danf1000

iTrader: (2)

Working on a head/cam swap, ready to install, but..................

No timing chain in, no oil pump internals in (doing the .002 shim around oil pump thing), heads off, cam in but rotating freely (XE ~560 lobes)

........And the engine with stock bottom end only appears to rotate 180 degrees. Ends at each half rotation with nice solid thump. Oil pan was lowered to facilitate a oil pump swap. I can see the pistons, of course, and nothing is impeding their movement. We're talking nothing but pistons, conn rods, and crank. Trans is in neutral, but repeats even when clutch is in.

What's up????

The bottom end has not been removed, engine was running perfectly a month ago, before the head porting process was started.

Could the reluctor wheel be moved under the stress of pulling out the crank pulley, or would the thrust bearing prevent this?? I know, the puller works only on the crank.........

What about the oil pan bolts. Is it possible that using the wrong bolts would have created a protruding bolt in the path of the crank rotation??

Is it possible the oil pump pickup tube shifted into the path of rotation??





not too confident I'm not going to feel like a moron after this is solved.

DaddySS

I think you're on the right track - start loosening the oil pan bolts as you try to rotate the crank - maybe you can track it down that way?

danf1000

iTrader: (2)

Great, Thx

Anybody with experiences on this??? Do those pan bolts cut all the way through the block??

ideas??

hammertime

iTrader: (1)

You are saying that the heads are off, correct?

PS - better to feel like a moron and fix it now than to feel like a complete idiot and have to tear it apart later...

Randy WS6

iTrader: (69)

try rotating the cam shaft After the crank locks up. The cam must be in time ,or the rod bolt will hit the cam lobs.

chuckyt1

iTrader: (33)

Oil pan bolts do not go through the block. If the pickup tube is bolted to the pump, it should not interfere with rotation. I can't tell you what it is but, I don't think it is either one of these...

danf1000

iTrader: (2)

Sunofagun, that thing is dot-to-dot. Whats more, I'm thinking that the motor never got touched from the time that the old cam came out to the new cam went in-- and the dots were aligned when the old one came out!!

Is it 180 outta phase???

chuckyt1

iTrader: (33)

Shouldn't matter with no chain and no heads... Is the only thing you've changed, at the crank, the oil pump?

danf1000

iTrader: (2)

Timing chain, Oil Pump, camshaft, is there anything else??

chuckyt1

iTrader: (33)

First post said no timing chain. I was thinking the only change you made at the crank was the oil pump. If it rotated freely before you mad any changes, I'd start undoing the changes. Pull the chain off and see if it turns if it does, it's the cam. If not pull the pump. If it won't turn after that, it's in the crank, ( or flywheel, etc.), somewhere. Wish I could be more help.

Nice bowtie ink btw...

Randy WS6

iTrader: (69)

I must have misunderstude , I thought he said that the timing chain was not on, Just the cam was installed, If the cam don't turn in time with the crank ,It could connect with the rod bolts, Been there done that!!!

DaddySS

I agree, I didn't read carefully enough, when you said it's just crank, rods and pistons I thought the cam was out. Hook up the chain with the cam timed correctly and I'll bet it turns over.

slow trap

iTrader: (22)

i'm thinking of the oil pick up tube hitting or the cam also. as stated,put on the t-chain and then rotate it and if it still contacts look to see if the pickup tube is intefering. if the pickup tube is loose from your oil pump that is what i think it may be.

blk99camaro

iTrader: (9)

If I understand this right, the timing chain is off, which means roatating the crank will NOT move the cam, therefore rods are interfering with the cam. Take the cam out, move the crank to TDC, put the cam back in, and then the chain on and try to rotate it. Im am sure it will spin then.

danf1000

iTrader: (2)

Tried it both with chain on and off................UUUGGHH

looks like the cam is coming back out!!!

DaddySS

Dot to dot?

Also, when it stops, can you rotate the cam?

danf1000

iTrader: (2)

Good point!

Dot to dot. If I was in wit' the savvy internet scene I'd post a vid. I liked the idea of having the stock cam and engine at dot-to-dot before it even came out.


But good point above, I will certainly know if the camshaft is involved if it is sticky with the cam sprocket off and the crank against the "stop".

danf1000

iTrader: (2)

I turned the crank over to both stops, clockwise and counter clockwise. The camshaft turns freely in both positions.

Any other ideas?

Marc 85Z28

iTrader: (8)

The bottom bolt for the cam retainer plate can cause interference issues if you put the wrong bolt in. Some of those 10mm bolts are a few threads longer than the others. Remove just the bottom cam retainer bolt and see if it spins over. If so, you got all your bolts mixed up.

danf1000

iTrader: (2)

We have a winner!

With the bolt about 3/8" form all the way in, the engine spins freely. Marc, where do I send the check??

As a follow-up, what is the interference there? Counterweight, or rod?

I've been snickering at all the difficulties posted about this build-up from other members. With this exception, my car has conformed like melty chocolate. Hiccup, I guess.