Removing/refitting camshaft sprockets - how to line them up?

[Rob Furniss]

We're removing the camshaft sprockets from Rowans car (head is coming off, new camshafts going in later) but once they have been removed how do you line them up with the new camshafts when refitting them?
I've had a look in the manual and not found anything.


DOH, just removed one to have a quick look - there's a dowel pin to locate it so that's all good.
Feel free to delete this someone, or have a laugh at us, whatever.

[bjk]

I'd have a chuckle, but you're taking apart an engine, so you're a million miles ahead of me anyway.

[Rob Furniss]

I'd have a chuckle, but you're taking apart an engine, so you're a million miles ahead of me anyway.

I've took an FTO engine apart once before about 10 years ago, it was a dead one (compression issue/burning oil after a spark plug blew to pieces and I presume scored the cylinder).
I took it apart as someone wanted the crank, but I have no experience in putting them back together!

We've decided that the heads are as far as we're going, just decompressing the heads with a gasket/shim and leaving the pistons and conrods stock for now, and turbo hks profile cams going in.
Will do the top end seals and crankshaft oil seals while we're at it.
And a manual conversion just to take up more of my time.

Well that's unless we find another issue.

[Vectose]

But didn't the engine have blow by? Or is this a different engine?

[Rob Furniss]

But didn't the engine have blow by? Or is this a different engine?

The one we're taking apart is Rowans - the one with the stupid huge Precision Turbo rated for 800-900 horsepower or something and yes it was puffing like a steam train out of the breather and milky stuff in the catch can.
Does that mean rings or valves?
We're pretty sure the heads too.

While we're at this stage, is it a lot more effort to also change the piston rings or not that much?

[Vectose]

Only way to know for sure is with a leak down test.

But usually rings

I'd be pulling the pistons and taking the block somewhere to be honed, and they can tell you what size piston rings you need to order.

[Rob Furniss]

Shite, camshafts are out already so does that mean we can't do a leak down test?
Rocker arms and valves etc are still in place.

[Vectose]

Yes you can do a leak down test without cams in.