i really need the help of you guys again. i have a 22RE and blew head gasket the other day. i just got it back from the machine shop and the guy told me that he couldnt get an exact measurement but said he had to take .025-.030 off the head to get it right.

no here's my dilema. this head was a "upgraded" head when the engine was built about 8-10k miles ago and the block was bored .030 at that time. the guy at the machine shop said i had 2 choices which were to use a head shim to make up for the ammount cut off of the head or play with the cam sprocket to get the timing right.

i'd really like to take advantage of the higher compression so i guess my question is, will altering the cam timing by 1 tooth fix my problem? also, do i advance it or retard it? im willing to hear out all suggestions but really needing some quick answers if possible because we hope to have this engine back together tonight.

thanks very much in advance

 

You will need a headgasket shim from fel-pro it's .020 copper. You can also buy a adjustable cam sprocket from LC Engineering. The head shim is the cheaper of the two.

 

i had my head cut twice and i'm not using any shim or adjustable cam sprocket..didnt retard or advance the timing either..i think mine has been cut a total of .040 not sure though...there is a way you can check for clearance using clay..LC Engineering has the step by step process on their website

 

don't piss with a head shim nothing but problems, get a thicker head gasket if your worried about it LC sells themhttp://www.toyotacatalog.net/M1WebGear/ProductDetails.aspx?PartUniqueID=2D45EB08-DEDB-41E3-B024-3A445B703333.You shouldn't have any timing problems as long as the valves dont crash into the piston, do the clay trick http://www.lcengineering.com/technotes/index.php?p=view&catid=3&id=28

 

increasing compression.. hmmmm

 

i adgree with them dont use the head shim just get a thicker gasket but i really dont c that much makeing that much slack in the chain ive had one shaved like to dear god specs and i will tell you make sure to turn the motor by hand hand make sure your not hitting anything but you should be ok slaping everything back to normal and heres another lil secret you dont need an adjustable cam gear unless your cranking some god awful tq you can just take the key out and adjust it where you need it just tight the cam bolt back up and i dont mean gorilla grip it just put it back to spec i know people are going to eat me alive on that one but i swear to you it will be fine

 

ya sorry od but thats a F'd up way to do it.


go to www.celica-gts.com and pm "oldmage" for a adjustable cam gear at a fraction of what LC rapenerring will charge.

 

UH??? no comment!!!

 

playing with fire... but i will say that the v6 motors used in the ford explorer do not have a key for the cam timing, and they are an absolute prick of a motor.

 

I would get an adjustable cam gear and degree the cam the right way. With a degree wheel. There is lots of potential for power have the cam timing exactly where it needs to be.

I know on Fords adjusting the cams can potentially get you big power. Like 30Hp at the wheels on some Mustangs, depends how far its off. My friend is building a turbo focus motor to put in a arial atom type kit kar and we have discovered focus cams may be +/- 11° in either direction

 

lol i knew id get eat up over that one owell to each hes own im not saying its something i would do everytime i do agre that the adjustable timing gear is a must and not saying its a scam you dont have to get one im just saying its a poor folk method and it does work next chance i get ill show you one thats been on a honda for 6 years and a daily driver thats had no problem ive done this to my own ride before i threw the god awful valve springs in it then i knew i would need something a lil more sturdy but anyways just figured id throw my 2cents back in this lil rant

 

i believe what your saying, and it would work. its just not something i would suggest to someone over the internets... and if i had a old beat up piece of crap i would do it if it wasnt my daily and i got some power from it.