Surely I'm not the only one who ever figured out how to time a SOHC 4.0 without the $200 kit?

[Twigensniper]

So I've done it twice now, and both times the motor lit up and ran no problem.
I did make my own spring compressor tool myself and I'll even take a picture to show everyone, when I relocate it again in this mess lol.
So with the lifters removed, I had enough pieces of steel long and thick enough to span from one side of the head to the other and keep it flat on the top surface of the head. I shimmed up enough to reach the flat on the underside of each camshaft and using feller gauges within .002 I made it tight so there wasn't any movement.
Then I timed it the rest of the way like everyone else.
Piece of cake.

 

[2000StreetRod]

I timed my 2000 Sport without using the timing kit but the kit does simplify the process and increase the accuracy of the timing. To achieve accurate timing the camshaft must be held in the correct position relative to the head surface that mates with the valve cover, the crankshaft must be at TDC for piston 1, and the camshaft to jackshaft chain must be taught. The tool in the timing kit that holds the crankshaft (8 below) in the correct position is rather flimsy but marginally adequate. The lever that fits on the passenger side camshaft sprocket retaining nut (2 below) fits easily next to the firewall but some users overtighten the nut forgetting to compensate for the lever arm. How did you make the chain taught? The spring in the stock hydraulic tensioners are too weak to make the chain taught. That is why the precision tensioner (5 below) is part of the timing kit.

 

[CDW6212R]

I like the tool set but the TDC tool does not hold onto the balancer as accurately as I would like. The tool(8) can be attached to the balancer in varying locations, resulting in unknown timing variance. Also don't forget that balancers often differ, and over time they can slip, the two sections separating.

I bought a piston stop to help me to positively locate TDC exactly, which is common for any high performance engine builds(piston stop and degree wheel). Using the TDC tool is a fast easy process for anyone, but it's not as good as the best way.