I've got an '84 pickup and need help with the timing chain. I preventatively replaced it a few years back and everything was fine. One cold morning I tried to start the truck and it wouldn't start. I tried to start it a number of more times. When I opened the valve cover I saw the problem. The screw that holds the camshaft sprocket was loose enough so that the camshaft sprocket fell out of place and wouldn't turn the camshaft. So my question is, by trying to turn the car over and moving the crankshaft while the camshaft wasn't moving accordingly, did I damage my engine? And are there any ways to tell? I seem to be getting resistance, with spark plug 1 removed, when I try to rotate the crank by hand. I'm trying to just replace the timing chain again. Can I just move the cam and crankshafts until they're in-time and at tdc and then continue with the replacement?
-Thanks

 

It is possible that valves were bent when you cranked the engine over with the cam immobilised.

Maybe you'll get lucky and there was no damage. That would'nt be my luck.

The smart thing to do would have been to set the cam timing back to the marks, tighten the cam bolt and do compression testing to diagnose the damages, if any, before any other repair or replacement was undertaken.

If you are already deep into timing chain/gear replacement, I guess it's too late for that now.

I assume that you have not removed the head in order to do the timing work?

You will have to complete the timing chain work before you are able to make a determination as to whether or not the head was damaged.

Yes, you can just move the cam and crank back into time, as long as you don't have to use any substantial force.

Seems to me that you might be able to crank the engine over for compression testing without the timing cover in place??

 

Waal, what's the latest on this???