Hey guys I have a question. I am taking my engine apart for a cam swap. I have everything apart and realized i have no idea where the mark on the balancer was pointing. How do i make sure it goes back on correctly? Do i put the engine at TDC on #1 then put the balancer on with the mark poiting towards 12 o'clock? Also how do i tell when it is at TDC on #1 cylinder?

If this wouldn't be the correct way coudl someone tell me how to put it back on in the right position.

thanks
Tom

 

The mark is only to "help" you find TDC. It's not really relavent for anything else. I do not believe it matters because the hub and crank pulley are neutrally balanced - off the car, not part of the rotating assembly. Anyway, look inside your hub and you will see where the keyslot on the crank rubbed against it. Using that you can get it on pretty darn close to where it was just to make you feel better. The pulley only mounts to the hub one way so that doesn't matter. The three hole are offset. When I say TDC; I mean TDC on the compression stroke. To find TDC on #1, just look for the both valves to be closed. The timing gear dots for TDC #1 is either 12 and 12 oclock or 6 and 6 oclock. I forget, though I do remember that 12 and 6 oclock (lining up the dots) was TDC for #6 not #1. Lining up the dots is just alot easier. It doesn't matter were in the engine rotation you put the timing chain on as long as the relationship between the crank and the valvetrain is correct.

Jeff D.

 

its not a big deal at all. when you line up the crank and cam gear dots, its already at #1,#6 TDC. so just install the hub so the arrow on the balancer will be pointing straight up.

 

My crank had a scribe mark ~ 2:30 on front of the crank which lined up with a hole on the hub were they drilled it to balance it, i don't know if all LT1's have that mark though. As stated, once the cam is out the bottom end doesn't know the difference between 1 and 6 being up.