Cam positioning tool from the Rotunda kit - borrow from anyone?

[mike_e30]

I need to lock the cam as my timing may be off. Could anyone lend me the cam positioning tool?

Its this guy:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-ROTUNDA-5 ... Sw1bVdZcxs

I am in New Jersey if anything, but will pay for the rental and shipping.

[kingoftarmace2004]

do you have the pin to lock the crank? and are you going to lock the pump in place? if so are you going to check the pump timing? i have found that with everything locked in place the belt is super loose and really you can use the pump to tighten that side and then use the belt tensioner for the other side. you can use giant adjustable wrench to get the cam square and it will hold there in place. sounds ghetto but works! also I know my cam is off like 3 degree but the car still starts and runs great! oh also It looks like the m51 cam lock tool will work if you remove the cam lobe spray bar. the m51 tool is cheaper and easier to get. hopes this helps! -Paul

[mike_e30]

Hi Paul, yes drill bits to lock the crank and pump in place although if Im going to drop coin on a kit Id prefer to get one with the original locking pins.

It is the cam thats off as the crankshaft-cam marks do not align. My previous mechanic from 5 years ago changed the timing belt and must have had it skip a tooth. Since the belt change havent been driving it much but its been smokey and underperforming although it fires up immediately and does drive well. Since trying to get the car back to top shape I overlooked checking the cam as I was certain it was the pump due to the heavy black smoke.

I had a pro rebuild the pump and injectors and still no good, he himself said something must be off due to lack of HP and heavy smoke. Just now we saw the cam timing is off.

Let me hunt for the M51 kit.

[mike_e30]

Holy of the holiest, I found a new kit for $90 and ships from NJ. Thank you Paul for pointing me in the right direction.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Engine-Camshaf ... SwZmpfXhlL

[gadget73]

If that doesn't fit, I can loan you my knockoff tool. It doesn't have the clamps like the official one but it does work. I also have a proper crank lock pin that I made. The drill bit really doesn't do it very precisely. The hole in the crank I think is 8mm and the hole in the block is 10, or maybe its 10 and 12. Whatever it is, using a drill bit will allow a noticeable amount of crank rotation either direction rather than being locked accurately. Drill bit for the pump is fine, just need one with a good fit. You will also need to verify the injection pump timing with a dial indicator and the proper adapter to mount it all up. Pick up some spare 8mm or 5/16 copper crush washers to seal the pump head plug. I got them from my local hardware store when all the usual auto parts sources came up empty. They were like 25 cents each.

If you're up for a trip to the unpopulated southwest of the state I can just loan you a box with all that stuff.

[kingoftarmace2004]

right on! let me know how it works. im off like 1/4 to 1/2 a tooth. not worth trying to get it dead on, OCD perfect. but i did try! -Paul

[gadget73]

I have a lathe and assorted bits of scrap metal. Took me longer to measure the holes than to make a tool to fit. I gauged them with drill bits, one for the flywheel hole, one for the block hole. Had a small motor shaft from something that had the part I needed inside. Lacking one you could probably make a workable sub with a drill bit to fit the flywheel and wrapping tape or something around it so it fits better in the block hole. We aren't going to the moon here.

[kingoftarmace2004]

exactly! i tend to overthink/over engineer things. i get it from my mechanical engineer dad and that im also a "professional" mechanic. i really doubt you can get the cam perfect without having alot of timing belt slop. i used the little shift carrier pin from the trans to lock the pump in place. and I purchased the proper flywheel locking pin. my good enough is way better then the condition of the car when I got it. -Paul

[mike_e30]

My camshaft timing was off by 2 teeth and the screws were loose! Good thing we caught this in time. Drives completely different now, much smoother, more pull, and less smoke.

My mechanic didnt even use the camshaft locking kit from Ebay, a big adjustable wrench was more than adequate.

We ran out of time to check the injection pump timing but Im sure something is off as well, during acceleration there is a dead spot that creates a lull for a second or two, then continues to pick up, then again hits that dead spot. However Im at the point where I'd swap my electronic pump for the mechanical VE one and start fresh.

Anyway thanks all for the help.

If anyone wants the kit I purchased new unopened let me know.

[kingoftarmace2004]

wow. thats a big/noticable degree on the cam being 2 teeth. did he pin the crank at tdc and lock the pump in place? how much slack did you have on the timing belt? glad it worked! -Paul

[kingoftarmace2004]

oh also. does your intake pump work? if you have no inlet pressure on the injection pump its hard for the pump to draw in its own fuel. -Paul

[mike_e30]

Hey Paul

Not that much slack but apparently enough to skip 2 teeth! We cheated and treated the pulley on the crankshaft as an indicator of TDC as it was bolted down iron tight. So possibly my engine is still not timed correctly, however the performance gap may be related to the intake couplers being old and leaking, I just ordered a couple new ones with new T bolts to doublecheck.

E30 diesels do not have a fuel pump, only E28s came with it. From what i know our injection pumps can draw enough on their own. However adding a fuel pump is on my list of to-dos.

BTW Paul, where you located? Let me know in our messages about the euro VE pumps, I have this crazy idea that may work for the both of us.

[gadget73]

I want to say only the US spec ones got the electric pump. Euro cars just had to do it on their own.

I had to replace my couplers too, went with some generic ricey stuff because OE BMW parts were stupid expensive for what they are. Two short bits of rubber hose would have been north of 100 bucks, I got two silicone things with the clamps for about 20. I had to trim the length on one but thats easy enough.