ka24e (single cam) timing question.

[its_esoteric]

To eliminate posts, i've searched and cannot find what i'm looking for. i've been scouring the web for the last two days.

My friend and I set the ignition timing on my car with a timing light, we had to have the distributor turned all the way to the left and it still wasn't dead on.
This signifies that my valve timing is off. So I took the car apart, replaced guides and tensioner and can't seem to find any marks to line the cam/crank gear marks up with. so right now i'm stumped as to where i line them up to. or at least a way to tell if the crank is at TDC.
I'm very frustrated with this whole ordeal, no there are no paint marks on my timing chain.
so what do i do? how do i know when cam is at TDC and when crank is at TDC subtracting the "stick something in the spark plug hole" method.

here are photos because why not.

[Ikera]

I'm not too sure what you're trying to say

Originally Posted by its_esoteric

My friend and I set the ignition timing on my car with a timing light, we had to have the distributor turned all the way to the left and it still wasn't dead on.

The timing wasn't dead on? where was it?
I assume you did everything right in your procedure to check the timing and you timing was showing something off the scale like 10ATDC which is possible It happened to me
This does not necessary mean your timing chain skipped and it is highly unlikely. what's more likely is that someone installed the distributor shaft the wrong way, or one cog off from where it should be.

(if you say you turned the distributor all the way to the left and you need to go further left, then take out the shaft, rotate it to the right and that will set the distributor in the right place)

And this is how you would fix it

align to crank to TDC
remove the distributor
remove oil pump
remove shaft
rotate it one notch
and reinstall the shaft with oil pump
reinstall the distributor
start the engine and check the timing now

[its_esoteric]

Originally Posted by Ikera

you distributor/oil pump shaft off,

align to crank to TDC
remove the distributor
remove oil pump
remove shaft
rotate it one notch
and reinstall the shaft with oil pump
reinstall the distributor
start the engine and check the timing now

how do i know when it's tdc?
is the crank key pointing up? cam notch pointing up or what?

[Ikera]

Originally Posted by its_esoteric

how do i know when it's tdc?
is the crank key pointing up? cam notch pointing up or what?

yes they would be pointing up but that's not how you tell if it's at 0 Deg TDC, for that you need to look at the timing cover needle and crank pulley timing marks.
now to confirm if your valve timing is still correct I guess it would be possible to count the number of links between the painted links on a new timing chain (new timing chains would have 2 painted links)
Maybe go to auto parts store, pretend you want to a timing kit and then count the number of links lol or just buy the timing since you already have the whole thing open

[Ikera]

or here is a picture from eBay, looks like there are 19 unpainted timing links between the 2 painted once

[racepar1]

It is MUCH more likely that your distributor was stabbed off then the timing chain somehow slipped and DIDN'T catastrophically destroy something in the process. You probably just needed to re-stab it. Nissan does NOT provide timing marks on the gears/case like most manufacturers. The timing chains have colored links that line up with marks on the cam/crank gears. Of course this only works the first time you install the chain. Once you run the engine you'll never be lucky enough to re-align the marks without taking the chain back off. IF you've already got the entire front case off the engine you're going to have to do this:

-Remove timing chain
-clean WITHOUT USING SOLVENT and locate the colored links on the chain
-re-install chain and gears with marks aligned properly

I forget what color they are, like gold and bronze I think. You're going to have to do some searching to find a good guide with some pictures to explain it.

IF you have not removed the chain, don't bother checking the chain alignment. For a timing chain to slip some really bad shit would have to happen and it would be OBVIOUS. Chains don't slip. Re-assemble the front case and align the engine to TDC using the crank pulley and stab your distributor properly.

[its_esoteric]

you guys are all super fucking helpful. thank you very much. i hope this thread can help other confused individuals as well. i'll post updates on sunday when i get it put back together