I am in the process of changing the head gastket on this car and have a camshaft timing question before I remove the head.
Having read most of the very well-written articles out there on this site and others I'm not finding any that address head removal for VVT engines. My specific question is about how to align the cams for installation - because the way my exhaust cam is in there now (not removed yet) it does not match any of the pictures in any of the manuals OR in documented installtions by people on the web. The exhaust cam is very close but not "quite" lined up like the pictures of NON-VVT engines.
- Crank is at TDC confirmed by wire in cylinder #1 and both cam timing marks are up
- Camshaft marks on both cam pulleys are at the top. Hard to see but I found them and they are "up"
- There are exactly 18 belt teeth between the two cam pulley timing marks
- With VVT the exh cam pulley timing marks line up on the front of the motor --> But when you look at the back of the exh cam (with the front lined up) the rear slot is horizontal with the ground but not horizontal with the head seam like non-VVT engines do. I'm guessing this is because of the "play" afforded by the VVT advance and retard mechanism. I can move the exh gear back and forth a little bit without the cam actually moving. If you twist it a long way the cam will physically move. So I'm guessing the non-alignment of the physical exh cam is due to the VVT.
- I've attached a picture of the rear of the exhaust cam with the front timing marks in the stock position with the timing belt still on it in running condition.
Am I right? Is this correct for the exh cam to NOT be lined up exactly because of the play the VVT allows when the engine is not running?
And second, I have to twist the front of the exh gear COUNTER-clockwise away from "up" (the opposite of wht you'd think) in order to get the rear of the camshaft to line up horzontally with the head seam. Is this right?
What timing guidline do I follow when I reassemble this? Something doesn't seem right to me. If I reassemble it with the cams horzontal to the head seam it will make the cam timing marks up front wrong... And before you say it, I've looked LONG and hard at the front gears, I have the correct marks AND the bolts are two up one down like everybody's pictures have shown. As well, I've spun this thing over and over and over to make sure the marks on the FRONT are correct.
This is VVT, NOT a solid exhaust cam pulley.
I'm so afraid to pull this thing apart and not put it back together right.
