timeing mark and valvesetting

[4ford]

hello all.

trying to get top dead center and cant find the corresponding mark on the crank gear see pic...

also Walt talked me into changing valves and adjustable lifters....I know to adjust the lifters there should be a degree value, but to make it simple as the cam closes the valve it should be where you adjust then right? .012--.014 maybe that's not the right number but that's the nuts of it right??

[Binx]

Gears look correct for TDC in relation to the crank key. Maybe very faint marking or none. Valves can be adjusted when closed plus 1/4-1/2 turn of crank. Really anywhere on the base circle when closed.

Lonnie

[JSeery]

How are you finding TDC? Are you using a positive stop and turning the engine both directions to the stop?

If your wanting the crank gear mark to line up with the cam gear mark, because of the difference in size of the two gears they will only line up every several turns.

[scooder]

Every other turn. They Line up.
Cam is half speed of crank.
Martin.

[Ross F-1]

I prefer to get each valve up at full open, mark the cam gear, then rotate the crank one full turn (1/2 turn of cam gear) so it is absolutely on the heel, not any ramps. With the engine on a stand, it takes very little extra time.

[Art Maurice]

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I set lash as follows, when ex. begins to open set in. when in. begins to close set ex. Art.

[4ford]

that's what I thought about the valve setting. But should there be a mark on the cam gear and the crank gear for tdc> the rod bearings look good they are free floating and are copper color I think this is good?

thanks guys

[flatjack9]

The crank gear is usually marked with an o and the cam gear with a line.

[4ford]

yes but I don't have one on the crank....

[flatjack9]

Sometimes it is hard to see because the slinger kind of hides it.

[4ford]

yes but its out of the block now.. thinking its a weird gear or something

[JSeery]

Posted a photo of one of the crank gears I have. Looks like yours is in the correct position. The mark is on the forth tooth over from the keyway on both. Strange about the mark on yours.

[4ford]

yes not a mark must have been a bad day at the assembly line lol

thanks

[Binx]

4ford talked about adjusting valves by degrees at the top of this post. His is the first time I've heard it mentioned here on the barn. It is kind of a racer's edge. Here is an archive from my files. I wish I knew who attribute it to. To do this you will have to know your cam specs/events.

Degreeing the valves (not the cam). Degreeing the cam using a single exhaust
and intake lobe assumes each lobe is EXACTLY the same. I don’t find this to be
true in very many cases.Degreeing the valves is by far the most accurate in my
opinion. This is done on the engine stand after valves, cam, crank and #1 piston
is installed. BTDC is Before Top Dead Center and TDC is Top Dead Center and CW
is ClockWise and CCW is CounterClockWise. Bring up #1 piston to exactly TDC.
Make and install a pointer near the crankshaft pulley. Install a degree wheel on
the crank pulley. Index the degree wheel so the pointer is exactly pointing at 0
degrees and secure the degree wheel to the crank pulley (a couple of strip
magnets work). Be careful to not disturb the degree wheel or pointer from this
point on.
Example: Let’s assume a particular cam’s spec for an intake valve to begin
opening is 20 degree BTDC. Back off the crank shaft CCW about 30 degrees (BTDC)
or so using the crankshaft nut and a long breaker bar. You want to be able to
rotate the crankshaft easily and smoothly, so use a long bar or a cheater pipe.
Install a dial indicator on #1 piston’s intake valve. Turn the crank CW (always
turn the crank CW (facing the front of the engine) when setting and checking
valve clearances) until the degree pointer is 20 degrees BTDC on the degree
wheel. This is when the valve should barely begin lifting off its seat. Adjust
the adjustable lifter until the valve moves the dial indicator’s needle less than
a thousandth of an inch. Time to check it. Turn the crank CCW several degrees
before 20 degrees. Now turn the crank very slowly CW while watching the dial
indicator closely. The needle should just barely twitch when the 20 degree BTDC
mark on the degree wheel lines up with the pointer. If it doesn’t, re-adjust the
lifter and check again. When satisfied, back off (CCW) the crankshaft until you
reach the spot where the lifter to valve clearance is the greatest. This is
determined by trying various thicknesses of feeler gauges while rocking the crank
back and forth several degrees. All that’s left is to measure the clearance
between the valve and lifter using a feeler gauge. This is #1 Intake valve’s
clearance. Record it for future use as #1 Intake for your records. That valve
is done. Now do all the valves. Don’t forget to record their clearances as you
go..... for your records. After the first couple of valves, it goes pretty fast.
I degree valves in a flathead in a few hours after the initial set up.
A real benefit is in the future I need only to re-set the clearances of each
valve to the clearances recorded and the valve is degreed. How? I turn the
crank so the lifter is the farthest from the valve. Let’s assume a particular
valve was degreed at 0.011" clearance. Since valve clearance normally increases,
we can use a feeler gauge thicker than 0.011" to determine where the lifter is
furthest from the valve. Use the thickest feeler gauge that’ll slide in between
the lifter and valve. Say it’s 0.014". With the 0.014" feeler gauge between the
lifter and valve, rotate the crank back and forth several degrees until you find
the spot the feeler gauge is the loosest. Now adjust this to 0.011" clearance
and it’s exactly the same as if you just degreed it! Neat... neat! Degreeing
valves always results in an increase in horsepower.

[V8COOPMAN]

You have it set on the correct tooth, but like you, I don't see a mark. I wonder if there may be a mark on the tooth 180 degrees away? That would still time it properly, although an oddball way of doing it. DD

[TomO]

It might just be my old eyes, but the crank gear looks worn to me.

I use the method that Ford published to set the clearence

Valves open Valve to adjust
4ex & 1in 3ex,8in,6in,7ex,3in,2ex
3ex & 8in 1ex,7in,5ex,2in,4ex,1in
1ex &7in 8ex,5in,6ex,4in

[Bruce Lancaster]

There are lots of schools of thought on finding proper point to set valves on an engine that is assembled...but yor engine is far enough apart to make your life much easier!
Remove the 4 bolts holding gear to cam and set it aside. Now you can rotate cam independently and just turn it until you observe in valley that lifter is all the way up, then turn cam 180 and set that valve.
You should always specify what year/type flathead you have and what ignition...in this case it might affect exactly how you grip cam to turn it.

[rotorwrench]

It wouldn't by chance have a mark on the back side of the crank gear. It's pretty rare you find one with no timing mark.