Reassembling 22r with new head gasket. Head went to a machine shop for surfacing and new valves. After torquing the head bolts down, I can't turn the camshaft as specified in the FSM. With the head out of the engine, camshaft was turning okay. With the rocker arms on top, and head bolts in, camshaft won't budge, so I can't line it up to get timing gear on.

Engine is at TDC, first piston all the way up. Camshaft is original, bearing caps are in correct order and torqued properly.
I've read elsewhere that the 22R is an interference engine, so that if I keep turning the camshaft, wouldn't that crash a valve into the piston?

Check out the FSM, page EM-27, step 5. After the torquing of bolts, turned by hand:




1985 Toyota Pickup 22R

 

Okay, got the camshaft turned. Read elsewhere that the valve spring tension is too much for the hand to overcome, so I lubed up the rockers really well, put the bolt back in the end of the camshaft and turned it with a socket wrench. Got it together, but I'm left with the mystery of why the FSM would suggest doing it this way. Next time, I'm definitely lining up the camshaft before bolting down the head bolts!

 

Glad you got it. Thanks for following up. Dead end threads suck.

 

no problem. I dislike those too. The problem raised another question for me too, the whole “is the 22r interference or not”? It seems like some are, some aren’t. I’m assuming if mine was, I wouldn’t have been able to turn the crankshaft past a certain point as the valves would have hit the raised 1 or 4 cylinder

 

Step 3 in your manual tells you to install the rocker assemblies. Then the step 5 picture that shows hand turning the cam doesn't have the rocker assemblies in place.

As far as the interference fit, did you actually rotate the cam a full rotation with the valves set to spec with the head bolts torqued and the pistons at TDC? I never tried it.

 

That's a good point. I assumed that they were just showing it without the rocker arms for visual clarity, but that doesn't really make sense. I can only conclude that it is a mistake in the Factory Service Manual and that step 5 should have come before step 3.

No, I did not rotate a full rotation with valves to spec. I had the valves loose, so you're right, I can't draw a conclusion there about the interference. Now that I have the timing chain on the camshaft, I'm finding it very difficult to turn the engine and I'm back to worrying again that the valve is hitting the piston...

 

An assembled engine doesn't spin without resistance. If the crank and cam turned smoothly, they should be ok.

The rings especially are noticeable so resistance to turning over will increase. Even more so when you have crank seals installed. You are just installing the head, not an entire engine assembly? It WAS running prior to doing the head and timing chain?

Now add the timing chain and the cam against valve springs it gets even harder but it should still turn. If you're hitting hard stops when each valve is opening, that's a problem.

You can rotate the engine clockwise and watch the cycles. Intake, compression, power and exhaust. and the valves in action. Does the timing pointer line up like it should at TDC? You should be able to set your valve lash and drop your distributor in.

When does it get difficult to turn and how difficult?

 

Just installing the head (with new valves & resurfaced by machine shop) I did not replace the timing chain (it only had 10k on it). Yes, it was running prior.
Pointer on camshaft pulley lines up to "0", I can see the tops of the pistons 1 and 4 through the spark plug holes. Valves on 1 are closed, 4 is mostly closed (intake just starting up cam lobe).

I have the rocker arms loosened up, but it gets very difficult to turn at about 10 degrees CW (top of timing chain moves about 1" to right. It also is difficult about 5 degrees to the left. How difficult? I put a torque wrench on it and couldn't move it with 50 ft lbs. of force, which feels far more than I've ever needed to turn over this engine. I was certainly able to turn the camshaft with the timing chain off with far less force.

 

Anything binding on the timing chain? Tensioner properly positioned? You're turning it by the crank bolt? Clockwise?
Trans in neutral? (Shifter could have got bumped)

Is the small bolt under the distributor gear that goes down into the timing cover tight? Not hitting?

If the crank by itself turns free and the camshaft by itself turns free but you're feeling abnormal resistance with the timing chain in play, triple check your cam timing and that the chain is on properly. Sounds like timing is correct if crank pulley is on the mark and #1 valves are closed and your chain markers are lined up like you mentioned. Sounds like you made sure it's not actually timed to #4 . Can you look down inside the timing cover and see anything out of sorts while turning it? Oil pump drive was left as is with the timing cover? Just the head came off? I don't remember if the tensioner plunger can come out. Make sure its not binding. The chain can bunch up in the bottom.

Sorry if I'm repeating what you already know. Last 22RE I built had the head surfaced, the block was decked and I had a performance cam with more lift and duration. And no valves hit pistons. And bigger valves.

Good luck with it. I hope you get it figured out. Please follow up.

 

Aha! You found it. As usual, a dumb mistake. It was in gear.
I had a kerfuffle a week ago in the driveway and had to move the truck a few feet, and absentmindedly parked it in first gear as I always do...

The upshot, for the purposes of the great internet archive is that I can now tell you that the torque required to turn a 22r at the crankshaft with rocker arms installed, plugs out and valves loose is about 23 ft lbs.

Thank you so much for your help!