Check your cam timing

Post by **tjts1** » 26 Jan 2010, 08:01

The cam position doesn't matter at this point. It is 3 degrees retarded no matter how you rotate in that picture. Don't mess with cam timing until after you have your engine rebuilt, timing belt installed an running.

9394volvo850s · Post by **9394volvo850s** » 26 Jan 2010, 11:52

I agree get it together and running. its easy to do with the motor in the car.

Post by **djm850** » 27 Jan 2010, 06:14

OK. I'll just assemble the cams timed for TDC, then center the sprockets on the cams, then install the belt and see where the timing marks end up after turning the cranks a few times.

Post by **djm850** » 17 Feb 2010, 17:37

OK, I've got everything back together and I'm waiting on a new tensioner. Here's the position of the cams. Note the exhaust cam being advanced. I left it that way since when I was threading the belt on with everything tight from the crank up to the intake sproket, the closest tooth on the exhaust that fit was actually by advancing the cam forward a tad. Is this OK?

: 1a.JPG (232.92 KiB) Viewed 3557 times

: advanced timing.JPG (211.02 KiB) Viewed 3557 times

: exh cam.JPG (226.61 KiB) Viewed 3557 times

9394volvo850s · Post by **9394volvo850s** » 18 Feb 2010, 12:28

its like that because the Factory set them all retarded on the exhaust cam. so now you have it at the real TDC. all 3 of mine run great like this. better then factory.

Post by **djm850** » 18 Feb 2010, 13:48

Awesome! Thanks. That's what I figured. I started out this way by re-centering the sprocket to the cam instead of where it was from the factory. When I went to place the belt on the exhaust sprocket from the intake, I turned the exhaust clockwise to the closet tooth to get good tension on the belt and this is where it ended up. Next up, provided it fires and I get it home tonight, is to re-do the negative battery cable. The connection with about 10 small black wires that goes to the main cable broke. It's fixed temporarily, but after reading some other posts, I'd like to fix it right.

Post by **cn90** » 10 Dec 2012, 10:55

Fantastic thread.

I really needed this info!

PEWPEW · Post by **PEWPEW** » 18 Jan 2013, 22:12

Just adjusted my cam timing. Some idiot when replacing the belt had the exhaust full advance and the intake 5 degrees retarded. Much better on the test drive. I had just done some freeway driving before doing this and I was struggling for power, bad fuel economy.

Check your cam timing

Re: Check your cam timing