401 wont crank

guffey24

Alright guys, I am not sure where to go with this before I rule out the obvious I will start here I have fuel, carb probally needs a rebuild after sitting for a while I have spark I started retracing my steps when I was rebuilding the motor to figure out If I had done anything odd or missed a step I built this using a great book/soft copy of BJ Builds An AMC well I get into the section where it starts talking about installing Cam/Timing gears/Drive gear I did everything by the book so I thought I didnt retard or advance the timing so I set the lower gear on the zero mark this is the step that I got ahead of myself, I honestly didnt pay attention to this. I slid the chain, and gears on as a complete unit [next step says engage the chain while trying to line up the timing gear marks. The mark on the lower gear should be closet to the mark on the upper gear. Then slide the gear on the cam snout. Look at the gear alignment closely. Make sure the marks are in a straight line with the cam and crank. If it's off, then remove the cam gear, skip the chain a tooth and re-install it. One tooth off is bad news!] Did I screw myself or what?

1980_Cj7

So you don't know if the timing marks on the timing gears were lined up or not? Man, I am so glad I invested in the cam degreeing kit and took the time to use it. After what happened with our engine on the first rebuild, it was well worth the peace of mind knowing the timing was right, especially when you think of the damage that can result from it being wrong. I hope yours is just off enuff that it won't start and didn't do any damage. I'd pull the timing cover and check the timing gears. Another easy thing to check is if you may just be 180 degees off on the distributor. Is it popping or trying to start or trying to do anything?

tufcj

Sorry to say that the marks aren't lined up when the chain/gears come out of the box. If the marks aren't aligned properly, then the cam timing is off and it will never start. Best bet is to pull the timing cover and verify that the marks are aligned. Too much cranking isn't good for a new cam. If you've cranked it a lot, you should probably pull the lifters and re-coat the lobes and bottoms of the lifters with assembly lube. Bob tufcj

guffey24

I thought that it might be 180 out also, but when I found top dead center to number 1 the first time it was 180 out reason I know this is because when trying to crank it it was pouring gas out of the manifolds when the exhaust valves were open that would make it out 180 right? It has yet to crank and run so maybe no damage was done, cross my fingers looks like the timing cover is coming back off this weekend

hotratz

Umm, do you really mean to say it does crank but will not fire?

guffey24

exactly

1980_Cj7

guffey24 wrote
looks like the timing cover is coming back off this weekend

The weekend! C'mon, don't tell us you're gonna keep us in suspense that long. Open that baby up and find out what's going on.

guffey24

yeah I am healing right now, last sat the t-19 came off the tranny jack onto my fingers tried to catch it, still trying to figure out why I thought I could catch a 200lb transmission falling about 2 ft they basically had to sew this one 8) back on the left hand, it blew out on both sides just like a tractor trailer tire on the interstate, crushed it nicely

mika01

:shocked!: DAM! that must have been painful. Hope your on smoething, for the pain I mean

tufcj

I know that pain. I smashed/blew out the pinkie on my right hand stacking rocks for a friend in Moab. Took about 4 hours to get from where we were to the emergency room (and I had to drive/shift my Jeep). Doctor at the hospital couldn't believe the bone wasn't broken, given the amount of damage. It's been over 3 years, and I still have serious scarring, and quite a loss of motion in that finger. I feel for you. Bob tufcj

Goose

:shock: OWWWW Frickin Owww!! Why is it that our body's otherwise finely tuned survival instinct do that..I have done similar stupid things.. :roll: isnt it nice that your nervous system has that built in delay..you know to give you time to see what you just did and to fully realize just how friggin bad it is going to hurt in a second.. :mrgreen:

guffey24

Alright guys, I stripped the whole front part of the motor and guess what I found my timing gears where not even close to being lined up, I am talking 5 to 6 chain links off from lining up It aint no wonder I couldnt get it to fire I havent put anything back on yet except for the timing cover, is there anything else I should check, or do you guys think I should be okay for now

1980_Cj7

Somehow I missed your most recent post until now, and I've been anxious to hear how you are making out. I hate to say it, or even think it, but I'd be worried if you bent any valves. Which direction was it off, advanced or retarded? This cam stuff still confuses me, but if I'm picturing it correctly, if you were retarded (well, you know what I mean, not you, but your cam), you stand a better chance of not having messed up your valves. If you were off in the advanced direction though, and had the intake valve open too far at TDC, you might be in trouble. Some of the more experienced guys in here can chime in and agree or correct me though. The other thing I wondering is how you'd tell if you did any valve damage short of pulling the heads off. A leak test? A compression test? After having just gone thru an year long nightmare myself, I sincerely wish you luck and send up a prayer for you. Keep us posted.

guffey24

She runs :!: everything seems to be good I will keep you posted

Mudrat

guffey24 wrote
yeah I am healing right now, last sat the t-19 came off the tranny jack onto my fingers

tried to catch it, still trying to figure out why I thought I could catch a 200lb transmission falling about 2 ft

I feel your pain brother - I had a T-5 with the Dana 300 on it try and fall on me and ripped my shoulder muscles Feb 2006 :roll: Shoulder still bothers me :smile:

guffey24

I have an issue that is concerning me reguarding the oil pressure I have only cranked the Jeep twice, as I want to make sure everything is okay here is a little build info I installed a new oil pump, with the rebuild, I used the old sending unit, I packed the new oil pump gears with vasoline as described in BJ builds an AMC. I am using 15w40 Shell rotella and 1 bottle of Lucas oil treatment for cam break in My oil pressure gauge has buried both times I cranked it over 100 psi what could the trouble be bad sending unit? faulty aftermarket electric gauge? should I run a mechanical oil gauge? Or should I look for something internal, I hope not

1980_Cj7

You gotta get your terminology straight with this "crank" thing. Again, crank means turning the crankshaft by means of the starter. Running the engine means having it actually start and continue to run on it's own power (gas). What spring did you use in the oil pump? Fuzz can tell you a lot more detail on this, but there is a heavier spring you can use to increase the oil pressure. I believe Fuzz even blew some oil filters apart, but I'll let him elaborate.

guffey24

it started and ran on it's own sorry about that George the oil pressure thing is really bothering me, I used a red supposedly HD spring

BREK

My amx would do the same thing after I installed the red heavy spring & was using 10w40 castrol. Now I have the stock spring, bulltear nickel cover & pump gears (hrc cut), and I am using brad penn grade 1 10w30 oil and I see no higher than 70 when cold 65 when warm with an autometer pro-comp mechanical gauge.

Mudrat

Had a similar issue, but 0 oil press. Scared the crap outta me!!! I put in a mechanical (plumbing) and the same set up Brek has witht he red spring and I'm just a little less, 60-65 cold idle and 45-50 warm.