My New '68 Camaro Z/28 Butternut Yellow

[janobyte]

relax

take your plugs out ,rotate the crank CW, about a quarter turn until the indexing mark (dot) on crank gear is at 12:00   see John's illustration. your real close per your pic.

loosen your rocker arms so as no contact with pushrods---maintain order if you take them off. at this time all valves are closed, and will stay that way.

use your old gear and rotate cam CW till timing mark at  6:00, see Johns illustration.       stop.   read up some and wait for your parts.

[dannystarr]

Ok, will do... Thanx... Danny

[maroman]

There's a reason Ford starts with F.

[janobyte]

Jumping in and out of here.....loosen those rockers first, again, relax.

[janobyte]

Danny....You have my curiosity aroused, never thought about that dimple before.  My '68 has a dimple but it is only a 1/4" to the right from the line (balancer laying face down).  Maybe someone will have a logical answer.

Only dimple I have can be seen in a previous pic.....about 52 degrees. Nothing on the outer surface like dan's---plus there are some variations. For balancing purposes guessing ? I have a couple 400 ones I took a look at, externally balanced, full of dimples on the sides. Sort of makes sense it to be a timing mark, where is it ? Around 3/4" is 10 degrees...very roughly.

[janobyte]

bigger pic

[KurtS]

Balancer and key look good. I'd reuse the key.
Put in the new timing chain and both new gears. There could be differences in the old/new gears and that would be bad.

Timing chains are always a weak link. Thankfully you pulled it apart.
Remember to put in a new seal in the timing cover. It gets pressed out and pressed in.

[262jp]

 I would pull the oil pan and get all those pieces of plastic out of the oil pump screen!

[dannystarr]

Well, I ordered the Cloyes heavy duty heat treated timing chain set-up today. Picked up the new gasket, bottom rubber seal, and the timing cover seal. I guess I can have it pressed in and out. Or out and in as such. I was going to beat it out, and press it in with wood and my work truck vise. Carefully square it up and press it in. Maybe I better not.

Kurt, I was wondering about that gear thing. I was going to mic the OD, and then also bottom of teeth at 12 to bottom of teeth at 6 O'clock position and compare it to the new one. The steel HAS to be better 46 years ago, right? I don't know how to get the crank gear off. Can't use the puller cause it has no female threads to install bolts to pull it. I might have to borrow a gear puller. I have one that has 5.5 inch capacity, says right on it. But I don't know if it will reach, as it is not out front like the balancer.

As far as dropping the pan, I just don't know. I know it's a good idea, but where does it end. Then while I am in there, I might as well change the oil pump, then what the hell.... get some plastic gauge and start pulling main caps, might as well do bearings to.... Ha Ha ... I am out of cash. Scrapped together enough for the timing set. I just can't lay on the cement floor and pull that pan, not now anyway. And there probably is a bunch of crap in the way?? Steering, and cross members, etc.

 SUPER important question... Is the timing set the same for 302, 327, 350? Or even 283. Cause the guy could not find the set for GM 302, just 327, so that's what I got... Is it ok?... Danny

[dannystarr]

OK, so I decided to put the timing assembly all back together. I need the practice anyway. So I installed the cam gear and chain, installed the timing cover, and knocked down the crank key with my baby plastic hobby hammer. Beat the balancer back on half way with a 2 X 4 and a single jack. Stuck the puller bolts in the balancer and put a pry bar in between them and rotated clock wise with my right thumb over # 1 hole. Heard compression air push thru, lined up timing mark at TDC perfectly. Then pulled it all apart and is now ready for NEW timing set. Then after install, MAYBE I can finally drop in the dist. and set the valves and start to put it back together this weekend.... Danny

[dannystarr]

Looking at my picture and John Z's picture, I better rotate dot-to-dot tomorrow in prep for timing chain alignment. THEN rotate back to 12 and 12 for dist. drop-in.... RIGHT ?... Danny

[1968 Z28]

Looking at my picture and John Z's picture, I better rotate dot-to-dot tomorrow in prep for timing chain alignment. THEN rotate back to 12 and 12 for dist. drop-in.... RIGHT ?... Danny

Good idea.

[69Z28-RS]

Danny,   

re your question on timing set:  size and dimension wise, and teeth numbers, etc..   all the old small block chevys are the same.

you should pull your valve covers and watch what the number 1 and 6 cyl  valves do as you turn the motor... and see the differences...  as you rotate thru two turns of the crankshaft.

[bcmiller]

What is this dimple in balancer? Is this the 36 or 38 degrees mark for timing?

Measure the distance of the dot from the mark and we can do the math to check.

[1968 Z28]

Before you install your balancer........I would put a ring of black RTV around the end of the balancer hub and also some in the key slot to seal out the oil from seeping through.