Camshaft alignment

[MarkN]

Hi all-
I'm putting my cam back in, and it seems like I have two choices; cam
advanced, or cam retarded.
In the factory manual (Figure 4F-29) it shows that when the timing
mark is pointing to the "T", the cam should be installed so that the
mark on the gear is, "parallel to the flange suface of the camshaft
housing"
I'm just about in the middle: when the timing chain is on the gear,
the cam is retarded by about the same amount that the cam is advanced
by when I move the timing chain forward one set of teeth.
Am I missing something important here? Am I the retarded one, not my
camshaft?
When I replaced my timing chain last year, I came up against this same
problem, and I ran with the cam advanced all last year with no
catastrophic repercussions. This time I just thought I'd ask around,
see if somebody knew something that I didn't.
thanks, Miles E.

[friend]

Hi Bill E.
It sounds like you have a stretched cam chain. The setting for advanced or
retarded is obtained when the cam is in place and you are setting the
points. The cam should always be timed to the top dead center (T) on the
belt wheel and with the cam centered (notch) in the cam to the opening of
the drivers side cam end cap. Your cam is not lining up because the cam
chain is stretched. It sounds like you need a new cam chain.
Bill
In San Diego.

[MarkN]

The timing chain is almost new- it's got less than 500 miles on it.
Also, when I first installed it, I had the same problem.
I'm not referring to the timing of the ignition, but rather the timing
of the camshaft.
Do you trust the notches in the camshaft bearings over the line
scribed on the camshaft gear when the two disagree?
Thanks, Miles E.

--- In
2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
, wrote:
> Hi Bill E.
> It sounds like you have a stretched cam chain. The setting for
advanced or
> retarded is obtained when the cam is in place and you are setting the
> points. The cam should always be timed to the top dead center (T)
on the
> belt wheel and with the cam centered (notch) in the cam to the
opening of
> the drivers side cam end cap. Your cam is not lining up because the cam
> chain is stretched. It sounds like you need a new cam chain.
> Bill
> In San Diego.
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:
2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
]On Behalf Of wanna600
> Sent: Sunday, April 16, 2006 1:12 AM
> To:
2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [2cylinderhondas] Camshaft alignment
> Hi all-
> I'm putting my cam back in, and it seems like I have two choices; cam
> advanced, or cam retarded.
> In the factory manual (Figure 4F-29) it shows that when the timing
> mark is pointing to the "T", the cam should be installed so that the
> mark on the gear is, "parallel to the flange suface of the camshaft
> housing"
> I'm just about in the middle: when the timing chain is on the gear,
> the cam is retarded by about the same amount that the cam is advanced
> by when I move the timing chain forward one set of teeth.
> Am I missing something important here? Am I the retarded one, not my
> camshaft?
> When I replaced my timing chain last year, I came up against this same
> problem, and I ran with the cam advanced all last year with no
> catastrophic repercussions. This time I just thought I'd ask around,
> see if somebody knew something that I didn't.
> thanks, Miles E.

[zinc2u]

The line scribed on the cam gear should be at right angles to the notch on the driver's (left) side of the cam.  When you install the cam,  turn over the crank by hand with a wrench on the pulley.
Everytime the cam notch is up (and the cam scribe is level),  the pulley notch must line up with the "T" on the alternator housing. If not,  adjust the cam positon slightly.   And you may want to double-check the pulley notch is correct by observing the piston's postion is at top dead center.
good luck,
Dale

> Do you trust the notches in the camshaft bearings over the line > scribed on the camshaft gear when the two disagree?

[MarkN]

Thanks, that's it! I just took a close look at my cam and noted that
the line scribed on the gear IS NOT at right angles to the notch.
I don't now much about the manufacture of cams, but I'm going to guess
that the notch is used to align the blank in the cam grinding
thingamajig, while the scribed line is added later to ease assembly.
Therefore I'll align the cam to the notch, not the scribed line.
Thanks, Miles E.

--- In
2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
, goinhm@... wrote:
> The line scribed on the cam gear should be at right angles to the
notch on
> the driver's (left) side of the cam.

[Steve]

Sometimes there is 2 lines on the cam gear. One is cast in and later
one gets scratched in, looks like they used a hacksaw blade! Always
use the notch and center it in the cam holder notch. Then if the
line doesn't match it should lean slightly to the back.
Miles