OK Folks,

Cam Cover off. (Let Blaster do its thing + new T40 bit.

Seems pictures are in order.

1) Cleanest cam cover underside I've ever seen (total=2)

2) Overhead shot.

3) lining up the timing links (intake) with.....

4)lining up the timing links (exhaust) with....

After rotating the engine enough times, the only way I can get the timing marks pointing to the chain is to not have the timing links on the chain be anywhere close to to the top of the engine.

Apologies the pics are not straight on --- I need to remove the torque axis mount to get better ones.

Off to my office to work.....down the hall.

Oh --- no strange noises when rotating, no broken valve springs, no collapsed lifters, can feel a bit of compression every 90 degrees of rotation (belt off)

Whomever timed this engine when it was rebuilt had no freaking clue what they were doing. I think they tried to center the crank alignment link between the cam sprockets.
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Opinions please on the timing of the engine as determined by cam sprocket position with alignment links as level as I can get it on the intake cam.

 

The timing links only line up one time, from then on you ill have to count the links. Count the links between the two cam marks and make sure the lines on the cam gears are that far apart.

 

Yes, I realize that which is why I'm logging on to post this now. Crank sprocket different size than cam sprockets. Duh.

I noticed this while I was rotating it. Don't know what my problem is.



But I am too late.



Nonetheless, thank you.

 

Timing marks lined up with timing links. Marks are little circles kind of difficult to see but they are there if you blow up the picture

 

I went through the whole Mount thing injector thing 10 years ago with no change.

Based on the way the vehicle runs so hot so quickly, could this be a plugged cat? I don't know why I never thought of that before. Maybe because there are no drivability issues. However if the exhaust gases are backing up, the added back pressure on the engine would not be good for it.

I have a back pressure tester that I will hook up. Screws into O2 sensor bung. I wonder if this is why the car always passed emissions. They aren't getting to the tailpipe

 

Cams look good, yes check the back pressure. Car you hear the engine fire at the exhaust pipe? Or is it quiet and just blows? A restricted cat will just blow air at idle and you won’t hear each cylinder.

 

I can hear it fire and seemingly misfire inconsistently. Come to think of it, the exhaust note is a higher pitch and different overall sound than the black car which I believe has the same cat muffler, etc.

I will clean it up and replace that gasket. There is no groove in the cover for one like the 2nd gens, yet I was able to purchase a preformed gasket. Guess I'll figure it out when I find the part.

If it is just a min thickness but bendable rubber gasket, can I use that stuff for tacking things like water pump gaskets so they stay in position during installation?

 

Gasket adhesives work well, everything needs to be clean.

 

Thank you.

Have some acetone left from doing the 97 cam cover, and yes, I know about the film acetone can leave behind if you douse something too heavily ( me being a chemist and all.
Gotta go find the gasket......

Massive deadline Tuesday at work. Going to get things cleaned up and ready for tonight so it can sit while I get the back pressure tester found. If I remember correctly the O2 bung ports are a different size for OBD1 than OBD2 but maybe I am remembering wrong . Just hope my gauge fits.

 

I only remember one size, I think it is the 18mm spark plug thread.