Crank/cam alignment Options

[Shindog1961]

So putting an engine back together all the books say aligning the cam and crank gears just line up the 2 dots on the crank and put the 1 dot on the cam between them. Is mine the only crank gear with no markings? The 1 dot is there on the cam gear, but nothing on the crank. How can you align the gears? Can it be done accurately? Any help would be great.

[stugray]

Here are some pics of an old toasted crank from a 1.8 motor.

I marked the keyway gear tooth (valley) that lines up with the keyway (@90 deg - 3-oclock) with white paint.
I marked the two camshaft alignment dots ( close to 180 degrees from keyway @~275degrees - 9:20oclock) with white soapstone.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i366.photobucket.com-10819-1392673555.1.jpg)

From these you can see that the dots are to either side of the gear valley that is13 counter-clockwise from the valley at the key.
Or 15 clockwise from the valley at the key.

In this one you can barely see the keyway below the white marking on the gear.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i366.photobucket.com-10819-1392673555.2.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i366.photobucket.com-10819-1392673555.3.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i366.photobucket.com-10819-1392673555.4.jpg)

HTH

Unless you are running straight cut gears the teeth would not align if the crank gear were on backwards.

I believe that you can flip the gear and the teeth will be aligned the same way.
But you might not be able to see the dots any longer.