Some thoughts I had about the whole milling the head causing the cams to be retarded issue. It could just be too early and I'm not thinking right. This is on a H22.

The motor turns counter-clockwise when looking at the cam gears. When milling the head, it decreases the distance between the cam gears and crank. The distance between the crank and water pump won't change. The distance between the cam gears and tensioner will change, but is allowed to because the tensioner takes up the slack. Now, when the head is brought closer to the crank, the cam gears get closer to the water pump. Remember that the crank to water pump distance is the same and tension should be the same between them. Because its a cogged belt, that means the cam gears would have to turn counter-clockwise in order to keep the same tension between it and the water pump. Then the the tensioner would take up the extra slack. If the cam gears rotate counter-clockwise, that means its advancing the cam right? I might be having a HUGE brain fart right now and I'm the one thats getting retarded...LOL. If the cam gets retarded, then the cam gears would go clockwise, which means the crank wouldn't be at TDC anymore. Someone tell me what I'm missing.

 

Unbolt the head keep the carnk at TDC and pull it up a little and the cam gears should rotate clockwise right?

 

for every .012 you remove, cam timing is retarded 1 degree.
After you dial that with cam gears, set base ign. timing.

 

Dude, thats not what I'm asking. I know its .012. What I'm asking is for an explanation as to WHY they are retarded and not advanced as to the thinking I explained above.

 

DUDE, by having less distance from crank to cam on ex side and from cam to water pump on intake, the tensioner takes up for the slack thus moving the cams clockwise.

 

But then if that happend the belt would be lose bewteen the water pump and crank.

Check this out for a picture of it...


As you lower the head, the cams rotate counter-clockwise because the distance from the water pump to the cam gear is less. In order for it to remain in tension, it has to rotate counter-clockwise. Think of it without being able to take the belt off.

 

I dont know what engine your talking about...but h,b and d series only have one tensioner on the intake side.....so your pics are wrong

 

Oh sh*t, I was totally thinking wrong. Mind blank on the tensiorer position. LOL. You're right. Thanks. It must have been the lack of sleep.