How To Get TDC - Timing Belt

  1. Newbie Joined: Nov 2010 Posts: 24
    #1
    My water jackets on my engine froze due to no antifreeze,
    ive had to strip the engine to make sure i havent bent any valves and let it defrost my garage overnight.

    Luckily no valves where bent, i just have a question about finding TDC
    I removed my head without marking it up atall, i have also moved the bottem end by hand to make sure i hadnt blown a piston in the process.

    How do i get TDC on the bottom end and on the cam?
    am i right thinking ( looking through this forum )

    3mm allen key in the flywheel and turn over until it locks ( bottem end TDC )
    Bolt through the cam once head back on and secure ( tdc ) ?

    was thinking it could be 180* out ?

    My car is a saxo VTR 99 plate silvertop

    cheers
  2. Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Aug 2009 ilkeston derbyshire Posts: 9823 C2 VTR stripped, 406hdi, clio 172
    #2
    no it won't be 180 out, no1 and no4 will be in the same position when the cranks locked, and as long as the cam is locked it will be fine. better to use the proper pins for the crank, the holes are there to make the engine basically idiot proof to time up and provided you tension the belt correctly you can't go wrong
  3. Newbie Joined: Nov 2010 Posts: 24
    #3
    how do i know where the came is supposed to go ?
    do i just lock the cam whilst the head is off ?
  4. Frequent Poster Joined: Aug 2009 Manchester Posts: 570 Mercury Grey VT?
    #4
    theres a hole on the cam pully that will line up with the same sized hole on the head behind the pully. (near the top right on the head iirc) you want to use something like a bolt or drill bit thats the same size so the cam cant turn atall
  5. Established Member Joined: Apr 2009 Redcar Posts: 1971 2000 Posi Blue vtr
    #5
    There is only one hole for the locking pin to go in so can not be 180deg out!! If you had thought about it you would have realised that. To be fair though you have coolant with insufficient antifreeze in one of the coldest winters for years so it figures really.
  6. Newbie Joined: Nov 2010 Posts: 24
    #6
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Stevo123 View Post
    There is only one hole for the locking pin to go in so can not be 180deg out!! If you had thought about it you would have realised that. To be fair though you have coolant with insufficient antifreeze in one of the coldest winters for years so it figures really.
    im asking for advice not a smart reply, if you dont have anything else better to do then jog on.

    thank you for all that helped, should be running tomorrow
  7. Established Member Joined: Dec 2009 Bolton Posts: 1068 Saxo 1.4i sx
    #7
    The crank turns twice for every one turn of the cam, thats why crank pulley half the size, cylinders 1 and 4 or 2 and 3 makes- no difference
    1 user thanked this post: