TDC Balancer timing mark due south??!!! Opinions!!!

[kdspapa]

My 99 Mounty 5.0L has been showing a, if I remember correctly, P1309 code after I replaced my synchronizer and sensor. I thought I found TDC correctly but after my original post, in the New Member forum, and receiving a reply about my timing procedure, I purchased a piston stop and tried to verify TDC again. I found that when #1 piston is at the top of the compression stroke, the timing mark on the balancer is pointing due south toward the ground. I only see the one mark on the balancer which is a channel. Can someone verify for me that the balancer can be installed this way. Could it have been done this way to make it easier to time or something. I guess I must have installed the synchronizer 80 to 90 degrees off. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[kdspapa]

P1309 TDC South update

Today I pulled the camshaft sensor off while the #1 piston was at the newly found TDC and found the camshaft synchronizer tab or flange (the do-hickey that rotates inside the top of the synchronizer) was resting at 10 degrees off time if it rotates around once per #1 piston cycle and if I have the rotational direction correct. I'm not sure how that happened, except for operator error, but I thought it would be farther off as the balancer TDC mark was around 80 degrees off the mark.

All said and done, the truck now runs good with no pinging at the top end and no CEL illumination. The truck seems to be some what peppier as well. We'll have to see if it improves my MPG.

Thanks for your help Trudle!


Now to research what performance enhancements I can do to improve MPG that won't mess with the emmisions. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[colintrax]

Just as an fyi, TDC means both valves are closed as well. It would be on the compression stroke.

 

[kdspapa]

Thanks colintrax! The guy at AZone tried to tell me I would have air pressure out of the #1 sparkplug hole even on the exhaust stroke but doesn't the exhaust valve open thus elliminating the air pressure? I ran the balancer around more than half a dozen times feeling for the air pressure and I'm positive I know I had it on the compression stroke. I also used a small dowel (really a thin tent poll) to feel for the piston at the very top of its stroke. I stopped at a point where if I would had turned it even a fraction further the piston would start moving down. That is TDC, correct? The grooved timing mark was at 6:00 bottom.

 

[kdspapa]

I have the same truck and channel on the balancer. No timing marks. I think the channel is the key way channel and should be pointing down at TDC.

 

[Pete Deering]

I have the same truck and channel on the balancer. No timing marks. I think the channel is the key way channel and should be pointing down at TDC.

Look at pictures 1 &2.

https://www.explorerforum.com/forums/attachments/cid-pictures-only-2019-12-11b-pdf.176481/

 

[410Fortune]

I cannot get the pictures to load?


The 5.0
Balancer indeed has timing marks on it, they can be hard to see as they are just light hash marks. There is a 0 for tdc

Air rushing past your finger is compression stroke
Air rushing in and it out can feel like compression but that is the wrong stroke. You can use a piece of paper in the hole if you have trouble deciding if the air is rushing in or out

Use flashlight and watch piston travel to the top after confirmed air rushing out
That is tdc compression stroke
That is where you set the cam synchronizer with its alignment tool

Cyl 1 on a 5.0 is passenger side front cylinder

 

[kdspapa]

I cannot get the pictures to load?


The 5.0
Balancer indeed has timing marks on it, they can be hard to see as they are just light hash marks. There is a 0 for tdc

Air rushing past your finger is compression stroke
Air rushing in and it out can feel like compression but that is the wrong stroke. You can use a piece of paper in the hole if you have trouble deciding if the air is rushing in or out

Use flashlight and watch piston travel to the top after confirmed air rushing out
That is tdc compression stroke
That is where you set the cam synchronizer with its alignment tool

Cyl 1 on a 5.0 is passenger side front cylinder

I have looked and looked and cannot see any timing marks. After finding TDC Cyl 1 compression stroke, The channel on the balance wheel was at 6 o'clock. My Truck runs fine except some ping under heavy load on hills, which seems to be common. I followed the manual for setting the synchronizer.
Thanks for your remarks.

 

[C420sailor]

I’ve got ping under load too. These engines need knock sensors

 

[allmyEXes]

Maybe I haven't had enough coffee yet and not quite following. What is the word channel in reference to?
4 hours from now when I get over to work after a DRs appointment, I can provide pictures of a brand-new HB/damper 36-1 pulsator ring trigger wheel assembly.
ADDED: After the 2nd cup of coffee, I can say this much. After very recently installing the new timing chain and gear set, with the engine at TDC for the timing set install, the crank keyway was at the 12 o'clock position. Woodruff key straight up. In reference to the 36-1 (36 minus 1) 35 tooth trigger wheel, the missing tooth lines up with the woodruff key that keeps the damper properly aligned on the crank. With the crank in this position, I installed the camshaft position sensor using the cam ps alignment tool. The little flag of the cam ps (2 wire 1998.5 5.0 and up) is exactly centered in the gap of the housing of the camshaft position sensor. If the crankshaft is at 12 o'clock, straight up, the little cam ps "flag" should be centered. I didn't clean the timing marks on my old hb/damper because I didn't need to.
Last week I purchased a brand new Explorer 5.0 Damper assembly and the missing tooth lines up with the groove for the key too. So I know that my 250K balancer still lines up.
ADDED again: During the four-stroke combustion cycle (intake, compression, power and exhaust) the crankshaft turns twice — moving each piston up and down twice — while the camshaft turns once. This results in each valve opening one time for every two crankshaft revolutions in relation to the piston. This way, only the intake valve(s) will open on the intake stroke.
Both valves remain closed during the compression and combustion strokes, and only the exhaust valve(s) opens during the exhaust stroke.

 

[allmyEXes]

This serpentine pulley/HB/damper/sensor ring pic is made looking at the backside top of it. The TDC groove for the key, lines up with the -1 tooth.

 

[kdspapa]

Thanks for your input allmyEXs. While I have spent too much time finding TDC, I will take another look when I get the time. If it were 180 degrees off, would my 5.0L even run?

 

[Mbrooks420]

Maybe I haven't had enough coffee yet and not quite following. What is the word channel in reference to?

I think he’s referring to the keyway