Are my cams off?

[Ninjabread]

I took a good look at my cams, and after looking in the FSM, it seems that they are a bit off (maybe I'm crazy) and also, that usually, the silver link lines up with the timing mark but it seems to be a bit off. You'll see my finger pointing at it.

BTW, the motor IS at TDC.

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/Mathieu1989/DSC02158.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/Mathieu1989/DSC02159.jpg

[statik]

hmm well they are definitely off, the dots on the gears should be lined up with a link, not in between a link. As for the colored links you can use that method but you need to rotate the chain around until you get both colored links up top, bringing the motor to TDC on the crank pulley and the dist at #1, then you can align the cams gear dots to the 2 colored links.

[Ninjabread]

Hmm sounds good, I'm also having a LOT of trouble getting the cam gears off. I snapped a (cheap) craftsman 1/2 inch ratchet trying to get the gears off. So tempted to use the impact right now, but I know I shouldn't...

[statik]

who did you timing before? You should get a good 1/2" torque wrench

[Pstl_pete]

why shouldnt you use an impact gun???

[statik]

why shouldnt you use an impact gun???

I never said he shouldn't to take them off, but I like to actually torque my cam bolts when they need to be reinstalled.

[Pstl_pete]

Ahh ok. YOu had me worried there. I never use a gun to tighten something only to take it off.

On the topic of cam installation. I was looking at the JWT cam install and they ziptie the cams to the chain making it a no brainer of an install. Im wondering if this process is the best method of attack and whether anyone has done it on an S14 SR, Im pretty sure they dont have the holes in the gears so the zipties must be fastened on differently?

[statik]

Ahh ok. YOu had me worried there. I never use a gun to tighten something only to take it off.

On the topic of cam installation. I was looking at the JWT cam install and they ziptie the cams to the chain making it a no brainer of an install. Im wondering if this process is the best method of attack and whether anyone has done it on an S14 SR, Im pretty sure they dont have the holes in the gears so the zipties must be fastened on differently?

if they don't have holes in the gears you can just mark the link that the cam timing dot was on with a ziptie or something, when you reinstall the cam gears just place them back accordingly. You can tie the chain down to something off the side of the motor to keep it taught so you know it wont lose its position, but the keys on the timing cover should prevent that anyway.

[Ninjabread]

OK, I've been told that the "correct" TDC is when the number 1 piston is at TDC on the compression stroke, which can take like 15+ cranks. Should I be worried If I have no oil in the motor?

And like I said before, I'm having a real hard time actually getting the cam gears off. Any tips?

[statik]

you crank the motor by hand by turning the nut on the crank pulley, as long as there was oil in it at some point its fine. the dist has to be pointing to the #1 coil and the crank at 0* TDC. Use an impact gun if you have to, I can get the ones off my SR with my 1/2" torque wrench or breaker bar and a wrench holding the cams in place.

[Ninjabread]

I'm borrowing a breaker bar this weekend, and i'll make sure to line up the motor. I had done it before, but I did it on the first upwards stroke, whereas I should have waited for the timing marks to match AND for the piston to be at the top of the stroke. The way I have them lined up now, I cant even get a wrench on the exhaust cam to hold it in place.

I'll get back to you guys after I attempt a second time.

[Ninjabread]

Yay for updates. I'm just waiting on my hex(allen key shaped) socket to begin taking out the headbolts.

Apparently, the idiot who owned the car before me decided he would take the head apart for whatever reason, and has left me with a pretty fucking big mess. Cam timing was off, cam journals are fucked (probably had dirt on the cams when he installed them), cams have the same damage. Also on the cam retainers, one of the bolts was pretty messed up, one was not the right bolt and he was also missing a washer on one.

This car just gets worse and worse every day I get in deeper.

Forgive the blurry pics, camera is not so good up close:

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/Mathieu1989/DSC02165.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/Mathieu1989/DSC02166.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/Mathieu1989/DSC02169.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/Mathieu1989/DSC02170.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/Mathieu1989/DSC02171.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/Mathieu1989/DSC02174.jpg
Missing Washer... wtf

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/Mathieu1989/DSC02175.jpg
How can you possibly strip one of these...

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/Mathieu1989/DSC02176.jpg
Best 8$ I've spent on my car / tools.

Is the damage on the journals fixable or is it time for another head?