Timing Chain Alignment

[MikeBZ]

My z is EXTREMELY hard to start. I have a F54 flat-top block with a P90 head with the stock turbo cam. Inital timing at 12 total timing 38. Lately it refuses to start even when using starting fluid, and retarding intial timing, which led me to start looking a little deeper than distributor timing and carb settings.

 

I pulled off the valve cover and the "V" notch behind the cam gear is lined up properly and the piston is at TDC with the crank sprocket mark positioned as well.

 

But my "bright" links are not lined up correctly according to the FSM.

 

How much of an affect would this have ?, Since the cam gear and crank gear are positioned correctly and connected by the chain would the bright links not being positioned right throw off my timing that much.

 

I plan on correcting the situation and setting everything up to spec but am wondering what the effect of the links being off was?

[Sam280Z]

The bright links are there to set the cam timing on assembly. As soon as the engine turns over, they no longer mean anything. The important thing is that the crank timing marks and cam timing marks are correct and you have the correct number of links between them.

 

Sam

[Moltar]

What changes have been done to the vehicle prior to the hard starting?

 

Are you "sneezing" through your carbs?

[RTz]

The bright links are there to set the cam timing on assembly. As soon as the engine turns over, they no longer mean anything. The important thing is that the crank timing marks and cam timing marks are correct and you have the correct number of links between them.

 

Sam

 

 

Bingo.