I was doing my valve adjustment today. First time. I got cylinder one to TDC and checked clearances on the intake and exhaust. The cam gears were in the up position. Just to check if I was truely at TDC, i do this thing were i still a long skinny rod into the cylinder and watch it going up and down and the highest point being TDC. That was fine on the cylinder 1. Before I move on adjusting, I feel something is not right but not sure. So i check TDC of the next cylinder in line which is 3. I do my trick and with cam gears pointing towards the front of the car, cylinder 3 is at TDC. Now here is my problem. I goto to check then next cylinder in line which is 4. My helms tells me that TDC on cylinder for will have the cam gears at 6 o'clock position. I turn the crank counter clock wise till it gets to that postion but using my TDC trick, the rod is all the way down and not up like it should be. Instead TDC using my rod trick for cylinder 4 is at the 3 o'clock position and TDC for the last cylinder 2, TDC is at the 6 o'clock position according to the cam gears. Help me with my problem! I am not sure, its hot i might be over looking something.

 

You are counting from right to left, right?(facing engine 4,3,2,1). It will take two full rotations of the crank for one full rotation of the cams. Sounds like you are starting out right with 1 and 3. Easiest way I have found is to make a mark 180deg away from tdc mark on the crank pully. Set to TDC (cams 12:00) set 1, rotate 180deg(your new mark, TDC for #3, cams 9:00) set 3, rotate another 180deg(back to orig tdc on crank, TDC for #4, cams 6:00)set 4, rotate 180deg to new mark again(TDC for #2, cams 3:00) set 2.

 

Not quite following what you are saying but if the motor runs, the gears are installed properly.
Let me give you a trick on adjusting your valves that will take away all the pain of finding where you are. Put your motor on the timing mark. Either #1 or #4 will be on TDC. Wiggle the rocker arms and which ever is loose (1 or 4) is where you start.
If 1 is on TDC, adjust the I and E of 1, the I of #2, the E on #3
Rotate the engine one full turn (360 degrees) back to the timing mark.
Then #4 will be on TDC, adjust I and E of #4, the E of #2, the I of #3
Good luck

 

from driver side to passanger side, firing order is 1 , 3, 4, 2 correct?

 

Correct

 

You do understand that the cylinders are numbered 1,2,3,4, going from the drivers side to the passenger side? It's the firing order that is 1,3,4,2. Just want to make sure we are comparing apples to apples

 

and we adjust according to firing order correct Oh yeah when you were speaking of your method above to do the adjustment, we you say "on the timing mark" are you reffering to the TDC white mark on the actually crank?


[Modified by lshatchturbo, 3:49 PM 8/13/2002]

 

Kinda ironic....I was doing valves on the GF's Corolla [well, attempted]. The Haynes manual she had for it, suggested to do the same thing as stated above.

Interesting....and a trick for the tool box certainly.

 

Yes, but mark is actually on the balancer that is attached to the crank