Write up on how to find TDC on a ka24de

[Idahos13]

This is a write up on how to TDC a ka24de.Tools neededRatchetExtension27mm socketSpark plug socketA clean Flat head screw driver must be long

First thing you will need to do is take off the valve cover.Second thing you will need to do is take out the spark plugs



then you pull them out do this to all four.



Next thing you will need to do is get a 27mm socket and put it on the crank pulley bolt.



Then you need to put the clean flat head screw driver in the # 1 spark plug hole

move the ratchet till the screw driver gets to the top and then goes down, from there you will need to put the ratchet on tighten and go back till it meets to the highest point.

This is what it will look like when it is TDC.



Once it is on TDC the cam lobes will look like this



Also If you want to take the head off you will need to mark your cam gears. There are little hole divits on them when it is TDC they will line up on the place on the timing chain from there you can mark the chain and the little hole divit.



I used blue sharpie but I recomend going and getting a silver sharpie or something white to mark the cam gears with. Please let me know if I forgot something, and I will fix It.Hope this helps people to get there engines to TDC.

As other people have said on this page you can also just turn the crank pulley bolt and watch the crank pulley turn, as soon as the little pointer stops on the 2nd notch to the left on the pulley it is TDC. There should be six little timing notches on the Crank pulley. Here are some pictures.

Sorry for the angled pictures but the little pointer is really at the second mark but the pictures make it look like its at the third from the angle.


Modified by idahos13 at 11:13 AM 5/25/2009

[hvp014]

very informative write up... this needs to be sticked in the write up section

thanks for the info!

[S13xCrazy]

I see you have an aftermarket pulley, but on the stock one they have notches. The correct 'notch' on the pulley is the 2nd one from the left.

Just a little extra.

[Idahos13]

very informative write up... this needs to be sticked in the write up section

thanks for the info!

Thank you I had to figure this out on my own so I thought this would help some people out!

[onosqv]

You can do it w/o removing the valve cover - just pull the distributor cap, you can see when the rotor is pointed to Cylinder 1 = TDC. If it's pointed to Cylinder 4, it's 180 degrees off.

Less gaskets to buy

[Xj220gt]

ALSO!!!

as an added assurance to finding true TDC: You can have a friend put their hand over the first cylinder hole and you then turn the crank clockwise until your friend feels pressure.

That is how you know which stroke you are in. TDC or BDC.

[vancouverbc]

Yeah, I didnt take valve cover off. Just stuck a welding rod in the sparkplug hole. Its good to check as Ive heard that the crank pulley can slip so timing marks are in wrong place.

normally, dont we just line it up with tdc mark on pulley? compression stroke is pretty obvious as it much harder to rotate. unless you remove all the spark plugs. its late so i dont know if im coherent.

look up top-dead-center in tutorials in my signature
Modified by vancouverbc at 4:57 AM 5/25/2009

[Idahos13]

As it was my first time doing TDC I did not know that you do not have to take off the VC, I did because It is just my first time doing TDC and I didnt know what to do, I had to learn by my self. I appreciate all the knowledge you guy's are putting on this page hopefully it will helpfull someone that needs to do this.

[vancouverbc]

As it was my first time doing TDC I did not know that you do not have to take off the VC, I did because It is just my first time doing TDC and I didnt know what to do, I had to learn by my self. I appreciate all the knowledge you guy's are putting on this page hopefully it will helpfull someone that needs to do this.

You are one of the rare people who actually care. Those pictures are excellent. Veterans are always saying to take the valve cover off so don't feel bad.

[Idahos13]

Thanks for the kind words man I appreciate it!

[Starclassicbb]

Can you do a write up too for the single KA? Or I just kinda follow the same steps!!?

[breadbox]

Very nice.

[onosqv]

Can you do a write up too for the single KA? Or I just kinda follow the same steps!!?

using the screw driver method, it's the same. you can't use the "cam lobe pointing away from the engine" trick because there's only 1 cam in the sohc.

[OutToWinPAHC]

On the SOHC motor you line up the cam and crank ticks and call it a day.

Not a bad write up, but you never mentioned checking to make sure there was 0 pressure on the lifter.

[Idahos13]

I can has custom title?? I'm playing, Thanks for adding things to this guys. I didn't know about the 0 pressure on the lifter at the time of doing this

[onosqv]

Not a bad write up, but you never mentioned checking to make sure there was 0 pressure on the lifter.

Can you explain that please? I've never worried about pressure (or alleviating pressure) on the lifter when I am setting TDC, so more detail would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[OutToWinPAHC]

I can has custom title?? I'm playing, Thanks for adding things to this guys. I didn't know about the 0 pressure on the lifter at the time of doing this

Not this time..... there a few TDC how to's floating around. This on is in the "tutorial section"zerothread/358025

[Idahos13]

It's cool. I will just have to do a write up on something nobody has done yet!

[iitywygms]

Not a bad write up, but you never mentioned checking to make sure there was 0 pressure on the lifter.

Waking a dead thread I know. But I have been questioning my cam position for days.
What exactly does the above statement mean?
If I interpret it correctly, it means there should be no pressure on the lifters of the number one cylinder when installing cams.
Is that correct? If so, my cams are both off by one tooth.

[LoserCard]

Yes, look at the 6th picture. The intake is around the 9:30 position and the exhaust is around 2:30, so no pressure is on either of the bucket lifters in the number 1 cylinder.

[eejjkk]

I know this is almost a decade old post, and it's SUPER informative with great pictures and explanations so thanks a TON for posting it up...

...but are your intake cam and exhaust cams installed on the opposite sides? I only ask because as I read through while finding and marking TDC on my 95 KA, I noticed the factory painted orange/green denoting the intake and exhaust cams is reversed when compared to my KA? Just wondering what the deal is there? Is mine backwards, or is yours?