how to tell if crank is 1 tooth off?

[cutter]

Well the lifters in this engine were ticking pretty loud on start up so I decided to change them. After I had done the exhaust side of the lifters I started on the intake side and I just glanced at the came alignment marks and they were only 18 links apart instead of 20.



so I cranked it around and put it back in time or thought I did but it looks like the crank is a tooth off.




is there a way to tell if the crank is off a tooth? I did put everything together and it was running extremely lean( out of range on my aem wideband) and I checked the ignition timing and with the cas all the way retarded it was at 20* ( the far right timing mark o the crank) then it died and will not crank now.

I checked the compression about 1 month ago and it was 150-155 across the board now it is at 85-90 psi. I am hoping it is because it was out of time and not because of bent valves.

I dont want to pull my oil pans and sub frame just to see if its on the mark so if anyone knows of another way please help me out.

[Matt93SE]

From what you've said, I would guess you're off one tooth as well.

Do you have a dial indicator gauge? stick that in the spark plug hole and watch for absolute TDC.

You can try it with a screwdriver or something, but it's often really hard to tell the difference between one tooth.

[cutter]

ya i did have a screw driver in there but I couldnt tell, with the crank pulley on zero and with my best guess with the screw driver the engine is at tdc.

[CodyAce]

seems like the chain is off a tooth on the crank. Just move the cams back one full link on both and it looks like you'll be good.

By full link, if you see how the 'dark' spots on the chain are on the 'outie' part of a link, move it back to the previous full 'outie' link. You want that exhaust cam gear detent to be at 12 o'clock.

[cutter]

Ok. Hopefully this solves my rich/no power up top condition.

[SoSideways]

Rich/no power up top - yup, sounds like a tooth off.

[Tower240sx]

WTF are you guys talking about being off a tooth on the crank?

the chain isn't divisible by the number of teeth on any of the gears...crank it another 53 times and it will line up with the crank and not the cams,

put motor at TDC....DONE
align exhaust cam to about 12'30"

count 20 rollers
align intake cam

the links are only helpful if you have time to crank the motor in circles all afternoon (too late now since it's been changed since you knew it was good) or if you are playing with a motor that doesn't have a lower cover on it, (rebuilding on a stand or otherwise free of oil pan restrictions)

[SoSideways]

Last time I had the rich/no power up top condition, it was because I stabbed the CAS off one tooth, and plus I think the exhaust cam was off one tooth too.

It was either one of those.

Finally fixed it and the car drove fine.

Wasn't my car, someone else's car. But still.

[Matt93SE]

WTF are you guys talking about being off a tooth on the crank?

In other words, he's off one tooth on both intake and exhaust cam.....

[gawdzilla]

don't forget you might need to reset your CAS

[CodyAce]

WTF are you guys talking about being off a tooth on the crank?

the chain isn't divisible by the number of teeth on any of the gears...crank it another 53 times and it will line up with the crank and not the cams,

put motor at TDC....DONE
align exhaust cam to about 12'30"

count 20 rollers
align intake cam

the links are only helpful if you have time to crank the motor in circles all afternoon (too late now since it's been changed since you knew it was good) or if you are playing with a motor that doesn't have a lower cover on it, (rebuilding on a stand or otherwise free of oil pan restrictions)

Just follow my redneck advivce, move the cam gears both back a link and give her some boost. Damn you SoCal guys and your fancy shmacny think about it stuff.