URGENT: Cam gear setup

[CJM]

Talking to YotaFun on the phone today he and I realized that as I was removing my exhaust cam I forgot to pin the cam gears inplace (its spring loaded and there are 2 of them). So I finally figured out how to get it lined up, the FSM says to put a 6mm bolt in there BUT...

Problem is the one gear is threaded and the other the hole is slightly larger. This means that they line up but are off a fraction of an inch.. I am worried to install it this way and try it for fear it will ruin the gears and I cant take apart the other side (im not creating even more work for myself if possible).

Does anyone know if this is supposed to be like this? Or do I need to figure out a way to make them line up perfectly? I really need to get this all up and running properly-it runs but its slightly out of time and makes the valves chatter something fearful.

[CJM]

Other thoughts:

The method the FSM says using a bolt still wouldnt have lined them up right either b/c putting the bolt in witht he cam in the head would have resulted in the same issue due to the larger diameter hole in the one gear.

Putting the cam in the head may push the gear in place once it contacts the other cam gears?

[corax]

The spring loaded gears are supposed to maintain "zero-lash" and reduce noise (hence your "valve chatter"). It sounds like when you put the bolt through the non threaded part and then continuing through to the threaded part, it will clamp the two together - I don't they would design it as a perfect index because minute variations (wear) would prevent the bolt from going through while the cams are in the head. Make sense?

[CJM]

I would think so, it just struck me as odd that the 2 gears didnt line up when under tension.

Thinking on it, when I put the cam back in it will probably force it together enough to make them line up near perfect I think.


Be forewarned anyone who does work on the cams to make sure and pin the exhaust cam in place :)

[CJM]

Update: it worked, as soon as I removed the bolt they lined up and no more chatter.

But the valve cover i JB welded didnt hold up (had to torque it somewhat down) so ill be after a used one. Otherwise tho, everything runs good.

Anyone got a RT side valve cover.