alright...i just got done installing my forged pistons and putting my head back on. im ready to time it. i have my #1 cylinder (passenger side) @ TDC. now, once i have my cam gears back on, do i line the blue chain link with the intake mark on the intake cam gear and the red link should line up with the exhaust mark on the exhaust cam gear? making sure that bot valves are closed on the #1 cylinder?

 

Here

 

Basically.

Intake - Blue link should be roughly at the 2 o'clock position pointing at the "INT" marking on the gear

Exhaust - Red link should be at roughly the 10 o'clock position pointing at the "EXH" making on the gear

The crank gear should be pointing at the 5 o'clock position, and thats where your purple link goes.

Simple stuff, good luck

 

simple as this I just did a hg replacement.

 

thanks guys. i dont know how easy its gonna be to see the crank gear cuz i never took the engine out of the car lol.

 

take off the passenger side rim and plastic wheel well covering. you will have a perfect view of it.

 

Lemme know how you do this, I had a hard time timing my old cobalt when i had to replace #4 piston, I couldnt see the crank gear. This was the only thing stopping me from doing this this winter.

 

Lift car on passenger side

Take off rim

Take of plastic wheel well (should be like 1 or 2 8mm screws, the rest are just plastic body
clips

Take off crank pulley, its 1 bolt, then you just wrestle to get it off.

Take off idler pulley (you will have access thru the wheel well)

Take off side cover

Thats it. The hardest part for me was the crank pulley, they dont come off very easy.
The idler pulley is 1 bolt if memory serves me correct, use common sense and youll get it out.
The side cover bolts are a little tight, but if my fat hands can get to it, Im sure someone whos fingers that dont resemble sausages will have no trouble.

Take your time, these motors are pretty basic. Good luck

 

earlier i popped of my cam sensor b/c i thought it was something else. does that mess my timing up? what do i do if it does?

thanks guys

 

You'll throw a code without it. Not sure if it will actually cause any damage tho.

 

i put it right back on. what im saying is if, lets say i spun it 180 degrees and put it back in. will it mess it up? btw i got done timing my cobalt!

 

Did eveything turn out good? you fire it up yet? any timing codes?

 

i didnt get all of it back together yet. i think my timing chain tensioner is messed up. i can make it collapse but gets tight towards the bottom of its stroke and doesnt pop out when i install it. You have to turn the engine over and make sure your cams are timed with your crank correctly after you time it the first time! the first time i timed it, the #1 cylinder was going down while the exhaust valves were opening. i had to remove the chain, spin the crank 360 degrees while not turning the cams, line all the marks up again, and everything was fine after that. also, be careful that your not turning your valves down into your pistons b/c your valves will hit your piston if your piston is @ TDC or close to TDC.