I am interested in timing by 98 12V and I was wondering if the Snap-on kit SP-500 is all I need or do I need any other specialty tools. Thanks Doug

 

You will need the engine barring tool as well , last i checked it was not included in the kit.

If you buy it and want to part with it to get some of your $$ back, let me know.

 

remember though that the snap on gauge is a 2mm per revolution gauge, and the miller one the DC manual uses is a 1mm gauge. This needs to be taken into account if you're following the DC instructions to the letter. Otherwise it works great...I like the gear puller in the snapon set better than most, and I don't remove the nut as the book talks about either. Which reminds me of another tidbit. The book has you retorqueing the nut with the aid of a series of torrington bearings to keep it from moving during initial torqueing. You won't get these with the snap on kit either....but like I said, I don't use them anyway.

As far as the barring tool...get two. They wear out fairly quickly due to the mesh of the teeth. being as cheap as they are, it pays to have a spare when one gives up the goat in the middle of timing.

Good luck
Chris

 

Thanks for the advice. I just ordered the set and a barring tool, should have ordered two barring tool, but just got one. The total will be around $270 for both. Local diesel shop wanted $300 something to time my engine. Later Doug

 

Dont really need the barring tool. Turn the alternator nut backwards...

 

That works fine, but to take all gear slop out, find an accurate number, and make fine adjustments, the barring tool is the only way to go.....the alternator usually will only turn the engine backwards. But then again I only use a dial indicator for finding TDC too.....the timing pin is at least 2-3 degrees off and not consistent at that. So I tend to be finicky in this arena...JMHO.

 

ok...good info. Thanks.

 

hey which timing pin is 2-3* off? the one in the pump or the one on the gear case?????

 

the one on the gear case, sometimes they are right but depending how the slack in the gears are they can be off.

 

OK, so if you cannot trust the timing pin, what is the procedure for finding TDC? Is there a link to it?

Thanks,
Chris

 

I pull the #1 injector and use a dial indicator to find the top of the piston stroke. The pin has never gone in for me using this method, this indicates to me that most of the pins are off.

 

I used the valve drop method to find TDC, cause my dial indicator has a short stem. Had to fab up a quick and dirty mount, but it worked better than it looks and now I've got TDC and .020 drop on either side of TDC labeled on the timing cover
BTW, my timing pin was way off, too.

 

I used an old injector body and modified to hold a dial indicator and extension rod....works good. Dial indicator timing is by far the most accurate timing procedure. Just make sure you come up on TDC in normal engine rotation to remove gear lash from everything before setting the pump gear once plunger lift has already been set.

 

doesnt the piston kinda stay up for a while? until it goes down again?????

yesterday we set the pump, both timing pins set at tdc. but it wont rev up and it shutters horrible and lots of white smoke!!! could the timing pin be so off???

thx

 

another thought is always use CONTACT CLEANER on the pump gear cleaning... do not use brake cleaner. contact cleaner will not leave a film on the parts had an apprentice lose a pump timing on the dyno last week , first question is what did you use for cleaning the gear..... uhhuh brake clean. so then he went and clean it out right and forgot to pull the pin out of the pump and engine and bent one and broke the other, sometime you just cant win.