Couple questions after timing chain job

[BadCab]

Hi Guys, gotta couple questions.  I just got done changing out all my vaccum lines,head gasket,timing chain/gears/tensioner, water pump,thermostat, all the gaskets and seals, clutch/PP etc. I know i need a new back but on to the car. The engine starts up fine, runs smooth and has an awesome purring idle. My first issue is that i seem to have lost some low end HP or torque and i am getting worse gas mileage. I was getting about 28mpg and it has gone to about 20-23mpg. I'm sure i got the timing right but i'm wondering if i should play around with the cam to crank timing. How far can i adjust the cam sprockets before i have to worry about hitting valves? Can i use the whole range of adjustment on the cam sprockets slots? I am thinking that the stretched chain i took off had put the timing in some ideal position that i lost when i went to new parts. Any tips?

Also my car has a very light whining sound coming from the top of the engine. Nothing major but i can't remember if that sound was there before. Kind of sounds like a diff whine and it increases pitch when you rev it. It's not an injector click or anything like that. Does your M42 have a light whine?

Thanks,
Glen

[beemer1]

Hi Guys, gotta couple questions.  I just got done changing out all my vaccum lines,head gasket,timing chain/gears/tensioner, water pump,thermostat, all the gaskets and seals, clutch/PP etc. I know i need a new back but on to the car. The engine starts up fine, runs smooth and has an awesome purring idle. My first issue is that i seem to have lost some low end HP or torque and i am getting worse gas mileage. I was getting about 28mpg and it has gone to about 20-23mpg. I'm sure i got the timing right but i'm wondering if i should play around with the cam to crank timing. How far can i adjust the cam sprockets before i have to worry about hitting valves? Can i use the whole range of adjustment on the cam sprockets slots? I am thinking that the stretched chain i took off had put the timing in some ideal position that i lost when i went to new parts. Any tips?

Also my car has a very light whining sound coming from the top of the engine. Nothing major but i can't remember if that sound was there before. Kind of sounds like a diff whine and it increases pitch when you rev it. It's not an injector click or anything like that. Does your M42 have a light whine?

Thanks,
Glen

The whine is probably a slightly over tightened or brand new belt(s).

When I reinstalled the used chain and tightened everything down I rotated the engine 1-2 times and check that the cams were aligned (w/ cam lock tool).  I had to do that a couple times before I got it just right.  Can't help you with anything else:(

Steve

[BadCab]

Thanks, yes it sounds like a tight belt or a power steering pump low on fluid, but in the valve cover.

Well it looks pretty good anyways.

[RidingSimple]

Diggin the BRG valve cover!

[BadCab]

It's actually Ford Dark Jade. Some Dupliclor spray can stuff. It was the closest i could get to my Laguna Green. It's a little greener than the car but it's really close. I plan on painting the car this fall and will redo the engine parts then. Heres another where you an see the oil filt cover.

[B318M42W]

the whine is very possibly the new chain...
as for the gas milage... i have a few things in mind... if all the gaskets are new and everything is sealed up nice, then it might run a little too rich... soo, O2 sensor tired, afm needs a little cleaning/adjustment or the injectors are a little dirty and aren't spraying properly.

as for the sprocket adjustement, i beleive you can do +- 6 deg, but the ECU copes with +-3... but i'm really not sure about thoses #'s... i do know that there's a thread out there that's all about cam adjustement.