Post by bws678 on Dec 1, 2020 14:11:08 GMT -5
I have tried a whole bunch of combinations turning the engine over to try to align the camshafts, but I just can't seem to get it right. The intake cam is a snug fit after aligning the second (very tiny) notch on the crank pulley with the protrusion on the block. The exhaust cam does not want to spin enough to get the alignment tool to fit. I do not want to break anything, so I am a hair's breadth from just retiming the whole thing. I wanted to get some input here first, though.
I read something out of a Reddit thread by someone with the same problem I am having. It basically said that some part of the VCT (bushing?) was too tight. I have seen somewhere on one of the ZX2 forums that there is no need to mess with the VCT at all when timing or changing the timing belt.
It's annoying because I don't really trust how the previous belt was installed since I didn't do the work myself. This time I am trying to get it done right, so I want to take my time. I only have the rest of the day to work on the car today, then work until Saturday. I might try to get some stuff done before work too, but I am a bit stressed to get it back together. I love my ZXPoo, and it really sucks to see it sit.
Edit: Okay, so it is a bit later. I decided that I was going to just take off the belt and see how much the Ex. cam had to rotate in order for the alignment tool to slide in. The intake cam was already lined up, and the crank was already aligned with the second notch and hopefully at TDC on the compression stroke for cyl 1. Once again, the In. cam allowed the alignment tool to go in. This time it went in easily (I guess I was a little more on base with the crank this time around). Unfortunately, the Ex. cam was still a good amount away from lined up. I rotated it clockwise (looking from the passenger side of the car), but I couldn't get the tool to slide in with the amount of force I was willing to apply.
I loosened the tensioner, removed the belt (which was still in pretty good shape), and rotated the Ex. cam as much as it needed to allow the alignment tool to fit. The problem is that I am not entirely sure the VCT is lined up right (or if this even matters), since it rotated the cam and sprocket together with the belt off. I didn't feel the resistance or hear oil squelching like when the Ex. cam was connected to the belt.
My hope is that everything is good to time again now. I do wonder how the car was able to run if the Ex. cam was so far out of time that I couldn't align it with the In. cam. I guess it could have been that the VCT was engaging too early for some reason as I rotated the cam and it was pulling on the In. cam before it lined up, making it impossible to get the alignment tool to slide in.
Thanks to everyone who read this far. I appreciate the help.
I read something out of a Reddit thread by someone with the same problem I am having. It basically said that some part of the VCT (bushing?) was too tight. I have seen somewhere on one of the ZX2 forums that there is no need to mess with the VCT at all when timing or changing the timing belt.
It's annoying because I don't really trust how the previous belt was installed since I didn't do the work myself. This time I am trying to get it done right, so I want to take my time. I only have the rest of the day to work on the car today, then work until Saturday. I might try to get some stuff done before work too, but I am a bit stressed to get it back together. I love my ZXPoo, and it really sucks to see it sit.
Edit: Okay, so it is a bit later. I decided that I was going to just take off the belt and see how much the Ex. cam had to rotate in order for the alignment tool to slide in. The intake cam was already lined up, and the crank was already aligned with the second notch and hopefully at TDC on the compression stroke for cyl 1. Once again, the In. cam allowed the alignment tool to go in. This time it went in easily (I guess I was a little more on base with the crank this time around). Unfortunately, the Ex. cam was still a good amount away from lined up. I rotated it clockwise (looking from the passenger side of the car), but I couldn't get the tool to slide in with the amount of force I was willing to apply.
I loosened the tensioner, removed the belt (which was still in pretty good shape), and rotated the Ex. cam as much as it needed to allow the alignment tool to fit. The problem is that I am not entirely sure the VCT is lined up right (or if this even matters), since it rotated the cam and sprocket together with the belt off. I didn't feel the resistance or hear oil squelching like when the Ex. cam was connected to the belt.
My hope is that everything is good to time again now. I do wonder how the car was able to run if the Ex. cam was so far out of time that I couldn't align it with the In. cam. I guess it could have been that the VCT was engaging too early for some reason as I rotated the cam and it was pulling on the In. cam before it lined up, making it impossible to get the alignment tool to slide in.
Thanks to everyone who read this far. I appreciate the help.