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| | | | Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 18 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 18 | Okay, I did something stupid. I have the head off my '54 235 getting it worked on. While it is off I have been fixing leaks with the motor in the truck. It was leaking from the front timing cover and the rear main seal. I removed the timing cover, the oil pan, and loosened the main bearings to lower the crank to get a new seal in. Tonight I was looking at the timing gears and noticed that I had lowered the crank low enough to disengage the gears. I noticed the one small dot on the crank gear, but the only mark I notice on the cam gear is a rather large round dot in a valley of the cam gear. Is this the correct mark? As is said, I have the head off and can find TDC on the #1 cylinder easy enough. I also have the lifter cover off. Can anyone give me a good idea of how to line everything up if these marks are not the right ones.
Also, I have a sneaky pete and am getting ready to put in the rope rear main seal. The previous owner had the neoprene type in and I am assuming this is why it was leaking. I have read some threads that say to lube the top seal with vasaline before attempting. Other say don't lube it. I don't have the crank down very far in the rear. Should I lube it before I try or not? Any other advice on getting the top seal in would be appreciated.
Thanks
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,708 | Different gear manufacturers had different styles of marking the crank and cam gears. Whatever method they used, they will line up when a straight edge is placed through the center of the crank snout and the center of the camshaft. Any way you can achieve this alignment is proper. The mark in the crotch of one gear might align with the mark on the peak of the other. Sometimes there are two marks on one gear that straddle the mark on the other gear.
It sounds like you have the concept...it's pretty simple. You must have really dropped the crank for those timing gears to have come apart.
Stuart | | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 9,115 | Yes the mark will be on the tooth of one gear and the valley of the other gear. When #1 and #6 are at TDC, either 1 or 6 will be ready to fire and the other will be ready to start the intake cycle. However, the timing marks are the only true way of timing it properly.
I would try and use a rope seal on a 54. If your mains have shims, I would adjust all of them. If they are sloppy the rear main will never seal very well. When I finally replaced my mains my new seal worked perfectly. | | |
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