I know you have cut & pasted the text in your last post from an earlier thread or your notes. Since I do not have the head on my engine I see several areas where I have to interpret what is meant and adjust accordingly. Please read over my "head-off" interpretation of your instructions. Since you can edit, please delete or correct anything that is wrong so others don't use my head-off interpretation incorrectly.
Head-Off Interpretation:
Find true TDC for piston #1 and zero the degree wheel.
Put dial indicators on the tappets for valves 7 & 8 (cylinder #4)
Zero both the indicators when their tappets are truly resting on the cam lobe base circles.
Turn the engine over slowly by hand until piston #1 is back at TDC.
At true TDC both indicators should have the same non-zero reading.
If the exhaust indicator shows more lift than the intake, the cam is retarded and vice versa.
You said to turn the engine over until the exhaust valve for #4 is "just closed". With no head on the engine... is that just closed with the intake just opening... so piston #4 at the beginning of what will be the intake stroke... lobes 7 & 8 in an upward "V"?
Is any of this correct?
Thanks,
Doug L.
: Checking camshaft timing-
: This is a simple way to check cam
: timing without taking everything apart.
: This is accurate with any symmetrical
: lobe profile. All that is required is
: an accurate TDC indicating mark on the
: crank pulley/damper.
: Set the valves on #4 (or #6) cylinder
: to a wide clearance, say .070 or so,
: using the normal adjustment procedure,
: ensuring that the cam is on the base
: circle when it is set. The actual
: number isn’t important but they must be
: exactly the same. Rotate the engine by
: hand in the normal direction of
: rotation until the #4 (#6) exhaust
: valve is just closed. The TDC indicator
: will be almost lined up. Turn the crank
: a little further until it is exactly @
: TDC. The valve clearances on #4 (#6)
: will be even if the cam is timed
: “straight up”. If the exhaust has less
: clearance than the inlet, the cam is
: retarded, & if it has more it is
: advanced. In order to establish how
: much the cam is advanced/retarded from
: TDC, simply "back up" the
: damper a little* & sneak back up
: towards TDC very slowly, stopping every
: few degrees & checking clearance,
: & stop when the clearance is equal.
: This point is your relationship to TDC.
:
: *- always turn in the direction of
: normal rotation when checking, in order
: to take up the timing chain slack.