Help. Timing chain installation 360 LA

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stupidasso

CA ANRCHY
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Hi all,
i'm installing my MRE double roller timing chain. The crank key is between 1 and 2 oclock with the #1 and #6 piston at TDC. I line up the dots between the crank gear and the cam gear but I notice that the cam lobe for #1 intake is straight up. Is this correct? I would expect that after TDC installing a new cam/timing chain, the next thing to happen would be exhaust. Or, is this just how the cam installation works on a small block LA 360?
Also, how much play should I expect for the new cam going back and forth?

Thanks all.

Stu
 
When installing the cam gear set,with the piston on TDC,and the cam and crank marks aligned,the motor is on compression on Number #6.If you turn the crank,so the marks are at the farest piont,12&6 oclock,you will see its OK,Mrmopartech
 
It sounds right to me Stu. When the dots are lined up it's on TDC exhaust stroke for #1 cyl (not compression stroke) so by the time the piston has reached TDC on exhaust stroke the exhaust cycle is over and the intake cycle is ready to begin so that's why the intake lobe is at the top ready to open the intake valve when the piston is coming down.

Shouldn't be much play at all in a new chain. Mine had just enough to be able to move it a little bit.
 
Hi all,
Talked to MRE this morning. Even though the instructions say that the cam gear lines up at 6 oclock and the crank gear at 12, they told me that the cam gear needs to be at noon as well. Thanks for all the help guys. I knew this thing was 180 deg off.

- Stu
 
Actually Stu it's the same when lined up either way because the cam only rotates at half the speed of the crank. Therefore if you line up your dots at 6 and 12 O'clock and rotate the crank exactly one revolution they will now be lined up at 12 O'clock and 12 O'clock. So it wasn't really 180 off. It was just on the exhaust cycle. Generally speaking using the term 180 off refers to the dist timing, not cam timing. Like Mr.Mopartech said in post #2 when the dots are lined up at 12 O'clock and 12 O'clock the engine is on #6 compression TDC. When their lined up at 12 O'clock and 12 O'clock the engine is on #1 compression TDC.
 
You're right Fishy. What threw me off was that I expected to have the dots lined up 12 and 6, as the instructions said, and be looking the lobes where the power stroke was about to take place. Rookie Cam installer mistakes. LOL

Thanks guys for all your help.
 
stupidasso said:
You're right Fishy. What threw me off was that I expected to have the dots lined up 12 and 6, as the instructions said, and be looking the lobes where the power stroke was about to take place. Rookie Cam installer mistakes. LOL

Thanks guys for all your help.
Click to expand...

After you have it dot - dot and all buttoned up then rotate the crank 360* and #1 will be at tdc for installing dizzy roter at #1 plug wire. By 360 I mean you stop at ±340* so you have ±20* BTDC already set for initial timing.
 
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