[Shotimes] Need Help Evaluating Crankshaft Pully and Timing

[George Fourchy]

On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 19:47:50 -0800 (PST), Dave Ulring wrote:

>Can I get a couple opinions on the
>status of the pulley given these pics?  I also noticed
>that the dots on the CAMS are not lined up after I
>took the timing belt off.  I had the belt on when I
>cranked the engine to loosen the crankshaft pulley
>bolt.  After releasing the tensioner and pulling the
>belt off I am not sure how it turned given I can not
>turn it by hand very easily.  Does this matter as long
>as I get everything lined up when putting the belt
>back on?  I was also going to replace the crankshaft
>seal....

The first two pictures show me an amazingly rusted, yet apparently healthy looking
crankshaft sprocket.  When my car had cancer, the slot for the woodruff key was worn
down so that it only had one 90 degree side, and the other one was ground off to
about 30 degrees.  Both sides of your sprocket look good, and after the rust was
cleaned off, I'd say it might be serviceable.  I'd try it first, don't just put it
together and bolt it up.  If you HAVE another sprocket, use it.  If not, try your
new key in the slot, just holding the sprocket in your hand.  See if the key fits
tight.  If it does, put this one on the crank after cleaning it up, and see how easy
or hard it slides over the key when it is installed in the crank slot.  Then feel
for slop when you try to rotate it on the crank.  If there is no slop, and the fit
is snug, you can use it.  BE SURE to torque that bolt properly.  You might want to
use some lock-tite on it....I had to on mine because I needed to use shim metal to
fill the gap.  Others here wouldn't use lock tite....that's OK....but I would, so
that I wouldn't have to worry again.  But I wouldn't use the Super lock tite I had
on a better looking sprocket like yours....that is special for worn gears and
pulleys.  You can get the 'easier-to-remove' stuff just for bolts.

The other pictures are out of focus.  That's too bad, because it looks in one of
them like the crankshaft snout is in pretty good shape, but I can't be sure because
of the focus.  My crank was totally different in texture as well as diameter where
the sprocket had worn it down.  Yours looks the same from the boss on the inside to
the outer end.

You can see the pics of my repair at     www.krazgeo.com/CrankCancer.html
I apologize for my pictures....at that time, I was borrowing a VERY cheap digital
camera, and that was the best it could do.  If you save the pictures separately to
your hard drive, and if you have XP, open them with MS Photo Editor...then you can
add brightness and reduce the contrast to make them easier to see.  I'll do that and
reinstall them on the page when I get a chance.  This especially works for the pic
with the old sprocket and worn key (which was taken later with my good Olympus
DigiCam).  Also...if you have a LCD monitor, they are easier to see.

When the cams are at TDC, when the dots line up with the marks on the back side cam
cover, there is a lot of tension trying to flip them 90 degrees one way or the
other....actually both...they are balanced between several sets of valves and shims.
 It is not unusual for one of them to flop down to where all the valves are closed
when the belt is removed.  Just make sure the sprockets are in the right position
when you put the new belt on.  It is very hard to turn the cam sprockets by hand.  

The seal is only 12 bucks, and is easy to get out.  I understand not wanting to fool
with it if it looks good, but you can avoid ever having to go in there again if you
do all the things there are to do just one time, all together.

You fixed your water leak, right?

Good Luck..

George