2.7L Compression Test Numbers

On the backs of those two gears that mesh at the fronts of the cams, there are timing marks. There should be two dots on one gear and one dot on the other.

You need to locate TDC on the compression stroke. There are articles on how to do that if you search. Note: the timing marks on the crank pulley were not accurate on my truck, so beware that yours might not be either. I ended up putting a dowel down the #1 plug hole and rotating the motor until the dowel was at its highest point. Note that the dowel will reach a high point on both the compression and exhaust stroke, so make sure you have the correct high point.

When at TDC #1 cylinder on the compression stroke, those dots should line up on the two cams. After you are done, put the motor back to TDC on #1 and then line up those marks before you tighten it all back down.

DEFINITELY secure your chain to the input cam so that you don't lose your timing. That's what the zip-tie was all about in my photo.

I pulled the exhaust cam completely off. I chose not to pull the input cam because I didn't want to have to redo the engine timing. On that cam, I just loosened it up and tilted it forward to swap the shims.

 

I just measured my valve clearances and I'm surprised that only 2 of the 16 valves need adjusted. As luck would have it, however, it's the very back two valves. The exhaust side is .010 and the intake is .006. Both of them right at the very bottom of the acceptable range.

 

I am working on my rearmost intake valve. I did as suggested and removed all of the cam bolts except the front two. I loosened those and have quite a bit of room to work with but I can't get the shim out of the bucket. Any suggestions?

The bucket rotates freely. The shim rotates in the bucket. I just can't get underneath the shim to lift it out of place.

 

Nevermind. I got it.

 

Ok. I have a big problem and I hope that you guys are still following this thread.

I pulled the shims and measured them so that I know what to order. I was putting it all back together and something really bad happened. I cut that zip tie off that was holding the timing chain to the gear and a piece about an inch long fell straight down into the abyss. It's gone. I can't see it. I've manually cranked the engine and I don't see it moving around down there anywhere.

Any ideas? All that I can think of is to drain the oil and hope it comes out. If it doesn't then my next idea would be to pull the oil pan and see if I can find it from below? Any other ideas? How worried should I be?

 

are you talking about the plastic zip tie? leave it it will be fine

 

Yes. A piece of the zip tie fell in. It has me worried. If I knew for a fact that it made it all the way down to the oil pan I wouldn't be as worried about it. That's a ways down there though with lots of gears and chains between. If it were to get caught in something wouldn't it really mess something up?

 

With it being plastic you have nothing to worry about.
I have seen alot worse dropped in motors and left. Ive seen the plastic rings underneath oil container caps a few different times pulling a valve cover on different motors.
It sounds too big to make it past the pick up screen anyways, it cant wipe a bearing and the timing/balance shaft chains would eat it up like its not even there.
Your fine.
Ever seen a spark plug hole rethreaded with a time sert? Shit tons of aluminum chips right inside a cylinder, you blow it out the best you can but quite a bit stays in there and is eaten up buy the engine.

 

Thanks for the encouragement.

 

If it was metal id be more concerned but trust me you are fine.
Theres no way something that big can get to a bearing surface or hurt anything for that matter and being a piece of plastic at that, trust me.

 

Hey OP,

Good on you for tackling these type of jobs yourself. Looks like youre learning a lot.

I tend to agree with the previous poster and think that a piece of zip tie probably isnt much to worry about.

 

Thanks. I've been thinking about it over night. I think that I'm going to drain the oil pan into a clean container. Then, with the drain plug still out, pour the oil back in on top a few times to at least try to flush it out. Even if I can't get it that should at least push it all the way down into the oil pan and make sure it's not caught somewhere in between. What do you think about that idea?

 

it's worth a shot I would probably pull the valve cover back off and run it down thru where the timing gears are isnt that where it fell in at?

 

That's what I was thinking too. I haven't put the cover back on yet anyway.

 

Ok. Time for another ask-the-experts moment. I got it all back together so that I can drive it while I track down the two shims that I need. It runs fine, but sounds different. When idling, it sounds almost like a diesel engine. I took a stethescope to the valve cover and it sounds the same regardless of where I touch the cover. I hear a ticking sound that I assume is the cam lobes contacting the shims but I have no way of knowing for sure.

I don't think I messed up my timing. I tied the chain to the sprocket to keep the right cam from moving. I also took an orange crayon and marked 2 teeth on the right cam and marked the tooth on the left that fell between the other two marks.

Besides the piece of zip tie down in there somewhere nothing is different that I know of. What would make it sound like that?

 

are you sure you only did one lifter at a time and didn't get anything mixed up?

are you also sure you put the shim caps back in place with the number side down? if not then one of them may not be mating properly causing the ticking

 

Yes. I only did one at a time so there is no chance that they got mixed up. Oddly, neither shim had a number. I did put them back in the orientation that they were in when I removed them?

Maybe I didn't tighten down all of the cam retainer bolts enough or equally? Maybe that's the sound it always makes but I didn't get the cover tightened enough so the sound is escaping?

 

Those cam retainer boats want a specific and equal torque. I think I recall it being 18 foot pounds. I wouldn't run it much without those properly torqued.

The cam retainers are also numbered and require a specific front to back orientation. Fortunately, the numbers are stamped on them as well as an arrow to tell you which way they are supposed to face.

 

I know they are on in the right order. I think my FSM said 14 ft lbs. I have a torque wrench and used it but it's not a high end one and I worry that it might not handle that small a setting very well.

 

As long as you're reasonably close, you should be ok.