# QG18 HELP setting timing after head gasket replacement!



## djdonte (Feb 10, 2012)

05 sentra 1.8. This is the first time I have pulled heads on a DOHC car. I set the engine at TDC using a metal rod in the #1 spark plug hole. I then marked both cam sprockets and chain with 2 different color paint markers. The intake dowl pin was at about 9 oclock and exhaust at about 12 as shown in the haynes manual. I also marked the crank pulley and checked that the notch in the crank was pointing up. I DID NOT do the timing advance procedure where you put air to the oil port in the intake came, as I read a walkthru on here where they didnt bother with it.

Got the cams and heads off and sent to a machine shop to make sure the sealing surface was level. Went to put it all back today. Got the cams in but the timing marks dont line up any more. Not even close. I lined up the marks on the chain and the sprokets by turning the crank and the engine definately isnt at TDC when the dowl pins are at 12 and 9 and no valves are engaged. I goto rotate the engine by hand and somethings hitting (piston and valve obviously). So one or two of two things happened:

1. #1 was never at TDC to begin with
2. The chain moved on the crank sprocket. (is this even possible? it looked from the pictures that there isnt enough clearance for the chain to jump on the crank pulley.) I tried to move the chain purosely to skip teeth on the crank but no luck so I dont know how that could happen


I am now faced with setting the timing from scratch. I did it as best I could.... lined up TDC #1 with a metal rod again and put the cams with the dowels at about 12 and 9. where no valves are engauged. ( did it without the cam caps installed so it the cams would naturally sit in a position where no valves are open.) I rotated the crank by hand and I dont feel anything hiting. I feel that I am "eye balling" it though. I am scared to start it right now. Would I feel valves hitting pistons with it only being a tooth off? Im sure I will at the very least have a check engine light for cam pos. sensor and a bad running car, and at worst bend some valves.

The haynes book says there should be colored links on the chain to match the marks on the cam sprockets. I only found one dark bluish link and and kind of rusted link but there nowhere near each other and #1 isnt at TDC when the blue link is anywhere near a position where it could go on a cam sprocket.

Thanks in advance and sorry for such a lengthy post


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## djdonte (Feb 10, 2012)

UPDATE: started the car and it runs but idles like sh*t and almost died while I was driving it around. It isnt throwing any codes though which is odd. Also theres alot of smoke comming from the front of the engine but I cant find a leak. Im thinking its oil I spilled while pulling the heads. Any ideas?


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