So,first off, the only way I can get the timing marks lined up, the valve are both closed, but if I turn the crank gear just a little more, the rearward valve starts to open. This leads me to believe this is not the compression stroke, or is it? Once again dots lined up,valves are closed, but the rear one will open on the next rotation. Next, I cannot get the rotor on the distributor to line up to cylinder one, when the timing gears are lined up. Is it possible I may need to realign the distributor as well? Never had a motor jump timing before, a little bit lost.
Thanks

 

I had the same problem, bought my xj and it was out of time.
i fixed it though just the other day. i have a thread on it.
But i can tell you whats going on.
Yes your going to have to realign the distributor.
And yeah thats normal the last valve and the first one are open which is 1st piston and 6th piston always are on top, as in TOP DEAD CENTER.

 

Cool man, I will look for your thread on this. I would like to get this thing back on the road so I can work on more important things... like my aux lighting. LOL

 

the only way you can mess this up is by putting the marks any other way than it shows get them pointing as close as possible and put the chain on the rotate the motor around until they come up together again you will be able to stop it perfect .

 

Anything I need to know about realigning the distributor?

 

when replacing a timing chain on a 4.0 , touching the distributor is not necessary

 

to the OP, take a picture of how you have the timing

the rotor button should be pointing towards the the #1 cylinder connection on the dizzy cap, it will NOT be facing towards the #1 cylinder on the motor

 

LOL. I 'm not trying to get it to point towards the motor. When the gears are lined up at tdc, the rotor is pointed at #6 on the distributor.

 

can you take a picture of how you have the sprockets?

did you remove the distributor at all?

 

no way to take pics. Gears are lined up correctly. Distributor has not been touched at all.

 

sound likr you are 180 out on your cam try turning it one more round if you didnt pull the dist I think thats what wrong

 

here what the book says be sure the crankshaft key is pointing up aline camshaft mark and crankshaft mark aline to verify the correct installation of the timing chain turn the crankshaft clockwise until the camshaft sprocket timing mark is at the 1 o clock postion this positions the cramshaft sprocket timing mark wherethe ajacent tooth meashes with the chain at the three oclock position there must be 15 chain pins between the sprocket timing marks the best thing is to get you a book some thing like a Haynes or Chilton they are about 20.00 at most auto parts stores will pay for its self the first time you use it . every auto I have evre owned I have bought one for the biger manural some times dont cover a lot of things like wiring and dont have pic of the auto you are working on .

 

Well, iv'e gotta wait until the morning to pick up my new chain. I do believe that I am 180 out, however the hell that happened.

 

when this is done the rotor shoulg be pointing to no 1 cyl on cap

 

should be pointing to no 1