12v Valve Spring

[TruckYou]

Well, I pulled the engine out of my donor 95, which will be swapped into my first gen. I pulled my rocker arm pedestals the other day and had them Machined down for ARP studs. Now I'm trying to install my new valve springs and pedestals. IV never done this before.

I pulled my tdc pin out, and reached in there with my finger while rolling the engine over, and found the indentation on the gear. The alternator is froze right up on this engine, so I'm using the 15mm balancer Bolts, and rotating engine clockwise. I swapped on cylinder 1 and 6 springs , and could hear the valves resting on the piston. At this point I bolted the pedestals in and set valve lash, to help me find tdc of cylinder 2-5.

From what I read, when intake closes, and exhaust valve just starts to open on #5, STOP and you've found tdc. Well, I compressed the springs all the way and before removing keepers I check to make sure the valve was resting on the piston, and it was not... Almost lost a valve to the cylinder....

Directions all refer to rotating the alternator in reverse direction. Im rotating balancer clockwise, is this my problem?

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[straight 6 roar]

Sounds like you're right at the beginning of the exhaust stroke with the piston at the bottom and the exhaust valve about to open. Rotate 180* clockwise more and it should be near TDC.

When I did springs I had the injectors out and poked a small screwdriver into the hole for peace of mind the piston was at the top. Not too hard to do with a 12v but if you have a helper rotate the eng a couple revolutions as you watch the springs it's a lot easier to understand what's going on versus climbing up and down and trying to remember what changed, accidentally looking at the wrong cylinder etc

 

[stubz616]

If your rotating clockwise rotate until the exhaust valve opens and then when it is just shut you should be on TDC for that cylinder on its exhaust stroke like straight 6 said.


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[TruckYou]

Thanks guys. Ya IV been working by myself on it, but the engines out of the truck and on the floor.
Actually your tip for pulling the injector out and poking a little rod in there is a great idea. All my fuel lines are already off, so I'll definitely do that. Thanks

I also don't have a belt on the engine right now, and in not standing in front of it at the moment, so excuse me if this sounds stupid but.. Is turning the damper clockwise, rotating the engine backwards? The directions I was going off of just said to rotate backwards , but didn't actually say clockwise or counter clockwise

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[Tate]

Engine turns clockwise viewing from the front of the engine. Easiest thing I have found is to start on cylinders 3 and 4, turn until one of the cylinders has its valves both cracked (check to see if there is any lash in either rockers, both tight is what you want). Do those two cylinders,then move onto 2 and 5 and repeat. 1 and 6 last, as all the rest of the valve train is out of the way on the last cylinder.

If you plan on working on your engine yourself a fair bit, I'd suggest spending the money on a barring tool that goes into the engine adapter and turns the flywheel. You can put a u-joint, long extension and a cordless drill to turn it over from up top in either direction. And it'll hold the engine for when you're cranking on the p-pump nut when doing timing jobs.

 

[jasonc]

Pull the injectors, with them out you'll be able to turn the engine over easy.

 

[Snedge]

Pull the injectors, with them out you'll be able to turn the engine over easy.

Yep. And with the injector bore open, you'll also be able to use a piece of wire to fined the piston location.