Whats the best way to proceed?

[tcoop]

I found that the rattle that I have been hearing on the 78 was the cam chain. I removed the valve cover and found an extrimly (I was able to lift it about one inch) loose chain. It was bunched up between the two sprockets ( it has jumped a couple of teeth) One of the cams is way off and I don't know wich one.

Here are some pictures of the state that its in (besides Utah)












What would be the best way to proceed?

I have turned the engine over clock wise but it felt like it hit a valve so I didn't force it.

Looks like I need to remoce the cams to get it back to where it needs to be. I can get to two of the bolts on the sprokets.

Can I turn it counter clock wise to get to the other two?
Will this hurt anything?

I'm hoping that I don't have a bent valve already

I do have a manual but they assume that everything is lined up correctly.

Any advice would be appreciated

[DGXSER]

IT seems really unlikely that your chain is THAT worn as it appears to be a replacement by the newer link there. But stranger thigns have happened.

First thing I would do is to remove the cam chain tensioner and see where it is in its movement. I would NOT turn the engine any further. If the adjuster is all the way out, then you need a new chain one way or another. I would then break the chain, tie-ing the ends up with wire to the frame out of the way. THEN rotate the crank to the correct mark. I forget if it is the T or the C off the top of my head. Then remove the cams and put them back in with the timing marks in the correct spots. If you try to turn them individually you might bend a valve also due to interferance of both valves possibly being open.

Now I would install a new cam chain, and install the tensioner. Then, run a compression check to see if you might have a bent valve.

As an alternative, you could go ahead and pull the head off while you have the cam chain open and clean up the head and the valves while your there. That will reveal a bent valve also.

[mack]

Problems

For the time it takes now, rather than further damage, I'd go ahead and pull the cams. Then rotate the engine to line up the "T" then you can either do a full service on the head after removing it or put the cams back in properly and do a compression test to see if your valves got bent. Either way, don't rotate the engine until the cams are removed. The chain may be ok but the tensioner bolt may have been stripped so it didn't hold the adjuster properly. Ensure you have a good look at it.

[XJ Rob]

Just a note to add. I made the mistake of not looking in the right spot for the timing marks on the cams. There a small "DOT" on the top of each cam that lines up with the arrow on the camshaft "Cap". NOT the "lines" you might think are the right marks.



I would NOT ignore what has been suggested but just didn't want you to line up the wrong marks like i almost did.

[Ivan]

I agree with everyone about getting things lined up. It is possible to do this without breaking the chain. Just loosen the bolts that hold the sprocket, then the cam caps, and take the tensioner out. Then slide the sprockets off the machined diameter to the cast part, which will let the cam rise enough that the valves will close. Pay attention to the cam sprockets, there is an embossed area arount the bolts and one has a hump to indicate proper clockin on the cam. Then rotate the crank to TDC and position the cams correctly. then reverse to get everything buttoned up. Look up the proper procedure for tensioning the cam chain and follow it to a T.

If you aren't mechanically inclined, I would suggest finding some guidance.

[WMarshy]

I think he needs to make sure he using the correct reference on the cams (dimples in the cam) and not the casting lines in the picture like Rob stated... Its still possible that you jumped a tooth or two with that much slack so I be cautious about rotating the engine and further. I think the safest thing you could do is remove the cams, as already stated (good advice guys). GL

[tcoop]

Thanks for the input. I will reset the timing tonight.

I hoe that none of the valves are bent.

[tcoop]

Got it all lined back up with out dropping one of those little washers/nuts into the engine . Still need to do a compression test but it turns over with out feeling like it is hitting something. So hpefully its all good.

[DGXSER]

Sounds like a good thing!! You could run the compression check with the valve cover off or just loosly laid over the top.