Jeremy in DE
Member
First, straight from the front, I'm no mechanical expert. Much of what I know I've learned from working on my TO30 and from reading it's manuals or this site.
Today I had the front end apart to get the pivot pin and bushing out. Bushing was shot and is ordered.
While apart I also removed the timing cover to check whether I could see anything that might make a ticking noise I've tentatively narrowed to the timing gear area.
The crank timing gear is not set back quite as far as the cam gear. Behind the timing gear is a (not circular, anymore at least) piece that it catching the cam gear. It this what the manual calls the thrust plate?
From the pictures you can see the cam gear has crushed "teeth" into it over the years of running. That piece is also not tight. Poking at it with a screwdriver it will rotate somewhat freely. I cannot feel any play in the crankshaft, but the manual suggests shims here control crankshaft end play. The piece is not a circle. For about 1/3 of the circumference it is not visible, for the other 2/3 it is visible and catching the cam gear teeth.
Questions: 1) Should the gears be in exact alignment? 2) Should this piece (whatever it's proper name) be loose or fully pressed tight? 3) Could the gear be pushed back farther to bring it into alignment and also push the piece out of the way of the cam gear? If it could be pushed back further, what is the technique? 5) Is this a problem, and if so what is the best solution?
This may not be the source of my tick, but turning it by hand it does seem to catch rhythmically each revolution.
Today I had the front end apart to get the pivot pin and bushing out. Bushing was shot and is ordered.
While apart I also removed the timing cover to check whether I could see anything that might make a ticking noise I've tentatively narrowed to the timing gear area.
The crank timing gear is not set back quite as far as the cam gear. Behind the timing gear is a (not circular, anymore at least) piece that it catching the cam gear. It this what the manual calls the thrust plate?
From the pictures you can see the cam gear has crushed "teeth" into it over the years of running. That piece is also not tight. Poking at it with a screwdriver it will rotate somewhat freely. I cannot feel any play in the crankshaft, but the manual suggests shims here control crankshaft end play. The piece is not a circle. For about 1/3 of the circumference it is not visible, for the other 2/3 it is visible and catching the cam gear teeth.
Questions: 1) Should the gears be in exact alignment? 2) Should this piece (whatever it's proper name) be loose or fully pressed tight? 3) Could the gear be pushed back farther to bring it into alignment and also push the piece out of the way of the cam gear? If it could be pushed back further, what is the technique? 5) Is this a problem, and if so what is the best solution?
This may not be the source of my tick, but turning it by hand it does seem to catch rhythmically each revolution.