Timing question

Had a lifter freeze up and chewed on the cam real good. Replaced everything and got it back together and it threw a bunch of timing codes. Did some research and realized the chiltons manual I referred to was wrong on the timing. Told me to match the single colored link to the cam at 12 double colored link to the crank at 6. Which is backwards. My chain didn't have colored links. Has the rectangles. I aligned the double link to the crank single to the cam.
So I have it back apart now to swap the chain marks the right way. and I need assurance it is right. Cam is at 12, crank is at 6, double rectangles straddle the cam mark, single lined up with the crank. Seems like it all fits together perfectly. My question is how many revolutions til the marks and chain all line back up? The only info I could find on this said two revolutions. Mine is nowhere close to aligning up after two. The cam is at 12 after two revs of the crank but the chain marks are nowhere close to the marks on the gears. Is the marks on the chain just a guide for the initial alignment and take many revolutions to line back up? I would think so but info I have found has me confused. Particularly one post I found that said two revs and all marks line back up. Info supposedly strait from dealer manual. I've had it on and off and realigned a dozen times and it never lines up after two revs or even 10. I don't want to do this wrong again. Aligning the 12, 6, double link to cam and single to crank is simple. The two revs to line everything back up has me pulling my hair out. Please help quick

By the way It's a 2010 ram 5.7 vvt mds

Crank and cam timing marks should be facing each other. And should be 2 revs. If it doesn't line up something is wrong. Try taking some white paint pen or silver sharpie and mark the teeth as a visual.


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On a 4th gen ram hemi 5.7? It is impossible for all marks to realign in two revs. It's several links off. On the older 5.7 without the chain tensioner that puts a huge bend in the chain maybe. And putting the mark facing each other goes against any reasearch I e found so far. Not saying your wrong but can anyone back this up? Here is what I've done... cam at 12 o'clock, crank at 6, double linked marks straddle the cam, single link mark aligned with crank mark. This puts just the right amount of slack in the chain to slide the tensioner and guide in. Rotate the crank 2 revs and the cam and crank are back to their 12 and 6 o'clock positions exactly. But the marked links on the chain are several links off from the cam and crank marks. Everything in me is saying this is right and it may take many revolutions for the chain to line back up with those cam and crank marks and at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions all at the same time.. the cam does line up at 12 in two revs with the crank at 6 but the chain marks do not. I've never worked with an engine with a tensioner and have alway verified the timing by rotating the crank and make sure everything lines back up. I'm not sure that works on the chain marks with a tensioner involved. Math just doesn't add up.
Thanks for the reply I just want to be sure.. have you timed a newer hemi with a chain tensioner and guide?

No. Been researching for swapping cam. I don't think the chain position should matter as much as crank and cam timing. I may be wrong about mark positioning as I've been looking at the info on swapping 2013s


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Went to the dealer as bad as I hate to since they screwed me over on this truck but.. it is 12 and 6 double mark link to cam, single to crank. Two revolutions WILL NOT line the chain back up with the cam and crank marks. May take 30 revs for that to happen again. Exactly two revs of crank should line your cam back to 12 but the chain won't. This is on a 2010 ram 1500 5.7 for anyone with the same questions.. there is a lot of bad info out there. I will repost when this thing is hopefully purring like a kitten again.

Good to know.


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Confirmed. Started right up, no codes, no knocks or ticks..

Replaced cam, cam tensioner and guide, thrust plate, lifters, variable valve solenoid, pushrods, had heads done, belt pulley and tensioner, plugs, n all gaskets..

DO NOT rely on chilton manuals for critical repairs. Ask the dealer they will print it out. I also came across a dozen different wrong ways online to do the timing on this engine. I can say for a fact align the cam mark at 12 o'clock, crank dot at 6, two marked links on the chain straddle the cam mark, single marked link matches the crank dot. Make sure the chain doesn't jump a tooth while your putting the tensioner on. No need to spin the crank. Put it back together. Better yet, don't buy a dodge unless you want to encounter this issue. Loved my truck till I hit about 100k. Rear end, shift sensor, lifters, valve seats falling, vvt solenoid... all notorious critical issues with the hemi. Always used correct oil. Pennzoil 5/20 synthetic.. hope this helps someone.

Jcrooks80 what oil were you running?

Burla said:

Jcrooks80 what oil were you running?

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Jcrooks80;. Always used correct oil. Pennzoil 5/20 synthetic.. hope this helps someone.[/QUOTE said:

^^^^^^^^^^^

This

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Pennzoil 5w 20 full synthetic. Changed it every time the dash told me to even tho nearly all hwy miles. That's what? Every 3000? I don't think any oil is going to cure the hemi issues. I definitely wouldn't use anything thicker. Something already blew out the mesh screens on the vvt solenoid. Thick oil isn't going to flow thru that very well I would imagine.. if anything it needs a stronger oil pump which is not an option that I could find.. its common for the lifter on number 5 cup to fail. Why always the #5? Has to be an oil pressure issue to that specific area..

Only thing I'm doing differently is besides the new parts is using wix oil filter with pressure hold valve. So far no chatter on start up.

Can't find any marks on my chain. Looked it over several times. Does it matter as long as you have it straddled at 12 and a single link at 6?

Thank you, thank you. I did the same thing and put the double marks on the bottom. Truck is running but terribly and wondering what I did wrong and see several conflicting stuff myself. I'm going to tear down and try again according to what you said. They cost us a weekend at least with their wrong info. Every bodies an experd' these days.