Crank won't make a full revolution

[LagunaVert]

So I just put a new headgasket and timing belt on my car. For some reason the crank won't quite make a full rev. It gets about 1/4 from the TDC mark and "clunk". I am certain the timing is correct, but confused as to what is causing this. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[whodwho]

You either left something in the cylinder or the cam it is out of time, careful turning it over or you may bend a valve. Hopefully you turned by hand and not the starter when you heard the clunk.

[LagunaVert]

You either left something in the cylinder or the cam it is out of time, careful turning it over or you may bend a valve. Hopefully you turned by hand and not the starter when you heard the clunk.

By Hand of course. :) It seems like no matter what position the cam is in, The crank wont come within 1/4 of its tdc mark on either side. Looks like i'll be taking the head off. AGAIN!

[StereoInstaller1]

NO!

What did you use as marks for the cam timing?

If you followed the bentley (gasp!!) IT IS WRONG!

[jlevie]

I'm not sure what you did wrong, but it certainly sounds like the cam timing is wrong. Pull the head and rotate the engine to put cylinder 1 at TDC with timing mark lined up. The rotate the cam until it's timing mark is lined up. Install the head (using new head bolts & gasket) and only bring the head bolts up to initial torque. Then without disturbing the crank or cam install the timing belt. Rotate the engine through two revolutions and verify that both marks line up. The last step is to bring the head bolts up to full tightness.

If you leave the final tightening of the head bolts as the last step, if there is an error in assembly you can pull the head and re-use the gasket and bolts. Otherwise they must be replaced.

[StereoInstaller1]

The crankshaft timing mark is the issue.

What you are looking for is the little V notch right down by the crank, behind the pulley, NOT the one on the cover that uses the crank pulley to mark the timing.

[LagunaVert]

I think i've figured out the problem, and it has nothing to do with the timing. I believe the piston i replaced is too tall and is hitting the head.

This car was literally given (not a dime paid on my part) to me with a broken timing belt. I knew there was a fair amount of work to be done, but i needed a project for the summer. I got a new head(the old one had a few broken components) and a new piston to replace the one that got raped by a broken valve stem. The piston was purchased through Bavarian Auto Recycling, and when it arrived i noticed it was different then the one i pulled. I believe they refer to them as Collared, and Non-Collared. I immediately called BavAutoRec to question them about this, and they assured me they two were compatible. But now that I've gotten this far into the project I'm starting to realize that they may not be. ARGH!!

[StereoInstaller1]

Oh my god...you put the head on without checking deck height on all pistons?

No fucking way, no one is that dumb except me.

25 years ago I did the same damn thing.

[LagunaVert]

Oh my god...you put the head on without checking deck height on all pistons?

No fucking way, no one is that dumb except me.

25 years ago I did the same damn thing.

Yea well, its been a few years since my last autoshop class, and this is my first time doing this level engine work by myself. Everything appeared to be in order after replacing the piston. Maybe i was just glad to have the main part of the project done and didn't notice a difference. How much difference in height are we talking here?

[StereoInstaller1]

Well, shit, 5MM is WAY past the end of the world.

[jlevie]

Oh my god...you put the head on without checking deck height on all pistons?

No fucking way, no one is that dumb except me.

25 years ago I did the same damn thing.

While I haven't made that mistake, years ago I managed to re-assemble an engine with a wrong rod. It was a few millimeters shorter and so the error wasn't noticed until the engine was running and one cylinder was obviously not working right. It took me a while to figure that one out.

If you do enough of this you will do something really dumb at some point.