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74 Jensen Healey timing HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

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flatlanderep

Freshman Member
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All right, I apologize in advance for the long post....
I have a 74 Jensen Healey and the tensioner bearing is bad. So I need to switch out the timing belt while I'm at it. Here's the scenario. While putting engine at TDC, the tensioner was so shot, that the belt slipped a bit when rotating the engine with the crankshaft bolt. Thus the exhaust and intake cams aren't aligned anymore. Ugh. Then to make matters worse, in an effort to remove the tensioner bearing I tried to loosen the crankshaft bolt (turning counter clockwise) and rotated the whole pulley counter clockwise!! The piston was obviously moving because I checked it for TDC again. Man I think I messed up big time.....So my question is basically, have I messed up beyond repair? Or can I put it all back together and start from square one? I'm just worried about rotating that crankshaft pulley counter clockwise, (bent valves maybe?) Any help is appreciated.........I'd love to get it back on the road..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Just turning over by hand shouldnt damage things unless you were being a gorilla. Just set up the crank to tdc, cams as per manual and you should be OK
 
Don't touch a thing! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nonono.gif Stop what you are doing and go see what these guy have to say about it. They know what they are talking about
https://www.jensenhealey.com/forums/view_forum.php?id=2
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grouphug.gif
I too have the Lotus /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/england.gif powered Healey and found it to be a great forum.
You'll be glad you went there, but come back here for lots of fun stuff. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
Steve
 
Steve, thanks for the guidance. I'm a new member on that forum as well! But I guess my main question is that if I rotated the camshaft pulley counterclockwise in an effort to remove it (to then remove the tensioner pulley); would that in turn cause internal engine damage? also the timing belt is off at this point.
 
Yes! You will cause damage. It is an interference engine so the valves will bend if the cam timing is off. Do not rotate the cams or crankshaft unless all the timing marks are lined up and the timing belt is installed. If you have already turned it with the belt off, I'd recommend that you carefully line up the timing marks and install the new timing belt. Turn the engine slowly by hand to see if there is any binding, then pull a compression check to see if you bent a valve. If you bent a valve or two, it may be a relatively inexpensive repair if you catch it at this point.

Good Luck
Steve
 
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