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| | '''There are numerous sources of information to assist the untrained individual in the rebuilding or repairing of specific components of a vehicle, but there needs to be a place where he/she can learn what to do and what not to do in the modification of their vehicle(s). This article will attempt to fill in the blank spaces in their education concerning these modifications.''' | | '''There are numerous sources of information to assist the untrained individual in the rebuilding or repairing of specific components of a vehicle, but there needs to be a place where he/she can learn what to do and what not to do in the modification of their vehicle(s). This article will attempt to fill in the blank spaces in their education concerning these modifications.''' |
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| − | ==Verifying Top Dead Center at the damper ring with the motor assembled==
| + | , 2:00 O'clock and 2:30 O'Clock. Mixing up the front cover and the damper when building a motor with parts from different sources can lead to the inaccuracies that necessitate correction. |
| − | The first thing I would do with an unknown motor is to verify top dead center on the damper ring at the pointer. With age, the ring can slip on the elastomeric material that is used between the ring and hub of the damper, rendering futile any further attempts to time the motor with a light.
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| − | Verification is mostly labor, with the only expense being a top dead center piston stop tool and a degree tape for the ring. Measure the outer diameter of the ring so you can get the correct tape.
| + | In this exercise, I have suggested that you install the piston stop tool with the damper notch past the timing pointer so that you can turn the crank clockwise through the whole operation. Sometimes, if you attempt to install the stop before you are to TDC and then turn the crank backwards until the piston comes up against the stop again (counterclockwise), you will loosen the bolt in the crank that retains the harmonic damper. Then you have to get your buddy to crawl under and hold a large flat-blade screwdriver into the ring gear teeth to keep the motor from turning while you tighten the bolt back. Far better to just turn the crank clockwise and sidestep a problem before it occurs. Been there, done that. |
| − | You'll also need a device to determine for sure when the piston is heading back down the bore such as a length of small diameter wooden dowel, a wooden pencil or an old popsicle stick split in half lengthwise to make it skinnier.
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| − | [http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?Ntk=KeywordSearch&DDS=1&searchinresults=false&y=5&N=+115&Ntt=piston+stop+tool&x=24 piston stop tool]
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| − | [http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?Ntt=timing+tape&x=28&y=6&searchinresults=false&Ntk=KeywordSearch&DDS=1&N=700+115 timing tape]
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| − | | + | If the forces of nature have aligned (Venus in the house of the Big Dipper or whatever) and the factory TDC notch on the damper ring just happens to line up with the pointer at TDC before you start to correct it, you should run right out and buy a lottery ticket. |
| − | Remove the fan and all belts. Remove all spark plugs to make the motor easier to turn over by hand. It would also make it easier to do this with the water pump removed (just gives you more room to get in there), but I have done it in some cases with the pump in place. Completely degrease the damper ring with solvent, then hot soapy water. Dry completely. With a socket and long bar on the damper retaining bolt at the crank snout, rotate the motor clockwise as you're standing in front of it. Have a buddy hold his thumb over the #1 spark plug hole (driver's side, closest to radiator on a Chevy, passengers side closest to the radiator on a Ford). As you rotate the crank, your buddy will begin to feel pressure build as the piston comes to TDC on the compression stroke. Watch the timing mark on the ring as it comes up to the pointer. Your buddy can help you out here by sticking the wooden stick down in the spark plug hole and probing to determine piston position. Do not rotate the crank while the wooden probe is in the hole, just have him stick it in and pull it out as you rotate the crank and stop for him to probe. He can tell you when the piston has reached top dead center and then started down in the bore. Rotate the crank about another inch at the damper/pointer. STOP. Insert the piston stop tool and just snug the inner rod of the tool against the piston crown. Don't force it, just thread it in by hand until you feel resistance. Make a mark on the damper ring at the timing pointer on the front cover. Sometimes I put a piece of masking tape on the ring and mark it at the pointer with a ball point pin. Leave the tool alone and rotate the crank around another revolution (Go easy) until the piston comes up against the stop again. Put another piece of tape on the ring at the pointer and mark it with the pen. Now, you should have two marks on the ring about 2" or so apart. With a dial caliper, measure the exact width between the two marks. Halfway between them will be TDC. I usually punch that into the ring with a center punch. Now you can install the timing tape with the tape TDC mark affixed exactly at the punch mark you made and you're good to go to time the motor with a light.
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| − | If the forces of nature have aligned and the factory TDC notch on the damper ring just happens to line up with the pointer at TDC, you should run right out and buy a lottery ticket.
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