How do I align the crank pulley with arrow on Water Pump?

mjono53 · #1 (**permalink**) 04-25-2008, 01:58 PM

Well thanks to all the good advice and direction I have recieved from all of you, my Alfa finally started, and promptly backfired and stalled. My understanding is that the mark on the crank pulley must line up with the water pump arrow. Mine doesn't, every time I line it up, it does not end up back at that point when I crank it. I really am stuck here help!

Mike

Alfacliff · #2 (**permalink**) 04-25-2008, 02:02 PM

the crank pully turns with the crank. every time you shut off the engine, or crank it, it stops in a slightly different place. that is normal. the marks are for static timing, aligning everything when the engine is off so they will be where they should be when the engine is running. also, there are two top dead center alignment points, both are when cyl 1 is at tdc, one is the right one when the cams are both pointed out. also, if you replaced the dist cap, the new ones are marked different from the old ones.
cliff

**ghnl** · #3 (**permalink**) 04-26-2008, 06:01 PM

As Cliff points out, there is no way to 'make' the engine stop at a specific point so the mark aligns with the pointer.

The pointer (on some models at least) is adjustable, BTW. So, it can be mis-adjusted too. There is info in the L-jet page about positioning the engine so the #1 pistion is at TDC (on compression). Once properly positioned, you can then adjust the pointer to point at the TDC mark.

mjono53 · #4 (**permalink**) 04-27-2008, 10:43 AM

Thanks to both Cliff and Eric for thei input and advice. I am grateful !
I guess the thing that has me so baffled is that although I did remove the crank pulley to remove the water pump, I haven't messed with anything else. It ran like a dream the day I started working on the water pump and after I installed the new one it started. But I had a small leak and I shut it down so I could repair that and it has never run since then. So what to do now? If there is someone in the Charlotte,NC area that thinks they could show me I would appreciate thier time and would be more than happy to return the favor! Or anyone that has had a similar problem?
Mike

**ghnl** · #5 (**permalink**) 04-27-2008, 11:07 AM

You did re-install the 'key' in the crankshaft pulley, correct?

mjono53 · #6 (**permalink**) 04-30-2008, 06:10 AM

Seriously, I never saw or found a key. Funny now that you mention it, I wondered why there wasn't one. Guess I better go look to see if it's missing or mis-aligned.
Thanks,
Mike

mjono53 · #7 (**permalink**) 04-30-2008, 11:23 AM

Well I took everything off and looked to find a key at the crankshaft pulley. No luck, but I found a couple of mistakes and corrected them,realigned the notch on the crank pulley and tightened it all back down. Cranks better, but still backfires and won;t start.
Oh well the search goes on ! Darn Gremlins !!
Mike

**ghnl** · #8 (**permalink**) 04-30-2008, 02:00 PM

Are you saying there wasn't/isn't a key to align the crank pulley?!? And what were the other mistakes?

BTW, what model year Spider are we discussing?

mjono53 · #9 (**permalink**) 04-30-2008, 02:45 PM

In answe to your question yes there wasn't a key in the front where pulley and gear attach. However the shaft is keyed inside3 the engine and that was not fully in place (main mistake) I worked it in place and realigned the crank pulley and tightened everything up. Also the pulley was not as tight as it could have been so I tightened it as well (other mistake). Cranks, misfires but does not run. Thanks for your time on this in advance.
Mike

mjono53 · #10 (**permalink**) 05-01-2008, 12:24 PM

Well many thanks to those who reponded to my posting. But I surrender and have sent my baby off to the shop. Ican't stand not being able to drive it !!
Mike