camshaft alignment

mrjacobrussell · Post by **mrjacobrussell** » 02 Mar 2011, 12:40

I took the cam holding tool off. Then moved the crank back and forth several times after setting the tensioner to make sure everything is settled in.

these pictres taken after crank against the stop in the stop hole of the block and tensioner is set.

How does this look for alignment ??

Also I didnt do the hold the cam in place with a wrench and mechanics wire i was able to do it by hand.

Post by **jimmy57** » 02 Mar 2011, 13:01

The hash marks on gears is not at all important. It is the cam locking tool, crank positioning, and the cvvt unit being at its right stop when the others are in correct positioning.
The marks are only put on the gears so removing and refitting a belt (when gears are not loosened from cams) can be done easily. IF you buy new gears they do not have marks, you mark them after doing the initial setup.
Have you run it and have no camshaft positioning codes?

mrjacobrussell · Post by **mrjacobrussell** » 02 Mar 2011, 13:09

jimmy57 wrote:The hash marks on gears is not at all important. It is the cam locking tool, crank positioning, and the cvvt unit being at its right stop when the others are in correct positioning.
The marks are only put on the gears so removing and refitting a belt (when gears are not loosened from cams) can be done easily. IF you buy new gears they do not have marks, you mark them after doing the initial setup.
Have you run it and have no camshaft positioning codes?

I just got the timing belt on I'm putting the exhaust and intake on here in a few minutes. I guess worst case scenario is I take apart and try again.

I held the exhaust cam forward (clockwise) with a t55 in the plug not the actual bolt , while the cam holder tool was installed then slid on belt. and tensioned the pictures show the cam gears after removing the cam holder.

Post by **jimmy57** » 02 Mar 2011, 13:29

OK, I think you made an error. The tool should have been holding the cams locked in place, gears on cams should have been free to move and belt is installed with gear marks aligned and crank in its proper place. Then tighten belt so the gears can move to position when belt is tightened. Holding the CVVT to the right with ratchet and freeing your hand by wiring the ratchet to something allows you to tension belt much more easily. THEN you move the CVVT to the right stop point and tighten its bolts. Then tighten intake cam bolts. This procedure is nothing about good gear mark alignment and is EVERYTHING about letting the gears move to the correct place with tight belt. If the marks are 1/2 tooth off right or left that is of no concern. The marks are put on gears at engine factory in a very low precision way and are not used for anything during the building of the engine. The cover with notches for those marks is plastic and can be moved a bit left or right and is a very low precision pointer for the marks. Good enough to get a removed belt back on if you paid attention to initial position of marks relative to cover but never meant to be used for anything more than a casual indicator.

mrjacobrussell · Post by **mrjacobrussell** » 02 Mar 2011, 14:46

im not a novice, but every time i read instructions about setting vvt i get lost what do you mean by right stop?

what your saying is that the intake came should be completly loose and allowed to move with that much free play how the hell do i kow i have it on rigt it could be 1 tooth off.

and the vvt are you saying that i should have the bolts to the gear completly loose and hold the vvvt forward (closwise) then once tentionoer is set then snug the vvt and intake bolts ?

If thats the proceedure
I should be able to set to TDC put the cam holder tool back on loosen the 6 cam gear bolts to allow them to " float "turn vvt forward clockwise and then retension the gear Bolts..

mrjacobrussell · Post by **mrjacobrussell** » 02 Mar 2011, 15:00

I guess I not taking to account the cam gear tool is holding the cams in correct position.. Im so used to cams that only gone on one way...

Please advise as if i were a red neck who needed 3rd grade level instructions. I just dont want to ruin the wifes car.

mrjacobrussell · Post by **mrjacobrussell** » 02 Mar 2011, 15:33

omg i just finaly got vadis to install .

so i think i get it now.

the play in the cam gear slots alows the cam gears to spin slightly

While the tentioner for the belt pulls out the slack you are holding or wire is holding the vvt cam as far clockwise as itll go

The reason the vvt gear bolts are all the way to the to the left right is becuase you need the space to allow the cam to turn with belt tention. I think it makes more sense I'll go take a look at the car and pull the belt off and try agan.

mrjacobrussell · Post by **mrjacobrussell** » 02 Mar 2011, 16:12

step one make sure crankstop is installed and crank is aligned

step two install cam holder

step three take cam belt off

step four loosen intake and exhuast cam gear bolts

step five hold exhuast forward with wire

step six put timing belt on intake side then exhuase then water pump then tentioner

step seven set tensioner

step eight tighten intake cam gear bolts

step nine I noticed there was a smidge of room to turn VVT forward so i held the exhuast cam with the t55 by hand forward and tightened the gear bolts

I hope i did it right this time

Post by **jimmy57** » 02 Mar 2011, 16:22

YOU got it!

OK, I had two or three reply posts to you that I'm not seeing.

mrjacobrussell · Post by **mrjacobrussell** » 02 Mar 2011, 16:29

It really wasnt making sense lol somthing new and all, I have been fighting vadis I would open the setup file then it would go away and nothing would happen

And then I woke up computer from suspend to reply to you earlier and vadis begain install lol i spent a few minutes reading it and it became crystal clear.

The vvt and intake marks are deffinatly not lined up but like you siad it doesnt matter the intake moves back and forth several teeth when loose all that matters is the slack is pulled up and the crank and cams were locked in correctly before the slack was taken by the tensioner then tighten the cams gears bolts

I heart my two volvo wagons

camshaft alignment

Re: camshaft alignment