Valve Grinding 4 Engines

i am including a suggestion for marking timing marks that on overhead cam engines will need to reassembled the same way to the correct marks
   i will mention here any push rod engine is not effected timing mark wise but the distributor will need to be marked on those (most likely) as you sometimes have to remove it to remove head/s
  of course newer engines don't have distributors they have coil packs ect .
     i have used  paint of various types but i always clean a small spot near my intended marks
   with something like carb spray you can most likely use acetone or turpentine , maybe  finger nail polish remover , this will insure the paint stays on the timing gear  or belt and the area near the mark
  (block / casting gear or cog) 
   keep most of your paint marks to the visible side so you wont turn the belt backwards by mistake
     IN general take time to find out what the marks are supposed to align with by looking in a manual for you engine or ask auto zone . maybe visit a library get a copy made or draw a good picture as if you are working on a v6  0r v8 with a lot of cams and balance rs you will really have to 
   know where each one is marked 
 On small 4 cylinder motors with no in block balance rs or maybe a single cam you can probably get by with just painting the marks onto the chain link and gear or on to the belt and its cog for belt
 type drives(cam).
     I will say in the absence of timing alignment marks: it is possible to make your own with paint . 
                                          TRY TO FIND THE MARKS (timing)
       A lot of the time i will begin my work (valve job) by turning motor to top dead center on the number 1 piston  this usually brings the timing marks into there normal position were you can verify exactly where each of the 3 or 4  marks are aligned(on gears). If you find the  cam or cams aligned but cant see the crank mark just wash a spot on the chain and sprocket  with solvent ( mentioned  earlier)   
                               A FEW MOTORS DO NOT ALIGN AT TOP DEAD CENTER SO BEWARE
      Paint a spot of paint across 1 tooth and onto the mating chain use the tooth and mating link as to be careful to use a small enough paint spot as to not be confuse to which link it is on ok?
  USE FAST DRYING PAINT  OR MAYBE  WHITE NAIL POLISH.

      THIS MARK DETERMINING OR MARK PAINTING SHOULD BE DONE AFTER ANY COMPRESSION TESTING  AS THE MOTOR WILL NOT BE MOVED UNTIL YOU HAVE TO RE-INSTALL
   THE HEAD/S TO THE BLOCK ( DO NOT MOVE THE CRANK WHILE OR DURING HEAD REMOVAL ****
         when you are ready to re instal the heads you can move the marks just a little to get them to the same spot use you hand and a wrench remember to put the cam back into the same position before
   putting or bolting the cam onto the head or when the cam is already bolted to the head ( overhead cam engines)

 **** if your motor is an interference motor don't turn the motor over keep crank and cams the same spot when separated 
    Have 2 cams on a  engine or 4 cams? mark them put a paint spot on the front and rear ones or a tag wired with ef if - er=ir ect
   dont mix them up . ( ie front exhaust cam front intake cam, or if you have a 2 head motor the back 2 cams) 
    After you  have you marks then take the bolts holding the head on most likely you will need to
    remove any overhead cams  OK LOOK AT THE CAM CAPS THAT ARE BOLTING THE CAMS ON   SEE THE NUMBERS AND ARROWS ON THE TOP OF THE CAP ? HUH? No ? 
    WELL YOU WILL HAVE TO MARK EACH CAP AND MAKE AN ARROW OR NUMBER
   IF YOU MIX THESE UP YOU WILL RUIN YOU MOTOR OR HEAD 
       if you are uncertain about a caps position (numbers?)try to match the scratch marks seen on the lower cam
             journal they are like finger prints
    there may me a set of numbers and a letter like E on one cam (CAP) and a similar number and letter N

     if the numbers and letters are invisible make your own letters and numbers do so like this
     take a screwdriver or ice pic number the cam holders (boss) starting at one end say 1 through 5 then additionally speaking of twin cam heads  put an e or x for the exhaust cam ones? only beside the exhaust cam caps (dual cam requires more marks)

    More then 1 cam ? do something similar (last paragraph) for the rear head but keep the parts away from the 1st heads cam/s (store it so you don't mix em)
     Cam caps   i lay the caps in the valve cover after checking my  cap numbers keep them in order to replace the same spot on the cam journals
     Take any necessary intake manifold bolts off the head and remove to one side take any exhaust manifold bolts off and remove exhaust manifold to one side
   take any brackets off the manifold that bind you from removing the head and connected parts .

