Author Topic: Noisy Valve Train, Timing, and Sudden Death ?'s (Read 4826 times)

Murdul · « **on:** February 12, 2010, 12:36:04 PM »

Three Questions:

1.) If the cam sprocket(s) were not put directly back in the same position as when they came out what effect will this have on the Cam Position Sensor and how your car runs? My timing is dead on from what I can tell, but the arrows on the sprockets do not point straight up at TDC. Since there is that knob that the CPS reads what affect will this cause?

2.) Could 1. make my valve train noisy? If not is there some parts I should replace or something. I have tight screws in my oil pan and I already replaced the timing guides. Any other ideas?

3.) If I don't let my car warm up for a few minutes before I take off on the first start of the day it dies at the first stop sign I hit. And it dies very gracefully just as I push the clutch in coming to a stop, no jerking, no sounds, just silent death. Then it starts right back up after I turn the key. Any Ideas?

KenC · « **Reply #1 on:** February 12, 2010, 12:46:25 PM »

How "off" are the sprockets?

Murdul · « **Reply #2 on:** February 14, 2010, 10:50:58 PM »

I think just a couple teeth. I will get in there and take a look sometime this week.

Sorry for the delay I left work and left for the weekend.

KenC · « **Reply #3 on:** February 15, 2010, 02:51:13 AM »

A couple teeth off is enough to have them hit your pistons :-/

Murdul · « **Reply #4 on:** February 15, 2010, 09:47:40 AM »

The timing is not off, just the sprocket is not lined up right. Meaning I took my sprockets off and put them back a couple of teeth off. The chain did not move.So no my pistons are no slamming into my valves on my 35 mile trip to work everyday.

I was trying to find out if I am right in assuming the CPS is telling fuel to go into my cylinders too soon or too late because the cam sprocket is not in the correct position.

Unless I am way off and my motor is going to grenade itself now that I have written this.

nicknikolovski · « **Reply #5 on:** February 16, 2010, 02:47:55 AM »

Are you talking about the 4 bolts on each sprocket or by lining up you mean the arrow pointing up. If the arrow is not pointing up at TDC cylinder 1 then your cam timing is out. If the bolts are not centered on the sprockets the car will run depending on how much off center they are. Too much retarded or too much advanced will result in engine damage. The bolts should be centered for best performance.

Murdul · « **Reply #6 on:** February 16, 2010, 09:22:19 AM »

I am talking about the actual sprocket. The arrow does not point up at TDC. However the cam shafts are square.

For example take a car with perfect timing, remove the exhaust cam sprocket only, do nothing else, then re-install the sprocket but turn it 90 degrees before you install it. So your timing on your chain is not off, but the knob on the sprocket is off.

nicknikolovski · « **Reply #7 on:** February 17, 2010, 04:28:44 AM »

Check out these pictures:
http://www.esatclear.ie/~bpurcell/camgearmark.jpg
http://www.esatclear.ie/~bpurcell/camsinline.jpg
http://www.esatclear.ie/~bpurcell/tdccamsup.jpg
http://www.esatclear.ie/~bpurcell/timingchain.jpg

Just loosen all 4 bolts on each sprocket/s, release the chain tensioner piston, remove the chain off the cam sprockets only, remove the cam sprockets, make the arrows point how they should without actually moving the camshafts. Re-fit the cam sprockets and chain. Tighten the cam sprockets, refit the chain tensioner and then re-check tightness of cam sprocket bolts. Turn the engine over by hand - 2x 360 degrees of the crankshaft. Recheck you timing. If the arrows point up on the sprockets, the cam lobes for cylinder 1 point in towards each other and the square ends of the cams are parallel with the cylinder head surface then camshafts are now at TDC correctly with crank being at TDC as well.

Murdul · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2010, 10:07:33 AM »

Thanks for the info. I actually have used that writeup to replace my timing guides. Thats when I put the sprockets back on incorrectly because the chain did not have any marks (must be aftermarket by PO).

What I really want to know is whether or not having the sprockets "off" would make my car noisy. It actually runs well, but the valve train is annoyingly noisy. Might as well have marbles in there.

nicknikolovski · « **Reply #9 on:** February 18, 2010, 12:12:13 AM »

Can you post a video or sound file of the valvetrain noise?

Murdul · « **Reply #10 on:** February 18, 2010, 12:15:47 PM »

I already started tearing back into everything to adjust the sprockets, fix the AC, and fix a leak.

If the sound does away I will let you know, but I doubt this is the problem.