five alarm emergency for Lil B

[Blue-S]

If the #2 & 3 pistons are currently at TDC (and I think they are), then you need to turn the crankshaft FIRST. After verifying that cylinders #2 & 3 are at Top Dead Center, turn the crankshaft carefully CLOCKWISE until the crankshaft is about 3 teeth on the timing sprocket BEFORE the timing mark lines up (#1 & 4 TDC). As you do this, the #2 & 3 pistons will be going DOWN and the #1 & 2 pistons will be coming UP. With the pistons below deck, you can turn both cams without worrying that a piston will whack a valve. Next, turn both camshafts counter-clockwise 90 degrees to line up their timing marks with their pointers. If you want to be really slick, put a wrench on each cam bolt and SIMULTANEOUSLY turn both cams back to line up the marks.

[eightsandaces]

Originally Posted by Blue-S

If the #2 & 3 pistons are currently at TDC (and I think they are), then you need to turn the crankshaft FIRST. After verifying that cylinders #2 & 3 are at Top Dead Center, turn the crankshaft carefully CLOCKWISE until the crankshaft is about 3 teeth on the timing sprocket BEFORE the timing mark lines up (#1 & 4 TDC). As you do this, the #2 & 3 pistons will be going DOWN and the #1 & 2 pistons will be coming UP. With the pistons below deck, you can turn both cams without worrying that a piston will whack a valve. Next, turn both camshafts counter-clockwise 90 degrees to line up their timing marks with their pointers. If you want to be really slick, put a wrench on each cam bolt and SIMULTANEOUSLY turn both cams back to line up the marks.

OK Blue, it's going down 11:30 Eastern, I understand exactly what you're saying now. I plan on going very slowly as B suggested anyhow but I understand the sequence now and have a great engine cross section to follow as well which illustrates the piston relationships spot on.

[eightsandaces]

Thanks to everyone who helped, I did it, it runs perfectly, it aligned on the factory marks. By turning the engine carefully I was able to line up everything on the proper timing marks. I placed the pistons below deck adjusted the cams to their marks carefully yielding to pressure and making corrections with both cams. Then once they were lined I carefully turned the crank to it's mark, installed the belt and manually rotated the crank, anyhow thanks to everyone! The tensioner had broken and was being contained by the bolt and flat washer, I caught a potential disaster.


PS Lil B, doesn't this make me a Ferrari mechanic by proxy?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_Lampredi_engine