VR6 not quite timing up

[jonny-5 10]

Hi, I've just been doing my head gasket. Got the rebuilt head on and am just doing the timing. The crank is on the TDC mark but I can't get the slots in the cams to line up - they are slightly out. I've double checked everything and tried a few times to get it aligned but can't get it quite right. The cams are only a degree or so out but it's enough to mean the timing tool won't slide in. I've done the timing chains before on this car so I'm pretty confident with the whole thing, The engine turns over fine with it out as far as it is. Could I be right in thinking that because the head has been skimmed quite a bit that you'd be lucky if you could get it all perfect again? Will I be ok running it like this?

Can get a picture of how much they're out if it helps.

[jonny-5 10]

Here's the pics the top one is the best to see it properly, but the bottom one is out by exactly the same.

[Dave_ciw 507]

It looks like one of your cams is out by a tooth. When you say had the head rebuilt then the cams should be timed while the inlet cog on the inlet cam was removed. Then re fit the chain on the cog and fit it, maybe you were 1 tooth out when re fitting the cog???

I dont know if I have explained that correct lol

[jonny-5 10]

I know what you mean don't worry. Yeh I'm gunna have another go at it today, I was probably just being silly with it and gett fustrated.

Just thought that if you took alot off the face when skimming it then it would mess up the chain lengths and you would never be able to get it quite as good timing as with a standard head.

[jonny-5 10]

Just been trying agian. Can only get it like the photos or the same amount but the other way, if you know what I mean.

It's like it's half a tooth out and I don't think I can do much about it! I'm sure it'll run in either set up.

Am I right in thinking by either advancing or retarding the cam timing away from standard, will I be moving the power band up or down the rev range?

If I wanted to bring the power band down the range which way would I want it? Like it is in the photos or the other way?

[jonny-5 10]

When the other way to the photos in the end and now it's all back together and running sweetly. Dunno if it's made a noticable difference, think I'm more feeling the full power of 6 cylinders rather than the 5 and 1/4 I had before!

[mikey 0]

Did you have the upper tensioner screwed in when you took the pics as this will pull them back a bit ?

[jonny-5 10]

Yeh I did, had it primed each time too. I reckon it was just because I had to have quite alot taken off the face of the head when it was skimmed and that would make it sit lower enough so that it was a whole half tooth out with not much you can really do about it.