RE: [alfa] valve adjustment woes

[White Anthony <anthony.white@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Scott Johnson queried:

> Worse, the main link on the cam chain (gah... whatever it's actually 
> called) doesn't show up when the motor is TDC.

Keep rotating the engine until you find the master link.  There are a dozen
or more instances of TDC in one full cycle of the chain.  Once you find the
link, bring the engine to TDC with the link between the cams.  

> the PO of the car left out such "extras" as the lock 
> tabs on the cam sprockets 

I remove these as a matter of course.  They're not particularly reliable,
they fatigue easily, they need replacing too often.  They also reduce the
security of the joint -- they're too soft to make good washers.  I replace
them with Loctite, which is far more vibration resistant.  

(Lately, I've also considered ditching the woodruff keys from the cam
sprockets as well, as they get in the way when trying to set cam timing
accurately.  Only by a half a degree, sure, but I tend to get a little
precise about such things.  I gather the woodruff keys give about 30 seconds
security if the main cam bolt fails before the woodruff key also fails, which
isn't going to help at all...)

> Also, I'm a little confused about the cam timing.. When the disty is 
> pointing at #1, the pointer on the crank pulley is pointing at an "M" 
> mark 

"P" for "punto" (point, presumably 'the point at the top of the stroke') is
TDC.  

regards,
Anthony White
Wellington, NZ
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