Doublevision

Now that's just daft. The links don't determine if the engine is timed the cams do. The links are the idiots way of doing it if you can't see where the cams go properly. Ford uses that method because it is foolproof for some to connect the dots. It doesn't make the slightest damn where the timing chain is, the cams are what are being timed. Any argument otherwise suggests that a link in the chain is longer than any other link in the chain. .... and these cams are right.

Thanks all, It's been a fun little deal.

JC316

Be sure to post back when you bend your valves

DJINN n TONIC

Doublevision,

What you are doing is an exercise in disaster planning. Maybe you can eyeball it better than most, but the links were made that way so you wouldnt have to eyeball it. Why would you leave fate to "It looks right" when there is a FREE/built in tool to save you the trouble?

Now, Like an idiot I tried this on my engine...with all the followers removed... It takes 58 full revolutions to get the marks lined back up again ... That is 57 turns too many to find out the valves have just been eaten for lunch.

JC316

What I and others have been trying to explain is that you might have the cam in the correct spot, but the chain is what syncs it together with the crankshaft. Due to how the tensioning system is, you can be a link or two off on the crankshaft end and never even know it.

I have had the cam in the right spot, the link in the right spot on the cam, but be off by two links on the crankshaft end. If you aren't using the bright links, then you would never know and bend the valves.

You can search my username on here and find my Mark VIII swap guides and my video how to's, I'm not some weekend mechanic that is pulling this info out of my ***.

Lets put ego aside for a second here. Do you honestly think that everyone in here, and Ford, and Haynes, and Autozone repair guides are all wrong and you just happen to be right? We are just trying to stop you from making and engine killing mistake.

Doublevision

I'm not off on the crank because I DIDN'T MOVE THE CRANK and I'm quite aware of the tensioner. You'd have to be a damn fool to put the chain on with no tension. The previous pics show clearly it's preloaded and tensioned. I'm right, it's right. There is no magic potion to getting all three to line up. If they are right they are right. That's a steel chain, not a rubber band. It's only one length. If you want funny it's the people who can't do it any other way than the idiot proof way. If anyone would just pay attention to what they are doing they'd realize the entire reason they always get it off by a link putting it back is because the heads are at a slight bit of tension on the chain and when you let the tensioner loose it rocks the cam back about one tooth when you let the tensioner loose. If you get it wrong, you screwed up and didn't pay attention. You have to pre-load it or you'll get it wrong. I hadn't done this engine before initially and I was being thorough and covering my bases, but it's just like everything else IMO including the 1UZFE (except it was DOHC and belts) I built last year. Easy peazy.


Before and after. Can't get any better than this. Going driving tomorrow. All is appreciated, thanks.

Stevo86

I'm with JC on this one. I work in a shop and have timed MANY a mod motor. These engines are unforgiving if timing is off. You won't just get a backfire, you will bend valves and damage pistons.

You already said you don't have the cam alignment tool which BTW is usually 1 tooth off so if you don't line up the marks on the chains you can't verify the engine is in time. Ford made fool proof marks for a reason. And the reason is simply engines get damaged if it's wrong. You may get lucky but if not please post pics of your broken motor.

Also if you are going to disregard what those of us who have done this before say about how to time an engine. Don't ask the questions and waste our time.

Vertigo_GT

Just want to interject here the most common last words of trail blazers.
"Watch This!"

JC316

So yeah, you think that everyone is wrong except for you. Whatever man, your engine, your money. I will tell you this, I would fire you in an instant if you timed a customers motor like that and so would every other shop out there. You call it the idiot proof way, I call it the correct way.

crankedGT/CS

subscribed. Got to see how this plays out

Vertigo_GT

Yeah, I think we are all hoping for a positive outcome. Double vision seems to have been working all hours on this engine and probably missing sleep. Hopefully he stepped back, got some rest and reconsidered the advice of all the members with lots of experience. If not, I truly hope he gets lucky and doesn't ruin his engine.