I got under my truck last weekend to try and do the timing mod. I could not find a way to get my hands and ratchet to the bolts. The shroud is hard plastic and does not give much. I have not heard of anyone taking the shroud off. Am I doing somehting wrong?

Thanks

 

On one of the timing mod threads a few members mentioned that several bolts holding the lower shroud on needs to be removed on the '4.5 and newer trucks. This will allow the shroud to be pushed out of the way so there's easier access to the harmonic balancer.

MikeyB

 

There are two nuts on either side of the lower shroud, 1/2" end wrench I think. Take them off and the shroud will move out of the way somewhat, just enough room to get to the pulley.

 

Thats easy enough now tell me how you guys are keeping the auto tranny trucks from spinning over? I tried getting mine to break loose last night but couldnt get the thing loose with out the pully moving.

 

I tried a couple of different things to keep my crank from turning.The first in my infinite wisdom was to take a flat blade srew driver and put it below the sensor bracket with the blade in between the tone ring teeth. Worked great until one of the teeth on the ring bent Now with three out of four bolts out and a bent tooth on my tone ring I need to get it out no matter what. So I took my visegrips and locked them down on one of the tone ring teeth and it held it for the last bolt and also when I put it back together, of course that was after I took a couple of minutes to bend the tooth back into shape. Thank god it didn't break. If I was to do it over I probably woud try to use the flywheel to hold it like a couple of other guys did.

 

The easyest way to not spin the auto over is to just change the sensor. Granted it costs $80 with shipping but it is cake to install and does the same thing. Just my $.02

John

 

Which side of the dowl hole do you need to remove material from? Which way does the wheel need to turn to advance the timing?

 

The wheel needs to turn clockwise, so remove material to the LEFT of the dowl hole.

 

Clockwise when looking at the front of the truck or clockwise when sitting in the truck???

 

Clockwise looking at the front of the engine.

MikeyB

 

Don't take off that much...just a 1/16th or 3/32. The mounting bolts won't let it turn any more. Remember, turn it clockwise.

MXER did you get the bolts loose?

 

I did the timing mod. The ratchet strap worked great. Unfortunately I do not see any diffrence. My RPMS are exactly the same. And I turned the wheel clockwise while under the truck looking towards the rear. I had alot of movement before installing the bolts, but once the bolts were installed I only could move the ring a fraction. Does that sound about right? It looked like I had taken out a good 1/16th. Any suggestions?

For anyone thinking about doing this:
I used an adjustable wrench on the tensioner, pulled the wrench down and attached the strap to hold pressure. I also used the 3lb hammer method with a breaker bar. Tapped 3 or 4 times hard, it did turn the pulley slightly and then broke free (I have an auto). Just my .2.

JP

 

Yea Wazz I did, once the tooth on the tone ring bent I figured it had better come off so I could fix it. Bent back easy enough and I was able to get it almost dead nuts straight again so I was happy with that.

 

Sweet

 

To get the bolts off on the auto try using two ratches - one to loosen the bolt and another with an extension bar jammed against the frame or floor to hold onto one of the other bolts. It actually worked well enough to loosen all 4 and then again to tighten them up. It doesn't take much to keep the engine from turning.