It seems like unless you have an adjustable timing gear, there's really only one way to line this up (line up the dots). It would be good to know true TDC to validate the timing marks. I did that on my engine and I was pleasantly surprised how accurate it was.
Yes. But, the amount of parts not on spec manufactured these days, having things as close to "zero" will help show if something is "not right", and with an interference engine, I am going to check anyway. It's in my nature to do everything this way, and yeah, I have taken a good share of guff for it over my lifetime. It's even in my will, that I be buried twice, just to be sure.
I think Chad will be OK just replacing the timing gears and chain as long as he had it lined up when he took it apart. He can always back off the rockers and move the crank and cam into alignment if not. It is just not a good idea to move the crank and cam around independent of one another with the rockers on and torqued down. Nobody likes bent valves. It is going to run the same as it did before without the noise. That is probably good enough. No need for a piston stop, degree wheel and dial micrometer in this case. Cheryl
Alright All- Sorry for not having an update recently. I replaced the 2 rockers and the push rods that were bad, as well as the timing chain and gearset. I got her all back together last Sat and it still made the noise. I removed valley cover and found 2 severely concave bottoms of lifters and the corresponding cam lobes non existent. So...... en route to my house are new lifters, cam, push rods, and gasket set. I removed the lifters, pushrods and cam today. Pictures below. Will update when I get all of these parts installed. Thanks!
Thanks guys, Giving up isn't in my vocabulary. Like I said before, I knew what I could be getting into with this ol girl. Should be good for a while!
Well...... Got everything put back together, and we're back at 0. Making same exact noise. I've put a lot of time and some fair money into her in the last few weeks, and this is truly frustrating. If any of you know of a nailhead guy near Cleveland, OH, please pm me. Thank you!
All, Huge thanks to @JESUPERCAT , as well as @Thumper (aka greatscat) . Thunderhead helped me run a compression check and we have 120psi on all 8 cylinders. Thunderhead advised that he couldn't say definitively what the noise was from, and advised pulling the motor. We pulled motor yesterday and what do you know, #7 piston skirt is completely blown up. Tons of aluminum chunks in oil pan. I've already read this thread; https://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/blown-piston-what-do-i-do-now.204504/. Next step is to have @Thumper (aka greatscat) over for looksee at the bottom end and see what the damage is. Stay tuned!
I guess we know what you're doing this Winter. Sorry to hear about that. Isn't it amazing that these things still run with that kind of carnage?
