the tensioner to get it out since the chain was so tight i couldn't get the sprocket off. Job done. I learned not to turn the engine counter clockwise. By the way, one of my tensioners had a one inch vertical crack. David.