One tooth off? Should I worry?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 451
Likes: 2
From: Toronto On
One tooth off? Should I worry?
Ok, put on the timing chain and rockers ( thanks Motorhead - now my valve covers don't fit 
).
But I can't seem to get the timing dot straight up at 12 o'clock.
The balancer is pointing right at 0 on the cover. Now I realize the cover may be off a bit, but I think what's probably doing it is that I banged the crank gear on WRONG SIDE IN (no dot on the outside). Because of where the keyway is in relation to the teeth, I don't think I ever will get the dot to line up, one tooth over to the right will be right of center. Should I bother pulling the crank gear or will this work itself out at the distributor? I think I will have to pull it...valve timing will be off the timing of the pistons, ignition is something else all together...damn.
).But I can't seem to get the timing dot straight up at 12 o'clock.
The balancer is pointing right at 0 on the cover. Now I realize the cover may be off a bit, but I think what's probably doing it is that I banged the crank gear on WRONG SIDE IN (no dot on the outside). Because of where the keyway is in relation to the teeth, I don't think I ever will get the dot to line up, one tooth over to the right will be right of center. Should I bother pulling the crank gear or will this work itself out at the distributor? I think I will have to pull it...valve timing will be off the timing of the pistons, ignition is something else all together...damn.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 5,202
Likes: 10
From: cincinnati ohio
St. Jude Donor '09
The dots on the cam and crank gears should be together not the cam gear dot at 12 oclock....pull the crank gear and turn it around and put the gears dot to dot! You almost caused yourself a LOT of extra work 
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 451
Likes: 2
From: Toronto On
I still have a puller from when I tore it apart.
I'm not too concerned specifically about the dots. If the keyway and dot are both exactly at a tooth of the gear, it doesn't really matter. The dot is on the backside, about 6 teeth away, but things would still line up.
Mind you, now that I think about it, when I put the old gear on the crank too, I think the teeth didn't line up (it was probably on the "right" way), and they HAVE to be identical, so it must mean the keyway is NOT at a tooth.
So, it's coming off tonight.
I'm not too concerned specifically about the dots. If the keyway and dot are both exactly at a tooth of the gear, it doesn't really matter. The dot is on the backside, about 6 teeth away, but things would still line up.
Mind you, now that I think about it, when I put the old gear on the crank too, I think the teeth didn't line up (it was probably on the "right" way), and they HAVE to be identical, so it must mean the keyway is NOT at a tooth.
So, it's coming off tonight.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Originally Posted by Ace77
Ok, put on the timing chain and rockers ( thanks Motorhead - now my valve covers don't fit ).
).
I have the matching polished aluminum GM Emblem tall valve covers for sale too, gone too far to cheap out now
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
Originally Posted by yellow 72
The dots on the cam and crank gears should be together not the cam gear dot at 12 oclock....pull the crank gear and turn it around and put the gears dot to dot! You almost caused yourself a LOT of extra work
i'm not following what you're saying about being off one tooth and since the other is also off so it doesn't matter.... what we are saying is that (in normal rebuild) the crank sprocket dot should be at 12:00 and the cam gear sprocket should be at 6:00. so that when you look at the sprockets one dot is right above the other...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 5,202
Likes: 10
From: cincinnati ohio
St. Jude Donor '09
Originally Posted by Ace77
I'm not too concerned specifically about the dots.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 5,635
Likes: 4
From: Orlando Floriduh
There are two problems with leaving the crank gear where it is. #1... the dot puts the engine at TDC so dot is 6 teeth from the keyway on backwards then it would be 6 teeth off in the other direction if you just turned it over. Also there most likely is no radius on the gear where it butts up to the crank nose so it may break. Now the cam gear puts the CAM in time with the crankshaft. moving the distributor only adjust spark timing... Not cam timing. So if the cam and crank aren't correct then moving the distributor will not compensate for any error at in the cam/crank relationship.. Sounds more complicated than it really is.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
From: Omaha, NE
timing set
The cam gear can only go on in one position because of the dowel locator. The crank gear is located with the woodruff key and can only be advanced and retarded with appropriate timing keyways. If you don't pull that gear and put it on correctly you may not be able to get your damper pushed on the crank snout far enough. That can/will cause pulley and belt alignment problems later. I agree-dots together at 12 and 6 no matter what else. Good luck.
Marv-
Marv-
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 451
Likes: 2
From: Toronto On
Pulled it off - wasn't so tough the second time around.
Flipped it over and lined it up - perfect now.
Also installed the timing cover, balancer, pulley, and intake.
Having read about it so many times, it's nice to finally get it moving along.
Thanks for the pushes...
Flipped it over and lined it up - perfect now.
Also installed the timing cover, balancer, pulley, and intake.
Having read about it so many times, it's nice to finally get it moving along.
Thanks for the pushes...