How do you know when the timing chain wheels are installed correctly? Do they need to be pushed or tapped into place as far back as they'll go?

Any tips to get the chain and wheels on properly? Engine is at TDC now. I didn't remove the woodruff key. I'm hoping to be able to fit the chain and wheels on together, which is how I'd removed the old parts, but when the chain was off, it was tough to have it aligned. I want to be sure I haven't installed the chain a tooth off, but I'll rotate the engine using a wrench after putting the chain on and I'm guessing that if the timing marks keep aligning at 12 and 6 and I'm not hearing or feeling anything hit then everything is OK?

Anything I should use to lubricate the new chain, like I did with the oil pump gears using petroleum jelly? I don't have assembly lube, but I have motor oil on hand as well. I'm not sure if the chain needs anything, though.

 

Put them together with the marks lined up with the chain around them and slide them on all at once. Always use oil or assembly lube, in this case engine oil. They should just slide on with moderate force max, no need to hit them on

 

Thanks!

And the chain wheels get installed without any grease or lubricant, right?

 

Oil or assembly lube like the chain.

 

I might’ve written that ambiguously. You mean just on the chain wheel teeth, not on the surfaces that contact the crank and cam, right?

 

Oil it all, it won't hurt it whatsoever and I'll prevent any chance of scratches/galling and make it super easy to put the parts on. When in use all those areas get soaked in oil

I usually store stuff like lifters and cam phasers and chains in a bucket of oil when I'm working on engine internals and take them out to install.

 

Thanks, that's a great tip - I'll use a container to soak the chain and chain wheels in oil and hopefully it'll fit back together easily. I'm not sure if the AB chain/wheels are aftermarket parts, but hopefully they're good. After it's on, I'll know if I'm a tooth off if I turn the engine by hand and the timing marks don't align every cycle or I'll probably feel something interfering/hitting or just stopping the engine from rotating?

 

Correct. You will need to turn it over 720* to check the marks since the cam turns at 1/2 speed vs the crank. Make totally sure the cam and crank are both where they should be before seating the gears. If they are off adjust them so the marks on the gears line up perfectly, then install everything all at once with the chain around them as mentioned before.

 

Thanks, I think the crank and cam are in the right place. I set TDC by hand before removing the old chain and I didn’t move the crank or cam at all since then, so they weren’t moved without the chain. I had the marks aligned as close as humanly possible. Hopefully they line up again with the new parts. I have some more cleaning to do, but I want to put the chain on right afterward. Is there any need to use loctite on the cam bolt? I have the blue type.

 

Send a picture of the gears when you test fit them without the chain, there shouldn't be but again.....I am not 100% familiar with these engines to that extent so I would say consult the FSM