Reconditioned head - proud papa

[JPSmit]

Hap I know it has been said before but those engines are works of art!

 

[JOeyKnapp]

(excuse my ignorance)
So, do you set the engine at TDC first and weld on the marker based on the mark on the crank?

 

[Guest]

(excuse my ignorance)
So, do you set the engine at TDC first and weld on the marker based on the mark on the crank?

With the pulley Hap has yes, as it looks to be machined directly on it.

For the tape, I'd bring it to TDC then possition the pointer to the possition that allows best viewing then apply the tape to match the pointer.

 

[Boink]

Great photos, Hap. In my own case, I found TDC and made some marks, and then placed my "arrow" at that spot... and then added a mark on the pully to match the saw-tooth thing on the bottom of the engine as a secondary reference.

 

[dklawson]

In my case (sorry, no pictures) I made the pointer out of flat steel about 1/8 x 5/16" flat steel and welded it up (it is sort "T" shaped). It uses two bolts (on the top of the "T") to attach to the front plate using timing cover bolts. The mounting holes are slightly oversized. I mounted the pointer on the engine then transfer punched the desired marks on the front pulley (in my case 0, 5 BTDC, 8 BTDC, 32 BTDC). Being oversized holes I can move the pointer around a little bit to set TDC accurately any time I do major work on the engine or remove the timing cover.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

(excuse my ignorance)
So, do you set the engine at TDC first and weld on the marker based on the mark on the crank?

I bascily do this before the head is mounted, and find the TDC with dail indcator on magnetic base, on the block deck and the pointer on the piston top, much like one would do when degreeing a camshaft. Then I temporarly mount the timing cover with a few bolts, and also temporarly mount the balancer, then I roughly make mark with sharpie marker on the then unpainted timing cover, measure the length I need for the pointer and mark the postion where the pointer needs to be welded on, making sure it doesn't intefere with access to any of the bolts holding the cover on. Then I used alot of different things over the year to make the pointers, first I used nails, LOL, then went on to using 1/4" steel round stock, grinding a flat on the section of them that will sit on the cover because it easier to clamp and weld it there this way. I use a mig wleder to do this, which may scare some but I'm a good welder and learn over the years how to weld a thicker piece of material to thin piece of material without burning holes, the secret to concentrate the heat on the thicker material letting the weld trickle down to the thinner materal, I have not burned a hole in timing cover for years after I developed this trick.

OK, after being welded, I move ahead as far as paintking and prepping the timing cover for assembly. I then mount every thing again with the head is still off the block, I go back confrim TDC with the dial indicator, I thin tweak the pointer to be close the balancer, and I already put a dull point on it. I then mark with the shaprpie marke a line on the blancer that line up the pointer at TDC, ratote the engine to access the line on the balancer and use a wide sahrp chisel, one good smake will put an nice line grroveonthe baclancer. The I use those touch up paint bottle you get form the locval parts store, and use constrasting colorsto make it ewasy to see, a timing mark and pointer isn't worth a hotot if you cannot easily see it, so make it highly visable.

Now this may seem like a complicated method, but if have welder, and some very common material, for example you can source 1/4' roudn steel tcok at Home Depot, you can easily do this and make a bullet prrof pointer set up. Obviously this is somnething you do when building the engine, but your timing pointer should be part of your engine build process, if you are paying attention to detial, details that makes life alot easier later.

 

[JOeyKnapp]

Thanks for the info guys, and Hap for the detailed explanation!

 

[Boink]

The car runs beautifully. See new thread "On the Road Again." :cooler: Will re-torque the head in a hundred miles (and re-adjust the valves).