so, hope someone out there can point out my schoolboy error (I hope thats what it is...)

I've had my 2.5NA engine out for new gaskets, seals, clutch, crank pulley, timing belt etc. just a general 170,000 mile spruce...

I've come almost to the end and when it's come to setting the valve clearances, turning the crank the valves are hitting the pistons and jamming it all up! It turns good as new with the rockers off, so it is definitely the valves stopping it.

Doing this the first time, I bent a couple of push rods, so i replaced them thinking that they weren't seated properly in the cam followers and therefore were pushing the valves down too far. That wasn't the problem. Then i took the timing belt off again thinking that the cam was not timed properly (it was actually a tooth out), tried it again and still the same problem.

The only thing i can think of now is that the cam sprocket is out from when i took it off to change the oil seal... I didn't actually take the crank or cam out, just changed the oil seals and o-rings at the timing belt end. Because it was a month ago now that i did it, i can't remember if the sprocket had a locating pin to keep it set in place (surely it did?!)

AAAAH I don't know what it could be and its really annoying me - I wanted to have it running before it snows!!

Any ideas? Cheers, Liam

shouldnt be able to get the cam wrong as it sits on a key ,are you sure cranks is right ,often flywheel will have several slots for the pin and you need to check dot on crank sprocket to ensure its correct,best doing with rockers off or adjusters backed off

I though that. second time round, I had the head off again just to make sure the valves were ok and set TDC off the key on the crank sprocket and double checked by eye...

i think timing set at 108 BTDC which puts key at about 8 oclock ,you should see dot on crank puley

The crank pulley does have a TDC mark at around 10 o'clock, I just guessed that was measured off a different point on the belt cover.

Yes, you were right! Had it fixed in my head that it was timed from TDC and didn't even check for the mark on the sprocket! Keyway sits at 8/9 o'clock. Winner I knew it'd be a simple schoolboy error!