KA24DE cam timing question?

[89hatchman]

I can get everything lined up perfectly using the dimples on the gears and the darker chain links. But when I put it all together the slack side is on the driver side and the side with no slack (but should have all the slack) is on the tensioner side.

When I turn the crank pulley the bottom end rotates but the top end doesn't until all the slack is taken up on the driver side. This makes it so that my head is a few degrees off from my block.

How do I fix this?

And while I'm here. I need gaskets for the bottom end, mainly an oil pan gasket, oil pump seal, head gasket, exhaust mani gasket, and intake mani gaskets.

Should I get them all individually? Or can I get them from the premade sets on ebay? I know the obvious answer is go with OEM but I'm on a tight budget and I don't need this car to last another 100k miles, just another 20k or 30k or so.

[daily missile]

this pic is what i used the last few times when i took my cams out and head off.

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/8449/dscn0196oz8.jpg

edited for ease. read below- http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g36/severepb/car%20projects/z_zps68101d64.jpg

anyways, what i did was had the motor at tdc (second mark from the left on harmonic balancer). if your chain has marks, then the longest section of chain between marks is 9 links (just counting big links). this section runs along the tensioner.

tip: remove the chain guide to the far right as well as the guide above. already removed in the image. these are known for breaking and arent necessary.

another good idea is if youre installing the cams, make sure the 2 front lobes on intake and exhaust face away from each other.

if you notice the chain link labeled "A" has a tooth from the lower sprocket going into it. then you notice link "1" doesnt have a tooth going into it. count from there "1.2.3.4.5." the 5th link up would be the factory marked link which would match with the dimple on cam gear. what i have found is the easiest way to rotate the cam gear to line up correctly is using a breaker on the front bolt to turn the cam either way. if you have to turn it counter-clockwise, make sure the bolt is tight or it will come loose.

its best to work with a friend on this. once the exhaust cam and chain are lined up, get the cam gear for the intake said and hold it in place matching dimple to the factory marked link. if you hold it next to the cam, you can see how far you must turn the cam for the dowel pin to meet the notch on the cam gear. go ahead and put the bolt in the intake cam without the cam gear in place and turn it to where it needs to go and match the notch to the dowel pin. then hold the cam gear up in place where the link matches the dimple and install. sometimes the cam will slip and it wont line up correctly so heres another way to help you get it finely placed....

while holding the cam gear matching dimple and link, turn the motor by hand while also keeping tension on the exhaust side links. you can turn it either by harmonic balancer or by the front sprocket with the "9" bolt.

anyways, if you can make heads or tails of what im talking about, it will be easy. just take a real good look at the picture and count the number of teeth between each link to each marked position. and remember to turn the motor by hand a few rotations to make sure its timed. (the gear teeth will NOT match back up with the chain everytime you turn it over, so dont be alarmed if the dimples dont match back up)

[89hatchman]

this pic is what i used the last few times when i took my cams out and head off.

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/8449/dscn0196oz8.jpg

edited for ease. read below- http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g36/severepb/car%20projects/z_zps68101d64.jpg

anyways, what i did was had the motor at tdc (second mark from the left on harmonic balancer). if your chain has marks, then the longest section of chain between marks is 9 links (just counting big links). this section runs along the tensioner.

tip: remove the chain guide to the far right as well as the guide above. already removed in the image. these are known for breaking and arent necessary.

another good idea is if youre installing the cams, make sure the 2 front lobes on intake and exhaust face away from each other.

if you notice the chain link labeled "A" has a tooth from the lower sprocket going into it. then you notice link "1" doesnt have a tooth going into it. count from there "1.2.3.4.5." the 5th link up would be the factory marked link which would match with the dimple on cam gear. what i have found is the easiest way to rotate the cam gear to line up correctly is using a breaker on the front bolt to turn the cam either way. if you have to turn it counter-clockwise, make sure the bolt is tight or it will come loose.

its best to work with a friend on this. once the exhaust cam and chain are lined up, get the cam gear for the intake said and hold it in place matching dimple to the factory marked link. if you hold it next to the cam, you can see how far you must turn the cam for the dowel pin to meet the notch on the cam gear. go ahead and put the bolt in the intake cam without the cam gear in place and turn it to where it needs to go and match the notch to the dowel pin. then hold the cam gear up in place where the link matches the dimple and install. sometimes the cam will slip and it wont line up correctly so heres another way to help you get it finely placed....

while holding the cam gear matching dimple and link, turn the motor by hand while also keeping tension on the exhaust side links. you can turn it either by harmonic balancer or by the front sprocket with the "9" bolt.

anyways, if you can make heads or tails of what im talking about, it will be easy. just take a real good look at the picture and count the number of teeth between each link to each marked position. and remember to turn the motor by hand a few rotations to make sure its timed. (the gear teeth will NOT match back up with the chain everytime you turn it over, so dont be alarmed if the dimples dont match back up)

thanks.

I seem to be able to get the cams tightened up well enough in time but the slack side ends up in the exhaust. Is there a better way to put the chain on the cams? I usually have the chain on the 2 gears loose in my hand then loop the chain over the bottom gear (with the 9 bolt) and then raise the cam gears up to the cams themselves. This always ends up with the slack side on the exhaust no matter if I put the intake side on first or the exhaust side on first.

[90S13hatch_tony]

I have a head, intake, and exhaust gaskets brand new....got rid of my 240 so they are just sitting there
Lmk

[daily missile]

thanks.

I seem to be able to get the cams tightened up well enough in time but the slack side ends up in the exhaust. Is there a better way to put the chain on the cams? I usually have the chain on the 2 gears loose in my hand then loop the chain over the bottom gear (with the 9 bolt) and then raise the cam gears up to the cams themselves. This always ends up with the slack side on the exhaust no matter if I put the intake side on first or the exhaust side on first.

if you have the slack on the exhaust side, turn the motor over a little bit and it will tighten up. BUT!!!!!!! make sure its timed. if its not, then start over.

if you start with the chain on the bottom '9' bolt, then go to exhaust, then to intake. its really easy.