Pulley vs flywheel

[mcmil]

I am swapping lower timing covers and replaced the timing chain. I am now reassembling my motor. When I went to refit the crank pulley, the pointer is about 10 degrees away from the mark.

I can see the ball in the flywheel and the tdc mark on the cam is aligned.

The flywheel has been jammed throughout the work.

Is there a way to ensure that cylinder 1 is at TDC? I don't want to bend a bunch of valves!

[Zenon]

The ball on the flywheel is actually 25 BTDC, not TDC. There is another embossed line on the flywheel labeled OT - that is the TDC mark but it is often obscured by crud. Anyway, the pulley only goes on one way since it has a key. Pretty hard to screw that up.

regards,

Zenon

[KFunk]

I am swapping lower timing covers and replaced the timing chain. I am now reassembling my motor. When I went to refit the crank pulley, the pointer is about 10 degrees away from the mark.

I can see the ball in the flywheel and the tdc mark on the cam is aligned.

The flywheel has been jammed throughout the work.

Is there a way to ensure that cylinder 1 is at TDC? I don't want to bend a bunch of valves!

hmmm, that is weird... Shouldn't the cam and crank pulley atleast be lined up at the same time? You gotta figure out which one to trust.

I don't know how the keyway could've gotten changed (but I haven't seen how the crank pulley mounts on my 02 yet).

Is it the original head and crank pulley and such, or could a component have a mark out of place?

In any case, the usual way for verifying TDC in a DOHC motor (with vertical spark plug hole) is the dipstick trick. You just pull out a spark plug, stick a dipstick in the hole so that it sits on top the piston. Rotate the engine a few times by hand and watch the dipstick go up and down. then you know exactly when the piston is at TDC.

This would be tough in a 2002 because the engine is slanted and the spark plugs come from the side. But you may be able to bend a coat hanger at a 90 degree angle at the tip, insert it in the spark plug hole, and watch it moves as it makes contact and ascends and descends.

Never tried this in an 02, but I think its a worth a try for some assurance.

[Tommy]

I am swapping lower timing covers and replaced the timing chain. I am now reassembling my motor. When I went to refit the crank pulley, the pointer is about 10 degrees away from the mark.

I can see the ball in the flywheel and the tdc mark on the cam is aligned.

The flywheel has been jammed throughout the work.

Is there a way to ensure that cylinder 1 is at TDC? I don't want to bend a bunch of valves!

Since you say flywheel has been locked you must have rotated camshaft which wasn't aligned when you started. Everything Zenon said is true. You should get the notches on the flywheel and camshaft aligned. Then also pulley should match. The ball is only for ignition timing.

Tommy