1990 corolla Cam timing Help Please.

[Dan P]

hello guys i have a '90 toyota corolla DOHC i think 24valve its some kinda FA engine. i had to put a new head gasket on after 250,000 miles. this was my first on a a car with DOHC so i had to takem out to remove the head but now that its time to put them back in i cant Get the damn things to go in right so that they are #1 TDC i install them like chiltons,haynes and auto zone says but all of them leave out a few details in the pics. so can anyone help me out here. everytime i install them with those damn little dimple marks and set it at TDC the distributor will be pointing at #2 cylinder instead of #1!!! thanks for your help

[Dan P]

the motor is a "4A-FE" and the car is a DX. and i have searched these forums for anything that i can to help but nothing.

[Dan P]

hello i finally got the car running it turns out the numbers on the distrbutor where wrong? i changed the plug wires the way the chilton shows them and it ran. but now the car seems to be lacking power maybe bottem end or tourqe? anyone know what might give it more power, the timing marks all line up except the intake cam mark is aff like maybe 1deg but thet shouldnt affect it all that much right?

[tashirosgt]

Which dimples were you using? There are "assembly" marks on the cam that help you mate the two cam gears. The TDC mark for timing is different than the assembly marks. I think these marks may be on opposite faces of the cam gear, but, from memory, I'm not sure.

[91boz]

Just did a head gasket replace on my 92.
Place the crankshaft at top dead center, pointer lined up to the "0" on the cover. Make sure that the #1 piston is at the top if not then rotate 360 deg until piston is at the top. The exhaust camshaft gear key should point to the top at 12 oclock. There is a dimple on the ex. cam at 9 0clock and should match the dimple on the 3 oclock intake camshaft. This is the Top Dead Center position and timing of camshaft to crankshaft.
When the intake camshaft is removed the meshed spyder gear should be locked with a 6mm bolt before removal to prevent the mis alignment of the 2 piece gear. The gear cannot be locked in the TDC position and the ex. cam has to be rotated cc so that the 12 oclock pin is rotated just below 9 oclock. This will place the bolt opening on the intake cam to 12 oclock to insert the 6mm lock bolt.

Pix Top Dead Center


Intake Cam Lock bolt hole at 12:00