CAS installation

[charlotte240]

I need to remove my cam angle sensor because it was broken during shipping. I have all of the bolts and things out, but it just doesn't want to come out. Yes, I have aligned the motor to TDC and that didn't work, so I also got my friend to gently pul/jiggle the CAS as I slowly rotated the motor for 4 turns.

Also, I can't ever seem to get the engine to TDC. I can rotate the engine many times but the shiny link on the timing chain never seems to line up with mark on the intake cam gear.

[SWIFT_DRIFT]

First off the marks on the timing chain really makes no difference as long as the sprockets/cams are timed properly. It's hard to tell from your description without any pics. You should be turning the motor over to line up with the second mark (yellow) on the crankshaft pulley, that is TDC.

Confused where you say you aligned the motor to TDC to get the CAS out, but couldn't. Then you claim you could never get the motor to TDC in the first place? Once it's unbolted the CAS should just slide out carefully. Since you say it's broken, take the valve cover off and see if that helps. Otherwise you may have to take the exhaust cam sprocket off (zip tie the chain to some of the holes). Also take out the chain tensioner. This will free up the CAS and allow you to get it out.

If your motor is properly timed: at TDC the knotches on the cam sprockets (look at pic) should line up like so. Again the silver and gold links on the timing chain make no difference as long as it's spaced properly. You can also use the pic to count the number of links between the knotches. This number should be 20 (I'm counting the number of silver dots on the links). Taken from SR20 Hybrids.

Anyways some close up pics of you motor would be helpful to see what kind of damage it has or the timing it's really in at TDC.

[Cyberkreig]

easiest way to get #1 to TDC is to put a screwdriver in the sparkplug hole and rotate the crank by hand.

There are just two bolts on the cas.. should slide right out..

[charlotte240]

I apologize, I aligned it to TDC via the crank pulley. when i did that, the link on the timing chain was WAY off.

So, aligned it via the pulley.......but then it wasn't at TDC according to the chain. I wasn't sure if the chain placement made too much of a difference, but that's the way I always hear of people alighning the engine, so I thought it may be important to note.

I did remove the valve cover and it looks almost like there is nothing holding in the CAS. I didn't want to pry it or anything, but I gave it a good tug by hand. I will have to go home to post some pics (I'm at work) so that I can illustrate what I'm speaking of more clearly.

As I said though, I did have a friend pull and jiggle the CAS while I slowly rotated the engine (just in case I was missing TDC) and it still wouldn't come out. Now I'm kinda scared that the head is damaged or something (although there are absolutely no signs of any other damage so I think I'm alright).

[charlotte240]

Also, does anyone have a spare CAS? I sure as heck could use one.

[SWIFT_DRIFT]

It shouldn't matter what position the engine is in to get the CAS out. Also when you put the crank pulley at TDC did you check through the #1 spark plug hole to really visually see if it was at TDC or not? Like you said when you aligned the pulley at TDC but the crank pulley was way off, you should have again also checked through the #1 plug if the piston was at TDC in both cases. It sounds like some parts on the engine are way off, like the crank pulley wasn't mounted correctly, or the timing is just completely off. Pics would be very helpful in any case Also I would contact Heavy Throttle in regards to buying a new CAS.

[UsedToOwn240SX]

I did cas alignment on my Redtop last week. Bud & Swift are right, no need to align it with the timing marks on the camshaft sprocket. You only need to have cyl#1 TDC. That is, the crankshaft pulley aligned with second tick (TDC tick) from the left. If you have screwdriver in cyl #1, it will pop up the highest. You still have to make sure cyl #1 is on TDC in compression cycle though, by looking at the cyl#1 lobes on the exhaust or intake camshafts else you will align it 180 degrees off.

I believe the timing marks on the cam sprocket and the shiny links are used in engine rebuilding or timing chain replacement. If you still want to get them to line up (out curiosity sake), there are 3 links that are shiny. Only 1 is really shiny and easy to see. The other 2 are kind of off-color to me. Anyway, you can just count the number of rollers from the really shiny link (48 rollers CCW & 48+20). You have to keep turning the crank (4 times for me) to get them to line up.

[UsedToOwn240SX]

Not Bud, I mean Cyber

[charlotte240]

Alright, I did the screwdriver trick and cyl 1 is on the compression cycle. Now I have no doubt that the engine is at TDC. The links in the timing chain are off, but that's no matter.

The CAS still won't come out. I am really afraid to pry it out, but I have given it a good yank by hand and it came out about 1 or 2 mm, then it went right back to where it was (almost as if a REALLY strong spring were keeping it in there or something).

Oh yeah, heavy throttle doesn't have any.

[SWIFT_DRIFT]

Remove the exhaust cam sprocket. Then the gears on the cam sprocket and the CAS won't be touching. Slide out the CAS.

[Cyberkreig]

this might be stupid to say, but when i removed my cas, it did something similar... because I didnt unplug the harness.. =P

[charlotte240]

Well, if I have to lift the exhaust cam, then I'll do it. I wanted to avoid that because it's kind of a little hassle, but no biggie. Does anyone know the tourqe specs and tightening sequence for the cam retainers though?