anyone have a pic of a timing pointer they have made, where it was bolted to, or any thoughts on timing tape??

thanks guys!!

J

 

After finding TDC with a dial indicator down the injector hole, I spent about 3hrs making a pointer that bolts to the speed sensor and then I filed a small grove in the damper that I filled with white paint. Sorry no pics. It sure makes finding TDC alot quicker now and I can do it by myself from the top of the engine.

 

I use the side of my engine speed sensor for my pointer and use a junkyard yellow paint marking pen to mark TDC.
http://www.piersdiesel.com/ sells timing tape but it isn't necessary unless you have a diesel timing light.
Piers also uses a magnetic pointer when timing. Only reason I know is that he left it on one of my friends' engine when it was timed. I found it several thousand miles later.

 

you got to remember though that if you ever remove the balancer or pulley to be sure to put it back on in the same position as they are not keyed to the crankshaft, just the gear is, and that is inside the cover. (customer found this out the hard way after doing some work to his engine and then re-assembling and doing some adjustments,bent valves and alot of head scratching,hair pulling,some name calling and a few phone calls)

 

Yeah I thought of that right after I painted the line oh well I hope to not have to pull the damper again

 

you guys rock...

i wondered if i had a response after being outside staring at the engine, parts all over the place (i still have the front cover off from the KDP issue...)

Ratsun- I did the exact same thing with the crank sensor as you! i saw a few posts by you, while i was researching timing..and you mentioned about taking the time to make a pointer, but you haven't previously mentioned as to where it was installed...now i know!

i took some dimensions of the unit i made, and i will take some pics...so others can use it...this sight (as well as a few others) have been great research tools...now it's my turn to contribute...

the timer is accurate and STRONG (1/16" steel, bent at a 90deg on the lower half...pics soon...) it took a few minutes to figure it out, drill, cut, measure, fit, cut, fit, cut, fit, cuss-word, fit, cut... but it took me about 3.5 hrs to make the bracket, bolt it on, get the dial indicator setup, and REALLY find TDC, as well as my injection pump timing, which i went off of the timing marks (stock marks on the crank and cam gear, as well as my own reference marks.) previously to set the timing...which ended up being WAY wrong...i had attempted to go to 16 deg, and i just doubled checked the timing, and it's at 14deg...so, off we go again in the AM (tues off, work sat.)

as far as the balancer is concerned...it does kinda suck that it's not keyed...to help eliminate a problem in the future if the balancer is removed, i put the balancer on the crank, and hand-theaded the bolts in just before snug, and shifted the balancer clockwise (i was going to go counter-clockwise, with the thought of the engine rotating clockwise, and the balancer being affected by Newton's law... but decided that 4 bolts at 70 ft lbs or so, is NOT going to allow it to move...) which is also the way the fasteners would have wanted to move the balancer when tightening. Snugged a coupla the bolts up, and then marked the balancer.

J