Crank and cam tdc. Trying to do it now. Please help

[lostatoll]

Thanks for all the help guys. I finally got it. One problem I think I had was looking at the cam marks. I finally started looking through the kidney, and got it more dead on. After some finagling I was able to get them both to line up almost perfect. Tightened down the tensioner and it was spot on.

I could have finished tonight but when I was putting on the ac belt I fucking smacked my face with a socket and my front tooth is loose. :(

Oh well should be able to finish up tomorrow really quick. Couldn't manage to get the tranny drain plug or fill plug out. They're really in there. Just makes me wish I had a whole garage so bad.

Again. Thanks for the insight, you guys continue to rule. I'm gonna go ice down my face.

[billybobjoseph]

Glad to hear you got it running. Bummer about the tooth.

[Kershaw]

that's a high cost for a timing belt.

i hope you dont lose your tooth.

[lostatoll]

Ok. So I fucked up again. The water pumps looked the same at first glance. But yeah, I installed a single inlet pump. And now that it's almost completely back together I realize I needed the dual inlet.

I really do not want to take it all back apart again, so my question is can I just get an inlet into the thermostat return line that goes to the water pump and put the resevoir line into that? Please say yes.

I'm still just hoping my tooth isn't gonna fall out.

[Kershaw]

i've converted an early model to a late model coolant system. (did it along with a late model engine into an early model car.)

you have to replace the radiator and the reservoir. and maybe 1 other item. and you'll need all new hoses.

[lostatoll]

I'm just going to use a t hose adapter on the thermostat hose to feed the reservoir hose into the water pump. Seems the easiest option. I don't want to convert it totally. They both are just feeding the water pump so I should be fine.

Project from hell. I wish I would have just left the car alone. I envy all you guys rebuilding heads and doing all this amazing work on my favorite cars ever. I guess I'm just not ready to handle any of it myself.. I mean I think the timing belt swap went ok, haven't even started it yet, crossing fingers.. and hoping this new hose thing works..

But yeah. Feel like I should have just paid a mechanic.

[Gruelius]

although you got the belt on ill tell my technique, install tensioner with new spring and put your weight onto the tensioner pin then bolt it up to get most clearance.

Have crank/cam at TDC, wrap belt around the crank gear then pull the belt around the cam gear so it goes on tight but without moving crank. Make sure the belt is tight crank to cam side and the belt teeth are sitting in both crank/cam gears. slip belt over tensioner, undo tensioner bolt to tighten belt, rotate engine 4 times (2 full rotations) then tighten up tensioner bolt.


and dont worry lostatoll, its how it begins, fuckups is how you learn and yours wasnt that bad anyway.

if you decide to get a new proper pump just make sure the tensioner is tight and you can put the new pump in without the spring/pin in its seat (MUCH EASIER!!)

[lostatoll]

Thanks Gruelius, your method is pretty much how I ended up doing it when I got it.

That picture I uploaded, was a little closer then I thought, and I think it was on, except I didn't spin it enough, only once.. so I went back and forth a lot of times trying to get it right on and it wasn't lining up perfectly. Finally I looked through the kidney and saw I was a little behind the mark on the cam,.. move it forward just a touch, and then decided to crank it 3 more times around like I should have to begin with. Tensioner pulled it taught, and at the 4th rotation it they were both dead on.

My hack job of radiator hose nightmare worked enough to get the car home where I angrily took it all apart again to install the proper water pump, and some new hoses. When I went back in to swap it, I did check on the tension of the timing belt. It's just ever so much looser then when I put it together the first time. Worried me a little.. I considered redoing it, but I almost feel like my paranoia got me into this mess to begin with and that I should just leave it alone. I'd say the section between the intermediary and cam had like less then half an inch of horizontal movement. just ever so much less then when I put it on. You think that'll be ok? But i put it all back together, and got a little help from a local shop to change tranny fluid, and differential fluid because I couldn't get the bolts out.

All in all, I probably saved some money, but I guess I don't know if it was really worth it.. took me like 5 days of straight wrenching. Now if it were my garage and I could take my time, I'd definitely do it again without hesitation. And actually, now that I've done it, I'll definitely do it again. But it wasn't fun. My hands are shredded, tooth is still hurting, but I definitely am proud I did it myself.

Again, thanks for all the help.. I have no problem being a novice, just hope my questions aren't that dumb.

Until next time...