      IF YOU TAKE A CAM SPROCKET OR GEAR OFF TO GET IT LOOSE FROM THE CHAIN THEN
    MARK  IT AND THEN PUT IT BACK ON(after) SO YOU DON'T MIX THEM UP  YOU MAY USE PAINT TO MARK THEM LIKE  CAM 1 OR CAM 2 OR 3 OR 4 WHATEVER
     YOU MAY HOLD THE CAM ON A SPOT THAT ISN'T MACHINED TO KEEP IT FROM TURNING WHILE Loosening OF TIGHTENING GEARS OR COG BOLTS DO NOT LET THE CAM TURN WHEN YOU ARE LOOSENING ANY GEAR OR COG END BOLTS IT CAN RUIN THE VALVES if IT  TURNS SO BE WARNED  DON'T LET THE CAM TURN  WHEN DISASSEMBLING GEAR OR PARTS
( a pneumatic impact wrench is helpful removing big bolts if they are tight  but should not be used for small bolts like 1/2 0r 13 mm just  on 17 mm or bigger ) AND LOOSEN THE CAM GEAR RETAINING BOLT /S BEFORE TAKING ANY CAP BOLTS LOOSE
    LAY YOUR HEAD BOLTS IN THE VALVE COVER OR A CAN PUT SMALL BOLTS IN A DIFFERENT CUP OR PAN DON'T DROP THEM INTO THE AREA BETWEEN THE CHAIN AND THE BOTTOM OF THE OIL PAN  YOU DO NOT WANT THEN IN YOUR MOTOR"! IF YOU DO DROP ONE IN CALL AND ASK A MACHINIST  ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED use a large pair of vise grips to lock the cam and hold it or if you can try to get the cam and gear off with out removing i have used a pipe wrench to hold a cam
   but it can slip and remember you cant let the cam turn (on interference engines ) if  your can gear has large holes  you can sometimes stick a metal bar through the hole to lock it just so it do sent turn ( when loosening cog bolt)

                                          HINTS"
    if you are uncertain about a caps position try to math the scratch marks seen on the lower cam
             journal they are like2 halves and sometimes  are matchable by wear scratches pa terns
    if you have damage to a cap or journal you may be able to smooth it a little(slightly) with 320 grit sandpaper stretched around a socket of a very close size (clean all dust after).

                                                 CAM CAM WONT STAY PUT ON MARK BECAUSE SPRINGS 
     If you find the cam when set to correct mark is jumping to a different spot, it will be necessary
        to hold or lock it while your finishing positioning any remaining gears / chain ect use a pair
      of vise grips clamped to the cam at some spot UN-machined.
                                                   CAMS WITH  ALIGNMENT HOLES
         Some motors like
            the GM 2.4 use holes in the cam gears that you stick a bolt or drill bit into to  while aligning
         beware of the gm 2.4 variable cam gear/s as there are 2 gears stacked and  you must not
         allow the 2 gears to slip to another tooth or it will not work (seriously)

         the 2.4 is a difficult motor to lean their are hidden bolts behind chain tension er ect 
            On iron blocks and or heads i use permatex Indian head shellac to seal rust spots 
         even though it may not be altogether necessary it can stop rust from forming on the
          metal that will cause pitting and lead to gasket failure (use your own judgement).

