[johnny787]

Putting my engine back together. When i pulled the view hole cover off, i turned the fly wheel around a few times, all I could see is 2 hash marks. I put a pencil into the spark plug hole to see how far up the piston was on these marks. It seemed all the way up. Are these 2 hash marks the T marks everyone talks about? 02 400ex btw.

thanks.

 

[Helmut]

It should have a "T" turned sideways with a mark beside it. It should look something like this:

 

[Helmut]

BTW, as long as the piston is on TDC, you don't even have to worry about the mark on the flywheel. Sometimes, I don't even pull the those covers off the view hole, I just make sure the piston is exactly at the top of the stroke. When installing the cam, just make sure your lobes are facing down.

 

[johnny787]

thanks for the response. Just waiting on a new cam, sprocket and bolts from the little mishap that happened. Put everything else back together tonight.

 

[TRX2fiveO]

Glad your getting it straight, I do like helmut does sometimes but if you don't feel comfortable then just get a good light shine it in the hole you will see the 2 marks that you saw then the next is an "F" then the "T" is about a 1/2 further.

 

[shadetree]

all sound advice..my only concern is..there are two different TDC's..one is on ex stroke..and one is on intake stroke..sooo..be very careful to do like helmut said..and make sure your cam lobes face down when you line up the T mark...if the cam lobes are facing up..and you put the flywheel on TDC..then get ready for valve damage..when i do top end work..i always take a 17mm socket on the flywheel after i put it on TDC...and turn the flywheel backwards a little...as i do this..i watch my intake valves..if they start to move..then i know 100% that i'm on the compression stroke..and i'm good to go.

 

[Helmut]

all sound advice..my only concern is..there are two different TDC's..one is on ex stroke..and one is on intake stroke..sooo..be very careful to do like helmut said..and make sure your cam lobes face down when you line up the T mark...if the cam lobes are facing up..and you put the flywheel on TDC..then get ready for valve damage..when i do top end work..i always take a 17mm socket on the flywheel after i put it on TDC...and turn the flywheel backwards a little...as i do this..i watch my intake valves..if they start to move..then i know 100% that i'm on the compression stroke..and i'm good to go.

I know you already know this Shadetree, I'm just trying to explain how this works, to everyone else that don't already know. If the cam and timing chain are already installed, then you will have a TDC on the compression stroke and a TDC on the exhaust stroke. If the cam isn't installed yet, then you don't have to worry about which stroke it's on, just put it on TDC and install the cam with the lobes facing down , line up the marks on the cam gear and it will be in time. The position of the cam determines whether it's on the compression or exhaust stroke when it's on TDC.