Hi, I hate to keep asking what seems to be simply questions to most of you but obviously i'm not a mechanic and some of the "simply" things has me scratching my head. I replaced the head gasket on my 1988 Toyota 4runner,22r engine. When removing the head I never thought to put the #1 cylinder at tdc but I did mark the timing chain and sprocket so that I would know exactly which link of the chain went to the correct tooth on the sprocket. I took the head to a machine shop to have it checked out and when I got it back the cam shaft had been rotated. I think all I have to do is rotate the cam shaft to match up with the sprocket since nothing, except the cam shaft, has been moved. The timing chain cover is still in place and the chain is still on the lower sprocket correctly. Once the sprocket is installed it probably would be best to rotate the engine to tdc before installing the distributor. I realize now that I should have rotated the engine to tdc BEFORE removing the cam shaft gear but what can I do now to straighten out my mistake? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks

 

Rotate the engine to TDC. Verify the cam sprocket timing dot is pointing up or very close to it. If it's off align it now. If you need to adjust it a tooth or two later you can. Put the cam to TDC. Bolt on the head. Install cam sprocket to the cam and verify timing.

 

You need to make sure the crank shaft is in the proper position as well. With number one piston all the way up, it could be on the Compression Stroke or Power Stroke. A Haynes Manual has a good write up for it.

 

There is no such thing if the head is off. All engine positioning is referenced from the camshaft. If the head is off then TDC is TDC.

 

Thanks for all the replies but I have another question. I do not have access to a repair manual at the moment but going to get one soon. The head was already installed on the vehicle when I realized I had made the mistake with the timing. I was told this was a non interference engine so I could rotate the engine without the possibility of the piston hitting the valve should the timing be off. With the timing chain on both the cam and crank shaft I rotated the #1 cylinder to tdc and the marking on the pulley lined up with the timing notch on the bracket connected to the engine. The pin on the cam shaft sprocket is at the very top. The front two cam lobes has a very slight amount of slack. I still have the distributor to install but it just slides in with the rotor pointing towards the #1 plug wire. Does this sound like the timing is properly set? From what I understand from the comments it should be correct but just want to be sure before I continue installing the final parts only to find the timing is off. Thanks for all comments and advice.Don't know what I would do without the guys on yotatech...probably be walking.LOL

 

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