           I f you are working on the ford SOHC V-8 the Gas TYPE chain Tension-er is behind 
               the timing cover it will be very difficult to squeeze  if you remove the gear so if you
             have a piece of oak wood you may be able to make a wedge and pound it 
              against the chain to scotch the tensiner from springing out when you take the top
              cam gear off. If it does come out you will have a hard time to get your gear back on.
             cam loose .
                                                                        Pressurized Gas Tensioner

               Be aware of  what type of Tensioner you have on your engine if it has a gas pressure
                   type Tensioner you will need to in most cases remove it because you will not be able 
               to get you chain/s or belts onto the cams as it will expand and make it to tight a fit 
                 If you do take the gas pressurized Tensioner off to reuse it you will need to slowly
              re compress it back into the cylinder housing so you can get it in far enough to put 
               a pin into the retainer hole on the side near the rubber boot to be removed like
                a grenade pin only after all the gears and chains / belts are in place and screwed on.

              It takes a lot of force to push the Gas pressure Tensioner in : you will have to
               put it into a large shop vise and the slowly over  say 4 or 5 minits screw the vise
               tight until the pin hole is aligned  to much weight and you will ruin the end of the 
                tensioner i have put them under the car and used a jack to slowly compress them
                 remember to give them time it will need to move slowly over say 4 or 5 minits .

                 when replacing a rocker arm assembly on the Honda civic 4 cylinder engine, be careful when the
                 assembly starts to tighten watch to see if the rocker arms are all contacting there
                  respective valve stems if the high  lobe end valve gets sideways it will bend the exhaust valve 
                sideways BEWARE just push it to the top of the stem so it don't bind as you get it close to pulling down 
                even as some lobes are high and push on the assembly as your tightening it to the head cam inplace
                 understand ?

                A Nissan 4 or v-6 cylinder uses a hydraulic tensioner if your chain is makeing a zizing 
                   noise when engine heats up it could mean the main bearings are wore out ! a chain job
                   will not help this you have bigger troubles  so check oil pressure" with motor hot first .

                 Got an older front wheel  gm motor with a bad cam?  don't want too take the motor out 
                 because of side fender frame? then jack the motor up remove  intake and push rods 
                  and all lifters (use vise grips to pull lifters)  timing cover and gear .Then slide the cam 
                  sideways till it hits the metal above the box frame (jack the motor a little ) the use 
                    a drill to drill a series of holes in a semi circle slightly larger then the cam from 
                    and through the tin behind the wheel well ,bend the metal back (wheel removed)
                     and pull the cam out through the flap , it  will save a lot 
                     of work and sometimes an engine change. Install new cam and lifters".

                  Have a leaky crank seal up in side an area where you cannot prize it  out with a 
                    screwdriver ?  it may be necessary to drill a small hole in the seal shell through
                    the thin tin shell (  caution don't over drill into the main bearing )
                       and put a fairly long enough sheet metal screw into the hole so
                      you can pull on the screw  ( seal attached)to get the old leaky seal out 
                   These few cars with a sunken seal will be hard to align the new seal to push it in
                       i have at these times cut a small section of plastic from the side a plastic pop
                      bottle and wrapped it around the crankshaft nose(temporarily) so that the rubber the new                 lip on the new seal can slide over the plastic sleeve like a shoe horn and the new
                     seal doesn't flip under when you push the seal into the recessed area 
                      always put grease or oil onto a new seal.

                                                              LEAKING OIL SEALS AND TIMING BELTS
                       If the cam seals or crankshaft seals are leaking and your motor has a belt /s 
                         you will need to replace any and all seals on the effected cam or crankshaft
                        other wise if you allow the oil to continue to leak onto your timing belt 
                          it will sometimes ( depending on the belt) cause the belt to break soon possibly
                         in as little as 2 months and potentially within a year it could break 
                         best to always use a new belt but if your not then wash the oil of the belt 
                         with degrease r or then use tide soap, or oven cleaner ect.

                  Time saver when taking certain heads off that "head bolts" can be removed
                   without first removing cam? simply take bolts out: when ready lift end of head
                 farest from gear/cog that will allow you to slip the belt off the gear/ cog  & remove
                  head and cam in one chunk, !  leave adjustment alone Unless its loose going
                 back  on? if you mill the head it may become loose so then adjust the belt if 
                 it has a manual belt idler ( see above for info of pressurized gas tension er !)ok

               NEVER FORGET TO TIGHTEN THE CAM GEAR BOLT OR BOLTS BEFORE FINISHING THE JOB OK?