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4g63 refusing to time right

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buhay6

10+ Year Contributor
1,661
63
Jul 9, 2010
Delisle, SK_Canada
Ok to explain a little I cant get my stupid engine to base time. It will either advance one tooth or retard one tooth, swapped belts as well to rule out a stretched timing belt and still no go.
Engines all stock
Will have the cams set and locked in position but the crank sprocket teeth will always line up with the teeth on the timing belt not allowing it to go on unless advancing or retarding the timing.
So pissed off I want to just burn this dumb car, spend 4 hours fighting with this and I've just about had it.

anyone have any idea's?
 
You likely have slack on the idle side. Put the belt on with the crank a little retarded. Turn the crank a little bit after the beltis on and you will notice the slack you probably didn't before and the crank is now on its mark.
 
What always helps me is retarding the exhaust cam one tooth and then slip the belt on. Make sure the oil, crank and balance sprockets line up first. Then do the top portion. When you let go, everything should be lined up.
 
I zip tie the belt to the timing gears as you line them up so your not fighting every thing at once. Also for some reason was there a large amount removed from having the head resurfaced at some point?

Or it's a thicker/thiner head gasket then usual?
 
You likely have slack on the idle side. Put the belt on with the crank a little retarded. Turn the crank a little bit after the beltis on and you will notice the slack you probably didn't before and the crank is now on its mark.
I tried that multiple times, I'm using the jay's racing kit with the cam lock etc. I'll retard the crank one tooth pull the idle side tight as humanly possible wrap it around the oil pump sprocket and then soon as I hit the crank pully it'll line up when retarded. Then I'll wrap it around to the exhaust cam, and set the tensioner pully to spec. Turn it a half a revolution and bam its now 1 tooth advanced, I tried every damn thing I could possibly think of. this is my 4th timing job on this engine and I've never had such a hard time doing it.
 
When the belt is on either advance or retarded by 1 tooth, you could either jump back or forward via cam gear while there's no tension on the belt. Just make sure the crank/piston at tdc and with ranch at one cam sprocket to hold it steady and one for the other sprocket and either turn back or forward to skip tooth.
 
start on the exhaust cam and work clockwise, so any slack can be taken by the tensioner/puley. I used lock and tie wraps made sure it was good n tight and cams as close to lined up as I could, moving clockwise. Make sure the cam lock (little plastic piece) is right side up as well, it is directional and will make a difference. play with it a little, you'll get it. If your unsure, pull the pin on tensioner, give it the 6 rotation to make sure, if not do it again . and dowel pins (on cams) are facing up
 
best I've been able to get is it set at BTDC
If it does this every time then retard it one tooth to begin with.
That's exactly what I did, and it tended to some how be advanced one tooth after......I'm stumped. I said screw it and threw the engine back in and re installed everything already. If I have to go back and redo it then so be it.
 
So you were on an engine stand and couldnt get it. You know you dont have to spin the motor over for the initial check. Once you think you have it right (and the cams are obviously already right relative to one another) clip the belt to the cam gears, remove the tool and rotate the exhaust cam back a few degrees then rotate crank forward to its mark. If it wrong slip the crank and oil pump if necessary forward or back a tooth and repeat that process. What this does is remove all slack from the right side. The motor is timed by making sure there is no slack on the right side. Makes sense as the crank turns clockwise. Once you have it then you can set tension. Whole process takes me about two min. Ive done dozens this way although now I usually dont miss it first shot. I still remove slack this way every time. And finally I still spin the motor over six times and double check. I have not had to reset one in a long long time.[DOUBLEPOST=1414248415][/DOUBLEPOST]Even better if you have a motor in time and you're going to do a belt mark the belt and sprockets with a piece of soapstone. Mark the top between the gears too. Transfer the marks on the old belt to the new and just follow those marks. Even with that I still rotate the exhaust a few degrees back the move crank forward back to its mark. This removes any slack before tensioning.
 
Last edited:
OK well I fixed my problem. I had the Jay's racing cam lock upside down, which would only let the engine retard timing or advance timing by one tooth.
I'd been working for 15 hours straight on putting my engine/drivetrain back together and getting the car up and running. Doing so with out eating or taking a break goes to show just what kind of dumb mistakes you can make being fatigued.[DOUBLEPOST=1414255260][/DOUBLEPOST]
So you were on an engine stand and couldnt get it. You know you dont have to spin the motor over for the initial check. Once you think you have it right (and the cams are obviously already right relative to one another) clip the belt to the cam gears, remove the tool and rotate the exhaust cam back a few degrees then rotate crank forward to its mark. If it wrong slip the crank and oil pump if necessary forward or back a tooth and repeat that process. What this does is remove all slack from the right side. The motor is timed by making sure there is no slack on the right side. Makes sense as the crank turns clockwise. Once you have it then you can set tension. Whole process takes me about two min. Ive done dozens this way although now I usually dont miss it first shot. I still remove slack this way every time. And finally I still spin the motor over six times and double check. I have not had to reset one in a long long time.[DOUBLEPOST=1414248415][/DOUBLEPOST]Even better if you have a motor in time and you're going to do a belt mark the belt and sprockets with a piece of soapstone. Mark the top between the gears too. Transfer the marks on the old belt to the new and just follow those marks. Even with that I still rotate the exhaust a few degrees back the move crank forward back to its mark. This removes any slack before tensioning.
Hey thanks for all the help I found my problem now (really stupid one of course) but your advise and time has been very much appreciated.

Thanks everyone!
 
For anyone reading this even if you get a tool uoside down it should be obvious as the cam marks would not line up.the tool is not to help line up, its merely to hold the cams.
 
For anyone reading this even if you get a tool uoside down it should be obvious as the cam marks would not line up.the tool is not to help line up, its merely to hold the cams.
You'll have to look closely when using the tool as the cams will look lined up but actually be off by half a tooth each leading to either advance or retard timing.

Sorry just had to add that.
 
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