Hi, was trying to take up timing chain slack. Lots of slack on the straight side. Wedged tensioner. Forgot to mark chain link at no.1 position on spocket. Was rotating sprocket, one link at a time to next position, sprocket slipped out of my hand went down, went past no. 3 position when I took the sprocket up to mounting position. Chain stayed tight, just need to start over. Is there a way to properly reposition the sprocket not knowing where it should be at to begin with? Jumped the gun here.

Is there any way to salvage this? This on the turbo car for parts, wanted to get it running.

Do I have to pull front cover? Do the whole thing over?

kenny.

 

Next time set the motor to TDC at cyl# 1 & you won't have any doubts.

So you unbolted the sprocket from the cam, or were you rotating the sprocket w/ the cam??? If the cam didn't move, just put the sprocket back on #1 and put the chain back on from the curved side over to the straight side. If you really have doubts that it will go back on the right spot, you will need to remove the timing cover.

 

Thats what I did,
Motor at TDC at cyl# 1 both cam lobes for intake and exhaust pointing up.
Large handled screw driver wedged in chain tensioner.

Unbolted sprocket from cam. Cam did not move.

Here is where I screwed up.

Sprocket spun loose. Not contacting the chain, like in the Z Therapy video which I was using to do the job.

probably spun more than 1/2 turn.

Problem is I cannot be sure which link was in the no. 1 position on the sprocket. To start over. Maybe I don't know what I'm doing.

I am confused, what will this do to cam timing if I just take out the slack on the chain, and reposition it in the no. 1 position on the sprocket?

I don't know enough about the relationship between the sprocket position and chain stretch to know if I screwed it up.

 

You really shouldn't be doing this unless you have experience... and you definitely should have the Haynes manual at your side. It tells you all the steps clearly so you don't screw up.

Now, if you put the chain over the sprocket, and put it back on the cam, can you lift the chain off the sprocket enough to change the link locations relative to the sprocket teeth? If not, when you put the sprocket back on in the orig position w/ the chain on, it will still be in the correct position.

 

Other makes, this car shouldn't be much different, [I hope]

Got the FSM paper and online download,

and How to Rebuild Your Nissan & Datsun.

Problem is, where the Hell are the bright links, like on the new timing set I am putting on my project car. If I could find the bright links where the book says they should be, then I think I'd be set, just reinstall sprocket in the original position.

That engine [also] has no bright links where the book says there should be bright links.

The parts car, the one I'm trying to get started now,and the one I am posting about is the same way. No bright links. Is it possible that these were replaced in the past and incorrectly installed?

The links all look the same. The timing gear set is going on my project car, I don't want to take the front cover off the damn car I just bought.

TDC crank, piston at top, cam lobs on #1 pointed at 10 and 2 oclock.

Thanks,NismoPick,
kenny

 

If the chain doesn't have marks, you need to put them on yourself using white out or similar. The marks aren't 100% necessary, but a huge help & security measure for install (without marks you get to count links). At this point you have 2 options:

#1... put the chain back on where you think it should go, and hand rotate the motor several times to make sure everything is still in order.

#2... pull the timing cover & reset it.

 

the chain should have 2 shiney marks on it, those are your 2 points, i have yet to see a chain that doesnt have the marks.

 

They exist shady, believe me.

NismoPick, thanks, the first option is what I did, and I got it right.

However, I waited until Fubar showed up, before proceeding, 2 heads are better than 1.

Swapped in new distributer from other car after we found no spark.

A small squirt of starting fluid and she fired up. Ran rough, Fubar found a big vaccum leak, fiddled with the timing a bit and took her for a spin.

Power way down. Suspect injector problems. thank you for help!

Way too much slack in chain after moving it to the second spot on the sprocket.

And many thanks to Fubar,