I just got done replacing all the timing components. I had the crank at about 1:00 and I rotated the cams in place to line up the timing marks. I didn't really have too hard of a time turning them, just what felt like spring pressure, but I now realize that I may have bent a valve since the crank wasn't also turning, but how would I know and what are the chances? I don't think I did because the crank wasn't at true TDC and the cams did turn for me. Need your thoughts on this.

 

How much did you rotate the cams? should have been very minimum, I had to move mine barely, to line up the colored links, about 1 link turn and have had no issues. I moved my cams with the vice grip method.

 

The driver's side cam was rotated over completely. When I was tightening the cam, it moved and I had to flip it all the way to get it back.

 

The valves are really hard, I kinda doubt that you bent one by hand. I would probably pull both phasers off, line the cams up with the lobes in the correct position (there should be a pic of this in one of my albums), put the phasers in place and line up the colored links on top and bottom. Hold the cams with a pair of vice grips on a non journaled portion and put the phaser back in place. Turning the cams barely to get the phaser to line up is alright. Doing this will cost you 2 more phaser bolts if you have already torqued the ones you have down. Is your harmonic balancer still at TDC with the notch at the 1:00 position?

 

That's good to hear... once I realized I could've caused some damaged, I just took all the cam caps off if I had to turn it a lot. I have all the new parts on already but I have to take them back off today... stupid left and right being flipped... but at least the work is done and I got all the roller rockers and lifters replaced too. Might do the power steering pump while I'm at it.

 

Listen to vintageman. I did the complete replacement (cam phasers, lifters, rockers, timing set, oil pump and screen) following his guidance and came out on top.

 

I trust pretty much everyone on here if they talk like they have some real knowledge of the problem, including Vintageman. BTW, I did go ahead and order a new power steering pump with pulley today. Why not.

 

You and me both!

 

I ended up just taking out the entire cam and lining it up, then putting it back in. The caps were tightened in order and to spec. Had to do it like that since I a) don't have more phaser bolts and b) didn't feel like removing and reinstalling the phasers.

 

The two marked side by side links are centered over the L (driver side) and R (passenger) and the single colored link is centered directly over the mark on the crank sprocket. Tensioners and guides are installed. Unless that's wrong somehow, I'm ready to put the covers back on.